Spinning our wheels

We are doing nothing.  A couple of weeks ago, I made a post about how important it was to get our news from actual journalists.  Yet, my own informal survey on Facebook has shown that I’m pissing into the wind.  People I love and care about continue to post memes, blog entries and make statements that are baseless and just meant to fuel a fire in the name of social justice, in the name of the environment, in the name of democracy.

In the name of bullshit.

Look, I’m going to ask you to do something for me.  In addition to reading actual news from sources with journalistic integrity (no, Slate and Huffington Post don’t count), I’m also going to ask you to read the stories that you so quickly hit the “share” button on.  Also, and I know it’s terribly hard to do, but there’s this site called Google where you can plug in a phrase or term and see if a reputable news source has similarly reported the findings that you’re posting from another.hoax.org.com.eu.  One step further: I love me some Snopes.com.  Let’s say you don’t want to do the work, they’ll do it for you!  It’s amazing!  And, they will site actual sources and either confirm or refute stupid internet claims.

Why does this bother me?  Because, we’re in a bubble; you, me, our “friends” and we’re smarter/better than this.  Largely, according to the journal Science, we tend to limit opposing views posted by FB peeps, either by muting or even unfriending them.  This past election cycle was so polarized that I’m guessing many “unfriended” users in the past 18 months for having a competing world view.  So, that leave us posting our views to people who already share them.  Look, I believe what you do…but I also want the information you’re sharing to be based in fact…in science so that, if and when I repeat it, the information is defensible…and not just meme-worthy, click-bait or worse, fake news.

This is exactly what we accused President-Elect Trump of doing. 

Facebook is a great soapbox, however, the loudest and most emotional posts are not always living in a world of reality.  I said it before, and I’ll say it again, arm yourselves.  Make intelligent contributions to us, your audience, who already agrees with you.  Because when you post based on science and fact, you’re also arming us to carry the torch and shed light on the proverbial sea of over-hyped garbage out there. 

Now, it’s the holidays.  They’re here, global warming, drought and all.  Your posts aren’t doing anything to conserve energy or water or promote social justice to indigenous persons.  It’s all garbage.  Put your money and time where your mouth is.  Forget “Giving Tuesday.”  Give all season long!  Support the Red Cross.  Support social non-profits like the AIDSResource Foundation for Children in Newark.  Support the environment.  Support the ACLU and Planned Parenthood and any other organization who is putting boots on the ground to get something actually accomplished.  And, please, stop posting unsubstantiated baseless crap on Facebook, because it does nothing.

Dig Deep

I love John Oliver.  Pretty funny dude.  Before he got his HBO gig, he was best known for his stint at the Daily Show.  However, during his tenure there, he was also half of a podcast called The Bugle which he co-hosted with Andy Zaltzman, another cheeky Brit with a penchant for a long and drawn out pun run. 

Most recently, I watched his last episode for this year, and his closing bit was a pre-taped segment of both celebrities and regular "joes" all saying "Fuck you 2016!"  As his show is largely political, it makes sense that this was directly related to the Trump election (which looks fishier every day, but I digress...ed.) as well as many notable deaths of celebrities taken before their perceived time.  Looking at it that way, yeah, this was the year that a walking orange carpet got elected as well as the year that Snape and Ziggy Stardust perished...among others. 

I mean, in this past year, two friends died of cancer, both with young children.  Other friends lost their jobs.  I lost a grandparent, and while it wasn't unexpected, she was a tough-as-nails lady who herself had to raise two children "alone" due to my grandfather's early passing.  Yeah, this year was difficult.

However, I would ask you to look past that, which is not always easy.  I've got a lot to look back on in 2016 which was fantastic...like camping with my son for his first (and second) time.  Look ma, we're outdoorsmen!  Our family had two magical vacations...one filled with natural wonder, and the other with man-made, but each trip was ridiculously enriching for my kids. I got to see family I don't typically hang out with, on both coasts; in the extreme north and in the sweltering south.  And, most recently, I got news that a great friend's family got bigger by one just this past Monday. 

The news media would have us believe that the Armageddon is coming.  Before you succumb to the hype, take inventory of the incredible things that happened to you this year.  Then, this long weekend, celebrate those achievements with friends and family.  Have a ridiculously huge meal...or two.  Eat Brussels sprouts!  And, remember that this time of year is fantastic, and there's no better way to kick it off than with those you care about the most...without presents, but with extra helpings of dessert.  In the States, this may be the best non-secular holiday that We the People have together.  Oh, and then, after you're done eating and watching the NFL, make a donation to those people at Standing Rock.  Why?  Because, without them and their beliefs, we'd be relegated to eating mint leaves and poison ivy berries on the shores of New England.  It's the merging of traditions that makes us, as a nation, great, and as long as we continue that path of acceptance, then no politician will be able to tear us apart.

Happy Thanksgiving.

The News

I've been trying to decide what to write in the wake of the election.  There's almost nothing I can say that hasn't been said.  Right now, I'm in a "wait and see" mode.  The Media has been relentless about the types of people that the President Elect is looking to fill his cabinet with.  And, increasingly, it seems that, in addition to being woefully unprepared to fill the innumerable appointments, that he is also completely overwhelmed with his new responsibilities...which don't include frequent dinners to the 21 Club or trips to one of his many golf courses.

