Deniers: Freedom Fighters or Killers?

If you’re one of those outspoken mask / vax deniers you probably can’t wait to respond to this. Bring it. You should know in advance that it’s my opinion you share responsibility for people dying, including our children.  But I also realize you’ve been continuously lied to by some real experts. I hope you can find it in your heart to consider a few things….and to maybe start thinking clearly.

The Iowa Supreme Court put a temporary hold on the legislated ban on mask mandates in schools—districts are free to choose whether to adopt a mandate. Surprise…very few districts have done what is needed to protect our children. Two possible “reasons”… one, school boards that support what has become political propaganda. Or, fear of backlash from a small, loud and increasingly violent group of mask / vax deniers. Standing up for their right to kill people? That’s what I’m inclined to call it.

More than a quarter million children contracting COVID in a week’s time.  COVID infection cases, hospitalizations, and deaths skyrocketing. Most schools have no mitigation provisions. NONE. Still, too many Americans refuse to get vaccinated or wear masks. They see no reason to protect the children. But set aside the rising number of infected kids. Consider that even if asymptomatic or mild cases, we don’t know the “long covid” impact on young peoples’ social-emotional and intellectual development. And we’re just rolling the dice to see whose child dies first. Are you really good with that risk?

Our children’s lives have become a political piece on the chess board for both elected officials and media. Deniers have fully bought into intentional disinformation-lies. No other way to think about it. Propagandists are knowingly, intentionally killing people. It’s frustrating and heartbreaking to see good people, including close friends, being taken in and becoming highly vocal deniers perpetuating the propaganda. These repeaters play as much of a role in killing people, whether knowingly or not, as the disinformation’s originators …the intentional political game-playing liars.

A question or two …what if the bogeyman is real, and that science and the overwhelming number of global experts are right about the need to vaccinate, and that masks slow down transmission? Are you at peace with believing and sharing anti-vax / anti mask stuff that’s likely to be based on low credibility “expertise”? Are you absolutely comfortable with playing even a small part in influencing family and friends who may listen to you, to make choices that could lead to their dying, or worse putting innocent people around you in danger? Are you willing to gamble with our kids’ lives?

If you haven’t been paying attention, our kiddos are in the crosshairs. That makes us miserable failures at our one greatest, most sacred responsibility—keeping our children safe.  

Are You A Denier?

If so, can we talk?

On the outside chance that the bogeyman is real and that science and the experts may be right about masks slowing down transmission of that nasty Delta variant, are you at peace with sharing anti-vax / anti mask stuff that is likely to be based on opinion only, not science? Are you absolutely comfortable with the possibility that you may be playing even a small part in influencing people–maybe family and friends who listen to you–to make choices that could lead to their unnecessarily dying? 

Two factors behind those questions…one, I have a fairly well-founded opinion, I believe in the true experts and the overwhelming science even if it seems to be only partially or temporarily correct sometimes (see “Science Does Not “Lie”). Bottom line, covid has undeniably kicked our ass and it looks more and more probable that Delta will be even worse. 

Science Does Not “Lie”

I also believe that due to the cavalier way we’ve handled things countless thousands of people have died and continue to die who did not have to. That is a logical, well-supported position to take. And that greatly saddens and maddens me at the same time. 

Second factor: everyday deniers are buying into lies and intentional disinformation from those who have made this a political piece on the chess board. This includes both elected officials and certain media. Because I feel so strongly that the science is correct and covid is very much for real, the only conclusion is that these propagandists are knowingly, intentionally KILLING PEOPLE. It’s frustrating and heartbreaking to see good people, including true friends, taken in and joining in as highly vocal deniers perpetuating the propaganda, whether knowingly or not. Either way these repeaters play as much of a role in KILLING PEOPLE as the disinformation’s originators …THE INTENTIONAL LIARS. 

And that also greatly saddens and maddens me at the same time. These are friends–what to do?

Science Does Not “Lie”

Anti vaxxers / no-maskers grouse about CDC “changing its mind” which is translated into “they don’t know what they’re talking about. Don’t trust them, don’t listen. No vax, no mask for me”. Political and media propagandists on the right sure doesn’t help any. Big shots plant fear-inducing disinformation and their audience enthusiastically feeds and waters it very well. 

ALL those who perpetuate killer propaganda are complicit in negligent homicide. People are dying from their lying, whether or not the lies are intentional. Harsh? So is our reality.

The nature of science is to continue monitoring, testing, learning and reacting appropriately to new information.  Science doesn’t carve rules in stone. Nothing is absolute “truth” beyond the moment a recommendation is made, especially in a situation that is brand new  where “facts” change and too much is simply not yet known. When things change or new things are learned, science’s  position must change too. (pssst…that is why they call it the Delta VARIANT. We do not have an instruction manual or a step-by-step process description for Delta)

Science is not “Truth”. Science helps find and support the truth. When science changes its position, it’s not “lying to us.” It simply means science has learned more. Science speaks in transitory “truths” at best and while logical theory may be shared along the way when it comes to covid, science does not present absolutes as truth for all time. 

“Theory” is nothing more than science’s current interpretation of data. We cannot accept theory as fact, and doing so even with logical theorizing based on information / data that is currently known is dangerous ….IF it’s not made absolutely clear up front which level we’re at: 

• Proven at this time, supported by data, as close to “ truth” as we’re going to get for now; 
• Probable or likely, logical deductions we can make-this is not “fact”; 
• Possible / maybe–hypothesizing, aka guessing, certainly not fact. Or just simply 
• “What if” …thinking out loud. 

That’s where things get messy — we interpret, we assume, we jump up the ladder rungs from “what if” to “proven fact”. We incorrectly interpret information at a level it is not intended to be. I don’t recall seeing scientists saying “we know this for a fact” too often when it comes to a moving target like covid. But that is often the way it is taken rather than “based on what we currently know….”

Accurately communicating understandable covid information shouldn’t be rocket science. But a good deal of doubt and distrust has been intentionally sown by people in positions that carry lots of bully pulpit power. So here we are today-hoping the science is not right and that the Delta Wave does not become a tsunami. “Based on what we now know, it is quite possible that it may get very nasty”.

WHAT TO DO?

HOW can we educate people, to understand that the nature of science is to continue monitoring and testing and learning, reacting appropriately to new information? Science doesn’t carve rules in stone, nothing is “truth” beyond the moment a recommendation is made, because facts change.

(pssst…again, that is why they call it the Delta VARIANT)

We need to mount a serious Truth campaign, for both covid information and political Big Lie stuff. I’ve said it before: for both consider your target audience. Design your messaging for a 4th grade comprehension level or you will blast way over your target. 

A critical challenge is to get the point across that science does not “lie”. But those who ignore or twist what science tells us do indeed lie. They either know it so they’re stupid liars. Or they haven’t paid attention, so they’re uninformed, ok…ignorant, liars.

Smart folk are always tempted to throw some Darwin into the mix. But don’t use “his” profundity about survival of the fittest being based on ability to adapt to the environment. Fact checked: even though it’s really Darwin-esque he never said any such thing. And remember the 4th grade rule of thumb. “Environment” is a four-syllable word. AND you’d have to explain who Darwin was, a potential can of worms. So, even though that “survival of the fittest” statement is a scientific reality….ssshhh. 

Fast Forward: Four Years After

Sandy Hook shook us, for the time being. The aftermath was painful, frustrating and sobering for those who were paying attention, as we helplessly watched the tragedy fade into the rear view mirror. The school world changed somewhat, for some more and more immediately than for others. This is an account of a personal epiphany and commitment triggering experience.

I’ve been a nearly full time substitute teacher since the mid 2000’s. I have been plenty comfortable in my role and lucky enough to have a great connection with the kids. “It can’t happen here” attitudes had delayed meaningful action, but procedures and regular drills have finally taken hold in my district–a seemingly endless stream of school shootings and other mass murders have finally forced most schools to develop lockdown / intruder protocols. 