That said, before I overreact to what FaceBook would have me believe, I am going to choose to get my news from actual news sources.  For starters, I am "off" political blogs because, frequently, as well intentioned as they are, they're not reliable measures of actual news...i.e. unbiased fact.  The worst of the lot is the Fluffington Post which should be read as 100% opinion and merely click-bait.  Do some of their "articles" represent my views?  Sure.  However, their stories just fan the fire.  It's time to put well sourced journalism at the forefront and make up our own minds from a position of fact...something that was nearly completely lacking during the presidential election.

The President Elect has indicated many times that he is going to be on the attack when it comes to periodicals such as the New York Times and Washington Post that cast him in a poor light.  He said during his campaign that he's going to do something about his negative press:

"One of the things I'm going to do if I win, and I hope we do and we're certainly leading. I'm going to open up our libel laws so when they write purposely negative and horrible and false articles, we can sue them and win lots of money. We're going to open up those libel laws. So when The New York Times writes a hit piece which is a total disgrace or when The Washington Post, which is there for other reasons, writes a hit piece, we can sue them and win money instead of having no chance of winning because they're totally protected,"

As far as I'm aware, and according to NPR, Trump would "have to prove that at the time of publication, the reporter, the newspaper, the broadcaster knew that they were making a mistake or were reckless in making that mistake."  And this is why we must support those institutions that do their homework before they go to press.  I don't believe that the new administration will have a leg to stand on if they go after our many reputable news sources.  But, to ensure that those sources continue to be able to do the work we need to make informed decisions, I'm telling everyone I know, it's time to start paying for real journalistic institutions.

Time to take out a subscription to the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal or the Washington Post.  Donate to NPR.  And then, when you're done reading real fact-based news...go back to FaceBook, make your intelligent comments and parse through the information that best fits your understanding of those facts...like donations to Planned Parenthood in Pence's name; boycotting brands that contributed to a political party based on fear and a national divide ; attend some of the many marches planned...not just because it's a good idea, but because you stand for something. 

In the next four years, we'll need to prepare to combat the administration's inexperience.  Also, there will be attempts to subvert policy and Constitutional law in order to further political goals that are not in the best interest of We the People...the 99%.  As my high school art teacher, Chuck Miley used to always say, "if you're going to have a battle of wits, it's best not to go unarmed!"

The next four years may feel like a policy war, and it's time to arm ourselves...with fact!

I'm Voting

I'm voting for my daughter.  I'm voting for my son.  I'm voting for the environment.  I'm voting for my job.  I'm voting for my wife, and her job.  I'm voting for my religious rights.  I'm voting for acceptance.  I'm voting for peace.  I'm voting for music.  I'm voting for free speech.  I'm voting for democracy.  I'm voting for renewable energy.  I'm voting for international relations. I'm voting for technology.  I'm voting for science.  I'm voting for truth above hearsay.  I'm voting for history, both to make history and a vow not to repeat historic errors. 

But mostly, I'm voting so that we can continue voting our minds and values.  We, you and I, have a job to do today.  I'm voting so that you can vote too. 

Vote. 

I Stand with Standing Rock

I too believe that what the protesters are doing on Standing Rock is important. It's more important than the Bundy stand-off of last year for many reasons. The Bundy's were selfish wanting a national treasure for themselves while the Standing Rock Stand-Off is in the spirit of preserving a vital resource from tampering and potential destruction.  In my opinion, fresh drinking water is an imperative that trumps greed for fossil fuel sales.  I am not snowed as to thinking that this will curb our fossil fuel appetite, but I believe that funds dedicated to be used in this pipeline could better be used for honest, renewable energy.  

That said, I have no issue with standing with Standing Rock, but similar to other FaceBook hoaxes please note that there is no coordinated effort to track protestors through FaceBook.  The following is an excerpt from Snopes.Com:

"We contacted the department about the rumor, and an officer explained not only that they were not using Facebook check-ins as a gauge of anything, but that the metric presented no intelligence value to them. The rumor suggested that protesters cited Facebook check-ins as a manner in which police could target them, but check-ins were voluntary — and if police were using geolocation tools based on mobile devices, remote check-ins would not confuse or overwhelm them. In an e-mail response, a separate officer stated:

The Morton County Sheriff’s Department is not and does not follow Facebook check-ins for the protest camp or any location. This claim / rumor is absolutely false.

We also contacted Sacred Stone Camp to determine whether they were the source of the social media plea. A representative clarified the rumor, telling us that police do sift through social media for "incriminating material" (not whether or not they were at the site, however) and to generally monitor the protests. They told us that the group appreciated the gesture of solidarity, but that the message did not originate with their camp:

There is no doubt that law enforcement comb social media for incriminating material and monitor communications.
There is no solid line between "organizers" and "others"- this is a movement, not an organization. There are many camps and points of contact, we can only verify that it did not originate from the Sacred Stone Camp FB page. We support the tactic, and think it is a great way to express solidarity.

Neither the Morton County's Sheriff's Department nor representatives for a large camp believed that the viral Facebook status meme was impeding law enforcement activities (although the protesters said that they appreciated the solidarity).  Sacred Stone Camp maintained a fund to which supporters could donate money to support their legal defense. Although the meme drew attention to the issue, it didn't necessarily draw material assistance.

Originally published: 31 October 2016"

Ultimately, my view is don't post this with the intent on gaming anyone in law enforcement, but certainly stand in solidarity with the Indigenous Peoples who have camped out there in the interest of preserving a resource we all need.  As with all protests, merely posting something on FaceBook isn't enough.  If you're interested in going to the next level, check out these suggestions on TheFreeThoughtProject.Com.