I was in a third grade classroom the day one of the first district-wide practice drills took place: armed intruder, take cover. By that time the kids, even 3rd graders, knew about school shootings. But most had not yet had their little noses forcefully crammed down into the reality. Our room’s plan was to hunker down out of sight in a back storage room. We were waiting for the “all clear” when I felt tugging on my pants leg. I looked down and a little angel with tears streaming down her cheeks whispered to me between deep sobs “Mr. Craig, why would anybody want to hurt us?”

What do you say? What could I say? She bushwhacked me and I didn’t have the right reassuring response ready. I hugged her and cried with her.  Our babies do not deserve growing up with that level of  fear in their little lives.  And I vowed right then, not on my watch. I am ready for the ultimate.

There’s The Plan, Then There’s “What Will I Really Do?” 

How much has our life at school and outside of school changed? It depends on how “woke” an individual became but more importantly, how woke we have remained…

As a Sub I am in different buildings, different rooms with different floor plans and therefore different intruder plans. Every morning pre-bell, I familiarize myself with the “official” plan, then develop my own. There must have been a lot of old ball players who went into teaching, if the proliferation of bats in school rooms is any indication. But for the batless rooms, I have my own little length of hickory with a wrist strap that fits nicely in my bookbag. NO GUN in school for me. Not ever. What could go wrong, right? Chances are, if it comes down to shooting my Little Old Hickory defense may not be enough. I’ve accepted that. I remain violently opposed to arming teachers even though I am very comfortable -pretty good actually-  handling and firing weapons. MY KIDS will not be harmed! I will take my chances on a strategic position behind the doorway with my strategically placed stick. Pretty good with one of those too–switch hitter–and there would be far less collateral damage.

Every Day…

Like many, my daily habits have changed drastically. Like the old cowboy in the saloon, I’m on constant high alert in public, always aware of my location, the sights and sounds of my surroundings. “Sun at your back, cowboy”…for visits to the doctor’s office, my waiting room seat is near a side exit, back to the wall and eyes on entrance(s). If there’s no secure seat I’ll stand. Ready to fight or flee, whichever the situation may call for.

My state recently approved no-permit-required concealed carry. Which means anyone you meet on the street could be packing heat. Good guy or bad guy…who knows ? My county supervisors (all Red) just passed a “Second Amendment Sanctuary” resolution, ignoring the objections of a packed gallery. The resolution came straight from the NRA. Seriously. Jasper County, Iowa will not enforce federal or state restrictions the three county supervisors feel may infringe on a person’s natural right to own and / or carry a weapon. That’s the Fed’s job, but as far as our local law enforcement we’ve announced to the world “no worries, your rights and your armament du jour are safe here. High capacity magazines and all the other lethal weapon trappings are just fine with us. We’ll protect your natural right to kill.” Red flag laws will not be enforced as they infringe on “individual rights”. Any sensible control will not apply here.

We are the first Iowa county to adopt this NRA-DRAFTED resolution, many more around the state and country will surely follow once word gets out. The second Iowa county only took a day after Jasper to adopt (now I get what the rush was in Jasper…we’re #1! Woo-hoo!) 

The NRA and a small handful of positioned individuals have more say in our kids’ and our community’s safety than we do. We’re going backwards in establishing reasonable controls and addressing school safety issues, and WE NEED TO BE MAD AND LOUD AS HELL in showing our disagreement.

Just by coincidence, these developments came down at the same time I signed on with the Sandy Hook Promise organization. Must be a sign. Lots to do in my own back yard for a warm up.

So here we are, summer of ‘21. A nasty covid variant is resurging, and the stupidity of CRT paranoia has entered the fray. 

Long time ago, making schools safer should have been the highest priority. The powers that be and the general public have stubbornly remained short-sighted, and now the fall of 2021 is right around the corner. If / when things get worse with the Delta variant we’ll be in deep trouble. And God Help Us All if / when school shootings come back…

Not surprisingly, there’s a teacher shortage. Teachers are leaving everywhere, pushed out by a nasty combination of issues. We’ve seen the confusion bickering over any kind of sensible gun control, and have been subjected to chatter about arming teachers in our classrooms. Now a major push by the far right to control curriculum and the STUPID flap over CRT in k-12, which is a NON-ISSUE!!! 

https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/24/us/illinois-schools-teacher-shortage/index.html?fbclid=IwAR3tdeMJcGUDWnQovAYXpS6yF77c7cWViQ7qfle5E7SYACrVlDVA19vB2J0

Not many would put up with the crap teachers have been forced to deal with for the last several years, even before all the pandemic concerns and curriculum meddling came into play. Public education, child safety, what once was the sacred calling of teaching is under broad attack. All with a deadly backdrop of inaction, vaccination and day-to-day mitigation rejection and expanding gun “rights”. 

I realize that my role as a Sandy Hook Promise Leader must be non-political. Keeping our kids safe at school cannot become a partisan wedge. But it’s damned hard in this current social and political environment where it seems the institution of education is under fierce attack from so many battle fronts. All I can say…stay tuned.

Sandy Hook Revisited

December 14, 2012. Sandy Hook shook our collective spirit to the core. But the reaction was fleeting and the disbelief, pain and outrage faded far too quickly. I’m guessing too many people have to think hard about what I’m even referencing. 

And the mass murders continue. We’ve done nothing significant to curtail the proliferation of deadly weaponry, and the sheer frequency of murders is staggering. While the pandemic and school closures seem to have put school shootings on hold, we’re holding our collective breath because nothing has really changed except our spirit has become, if anything, more fragile.

We cannot allow frequency or the passage of time to numb us. I revisit this real-time reflection a lot–it helps me stay in touch with the power of that moment. The challenge is to keep this tragedy and all the others fresh and powerful in others’ minds. I recently signed on with the Sandy Hook Promise movement so it was time to come back to my original, raw state of mind. I wonder if this essay can renew a sense of outrage and passion to change in others somehow too?

First posted as Newtown-Searching for Perspective Dec.  17, 2012 three days after Sandy Hook. Like many of us, I was struggling to make sense. That struggle has not lessened.

**********************

I remember with absolute clarity where I was and how I felt when Kennedy was shot. Gut-punched. Heart wrenching. Newtown puts that to shame–sadly, the most “memorable” in a long line of senseless psyche-shaking tragedies. I can only wonder… why? Then, when will it happen here? 

Beyond the number of victims, why is Newtown so especially devastating to me? For some reason this time it finally struck home. I’m sure the age of the little victims is part of it.  What has happened to us? I’ve tried to get my head around that, and my initial answer hurts. I have a deep fear that once again, Newtown will fade away into business as usual. But that cannot be!

Immediately as always, there was a huge outpouring of well-intentioned thoughts and prayers. And outrage. Thoughts and prayers, thoughts and prayers….we’ll stay outraged for a time, we’ll jump up and down over the need for change for a time. Then we’ll slowly, unnoticeably slide back into “normal”. Until the next gut punch. No, “thoughts and prayers” and transient outrage won’t do. We need to keep the deep-in-our hearts sadness for the 26 we just lost forever and channel it into an unquenchable controlled rage that finally makes real change happen. Do we have it in us?

I saw the little angels’ pictures online the next morning and started reading the short tribute to each.  Only made it through a small handful. While I wanted to take time to remember each, I couldn’t force myself to continue. Not yet. I have a picture of my four grandkids on my desktop, the oldest is the same age as many of the victims. I can’t put myself in that place, it’s beyond comprehension. Can’t imagine. How could someone…? But someone did, it’s not the first time. Probably not the last.

What is the first thing the Newtown community did? They rushed together at the school, at the fire house, at the churches. They needed to be close to each other. People need people.

That’s what really strikes me about Newtown and other senseless tragedies. Someone did not see some kind of warning sign and do something. But then our new social norms include staying isolated, keeping people at arms’ length, not allowing ourselves to care or get into somebody else’s business when we don’t “need to”… not getting involved where it’s not our place because it could be emotionally, or even physically, dangerous to do so. The result…we’re a society of total strangers.

So did someone not seeing, not noticing, not doing something just cost us 26 innocent, beautiful lives?

How could that happen? What’s wrong with society? Was this due to a breakdown of values and norms? A mental health issue? How could anyone do this? Normal people cannot fathom the whys or hows. Newtown is so overwhelming that I finally needed this little gonzo, disjointed let-it-out time. I have a lot of good company here. We share the pain of the families in a small but significant way. 

While norms can be reinforced through laws, policy and peers you cannot legislate them into existence. Same with values. Further, it sounds like there are mental issues involved, which diminishes the impact of values and norms as factors. A “normal, well-adjusted” person cannot even think of doing this.

There is a good deal of grieving and there are a lot of questions being asked today. Sunday sermons will address the Newtown tragedy. I’m sure that some of those sermons will put the spotlight on eroding family and social values and the cheapening of human life. I just hope the message from the pulpit and from politicians and activists doesn’t devolve into yet another platform for politicizing about which side is more right or less wrong…same-sex marriage, right-to-life, legalized pot do not belong on the same page. 

“I’d love to change the world…but I don’t know what to do”. One tiny little pebble I can drop into this big pond is simply to connect with other people. Care enough to invest some of my precious personal time in others …is it possible that something that simple could somehow keep someone else from going over that deadly edge? 

Maybe.

I wish reflecting on this made me feel better like journaling is somehow magically supposed to do. But not this time, not yet. Or, maybe that’s the point? We must not ever get to the point of “feeling better”.

And of course, the beat goes on. Here are a few more recent thoughts and developments: Fast Forward.

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Random Pertinent Thoughts

(a personal thinkpad. In the interest of “non- partisanship” this is not intended for public consumption as part of the MoveOn petition. Some segments may become posts later)

This is a time that will go down in history as either the rebirth or the death of American democracy. A deadly weapon–The Big Lie–was refined and  the assault on our most basic democratic systems was unleashed in earnest. 

• A defeated administration’s refusal to accept a free democratic election, endless legal challenges with no evidence, a highly public stream of propaganda and downright lies.
• A second impeachment in the House, for the first time
• January 6th–the Capitol insurrection. Anything but a “peaceful transition of power”.
• The GOP split: QAnon and trump loyalists vs traditional, conservative…sensible… people.
• The impeachment sham “trial”–an affirmation that the party of Trump is still alive and well.
• The onslaught of voter suppression by GOP-controlled state legislators; battle line for 2022 and beyond, all still fueled by the Big Lie, amplified.

This is a real-time journal of the events of the period, not polished up, captured and reflected on as they happened in chronological order earlier to latest.

*************

“You Can’t Handle the Truth!”

That was a powerful movie line, but it’s a lousy script for reality. What if We the People were told THE TRUTH very clearly and consistently by elected leaders and certain media-those who propagated the lies and still are? What if we heard this…

Hey folks, you were lied to. The election was free and fair. Your president and QAnon and certain conservative media have all been leading you on.

We would not be where we are now, that much is certain. TRUTH is a powerful healer.

The transaction for the soul of the GOP is not quite yet finalized, but the contract is drawn up. The outcome of the civil war  within the GOP is unknown. The thing is, if we’re to continue in a two-party system, we need them both to be healthy and focused on the Greater Common Good for We the People. But there’s clearly work to do.

The battle for Integrity and Truth MUST be non-partisan. But the first simplistic impression to anticipate: “this is targeted at derailing the GOP party of Trump.” But it’s bigger. The goal is to protect the integrity and ensure the survival of our democratic system. The real danger that would surely dead-end this initiative is a perception that it’s partisan, however. We can fully expect strong resistance from the extremist GOP faction –let’s be honest, they have the most to lose. and they are the most guilty party and they know it. They know they are lying and misleading! The irony: the only real objection they can raise would be textbook propaganda, misrepresentations,  lies, and conspiracy theories. I’ll spin it for them: “this Integrity and Truth stuff is being used by the socialist Democrats to destroy our right to free speech. Next, they’ll come after our guns.” I rest my case.

Our country ‘tis a mess. Why, we don’t need to guess…

This is a generalization…of course there are exceptions. Too many of us are intellectually illiterate, unable to think critically for ourselves, susceptible to embracing any morsel of propaganda and banking our lives on it.

Years ago, Sagan called it “the dumbing down of America”. There was a “B” movie called Idiocracy that has become an accurate portrayal of what awaits us. But leading the pack is Orwell. It’s like someone has glammed on to 1984 and is using it to script our society.

We’ve lost the ability to discern real, factual information from bullsh*t. We cannot pick up on what is clearly propaganda, what is unmistakably absolute lies. Worse, we have nowhere to go, no one we can trust to tell us the TRUTH.

I’m Pissed…Saber-rattling mid impeachment “trial”

(hey, we all need to vent sometime)

Impeachment managers and  Republican hold-outs: you’re “just not seeing the Big Picture”. Yes, it’s way too late to be relevant to the impeachment “trial” but the stage is being set for the bigger, longer-term war. Bottom line: sensible people are growing increasingly weary…no, intolerant of…senseless, amoral idiots ruling the kingdom. I for one will do all I can to goad their weariness.

Managers: the case to convict is rock-solid but it won’t make a bit of difference. You won’t find seventeen R’s with a conscience who are the least bit concerned with upholding the OATHS they have sworn: to be impartial jurists, to defend the Constitution and to serve We the People. Country over party is just another Big Lie. Managers: maybe you’re pressing the wrong buttons? Maybe you should be reminding them of the real and lasting impact of the choice they will make on our democracy and on their own party. Near-term they’re voluntarily entering into servitude and sick one-way fealty. <Long-term they’re drafting the GOP’s death certificate.

Those R’s aligning with the McCarthy / Q-nut from Georgia / Gang of Bald-faced Liars faction–the Kissers of the Ring–you’re making a terminally wrong choice in who to hitch your wagons to. They’re headed full speed for the cliff. Are you seriously too oblivious to realize it? Your nightmare alignment may get you one more term. “May”. But long term, it will be your end. Or our democracy’s. There is just not room for both.

Let’s not hold our breath waiting for brave R’s to step into the confessional and publicly proclaim that they themselves, their ex-leader and their peers have been LYING all this time and they are all complicit in conspiracy to incite by further perpetuating The Big Lie. Convict, or our democracy will not survive. But your party will die an ugly death first. It’s already past time to amputate or risk losing the entire body.

Waiting is tough, but the truth is…the intellect of The Base is slowly, painfully, begrudgingly changing. Hard Stop. All voters, even long-time GOP’ers and newer, rabid MAGATS are generally becoming more aware and are slowly developing a huge hunger for Truth. The base is eroding and its demise is picking up steam. Die-hard believers of The Big Lie and supporters of the Big Liar in Chief are a dying breed. The pandemic of blind ignorance is slowly being eradicated. The vaccine: Truth. 

QAnon is being exposed as the playground of lunatics and idiots and the semi-sane are falling away from the fold. The Big Lie (election was stolen-Trump won in a landslide) is being completely and publicly debunked and those who can still see are coming around. Conspiracy theories are falling off, with only hard core idiots still subscribing to them as they try desperately to make up new theories–anything but reality. But conspiracy supporters are fast becoming a clear MINORITY. Only problem-they are loud and obnoxious as hell and they get a lot of undeserved press that only perpetuates the theories and the Big Lie.

It seems like militant extremist groups are begging for a spotlight. They’re getting their wish and have become The Hunted. Evangelicals are waking up to the realization they have been supporting a deceitful monster and they’re rediscovering actual religion. Republican insiders are becoming more outspoken against the Big Lie faction-Adam Kinzinger’s Country First, the Lincoln Project (oops, major PR blunder), high-profile ex- Republicans….they all want the real GOP back. They must succeed, we need their voice.

There’s little to no chance that any meaningful number of R senators will take the huge moral risk of begging forgiveness for  their sins by voting to convict. There’s plenty to work toward in the meantime.

Reflections, Pre Impeachment “Verdict”

Not feeling warm and fuzzy today with a sure acquittal looming. Think I’ll watch basketball…AFTER I shovel —AGAIN—in sub-zero. Pandemic, derecho, insurrection, polar vortex,  grrr…need to get this off my chest first.

High voter turnout is good for Blue, that’s no secret. It’s no coincidence that several Republican-controlled state legislatures are hard at work on various initiatives to limit voter participation, under the guise of strengthening the integrity of the election process. Call it what it is–targeted voter suppression. But it’s necessary due to “massive voter fraud”…right? WRONG. That’s “just another” conspiracy theory. It’s been investigated over and over and the fraud claims are FALSE. 

This is the Mother of All Conspiracy Theories–we even call it The Big Lie and it came to a head January 6th. And the GOP is selling its soul to protect and rally around the instigator. The Big Liar and nearly all of his political and media enablers are still keeping the lie alive. Doubling down, do recanting, no remorse. Using the Big Lie to justify a multi-level attack on voter rights….

Stand Back, Stand By. Let’s let the impeachment trial go away. “Hold our beers, we got this.” 

IS ANYONE PAYING ATTENTION HERE? 

We are right where we were on January 6th, waiting for the encore that’s sure to come. Come to think of it– we’re in a much more dangerous place than we were. Acquittal will be the Seal of Approval, all systems “go”, setting the stage for unbridled violent domestic extremist terrorism …all blessed by the GOP senate, all driven by nothing but lies and propaganda. The seditious insurrection is far from “over”. And The Prophet has spoken…

“Our journey is just beginning”….

There’s little to no chance that any meaningful number of GOP senators will take the huge moral step to beg forgiveness for  their sins by voting to convict and admitting the Big Lie. There’s plenty to work in the meantime…

For starters WE MUST NOT GO TO SLEEP UNTIL THE 2022 election cycle is in full swing. We have “Stop the Steal” work of our own to do because they’ve already started the lying->cheating->stealing…doing everything we will let them get away with. “The only way they can win is to cheat”…goes both ways, Mr. Big Lie. Recruit NOW. Educate and inform NOW. And CALL OUT THE LIARS. We the People along with true patriot representatives must show no quarter to the dark forces. 

Call out the lies immediately, publicly, loudly. Debunk them real-time with truth. Gently persuade those who may still be persuaded, realizing their brainwashing has been completed over four years. Provide a steady dose of reality in the form of irrefutable Truth.

Republican state legislatures are already hard at work suppressing the vote which, of course, impacts Democrats significantly more than republicans. And they know it. PUBLICLY and LOUDLY RESIST, challenge in court, STOP the STEAL.

Quick Presidents Day Note to my GOP friends

This is the future you are choosing: 

Propaganda, outright lies. Divisiveness, bigotry. Dereliction of duty. The Big Lie, Jan 6th. Multiple civil and criminal indictments…

“But he’ll win votes, keep us in power”. At what cost? 

Educate The Base you fear losing, show them they’ve been lied to. Find your integrity, your conscience. TELL THE TRUTH. 

They may surprise you.

STOP THE LIES!

Democrats’ Top Priority Is To Reform Elections. Will It Be The Bill To Break The Filibuster?

Their sweeping package of voting rights and campaign finance reforms could be the first bill this year blocked by a GOP filibuster. Following: excerpts from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/voting-rights-democrats-filibuster_n_60303c07c5b673b19b686609?fbclid=IwAR2v0lXK8BFLtxUbWK2y_OkBTtnmZcbHm7TysM2jbyFE4Qbr9igxpi4S6TA

Congressional Democrats are pushing a sweeping package of voting rights, gerrymandering, election, campaign finance and ethics reforms, called the For the People Act. It’s listed as H.R. 1 in the House and S. 1 in the Senate, signifying that it is Democrats’ top legislative priority. 

If the For the People Act is to pass, though, Democrats will need to surmount the one obstacle clogging up almost all legislation that doesn’t directly affect the federal budget: the filibuster. Democrats hold only 50 votes ― plus Vice President Kamala Harris’ to break ties ― and Republicans could easily use the filibuster to prevent voting reform. McConnell, who previously called the legislation “socialism” and a “power grab,” blocked it from a Senate vote in 2019.

Debate over the filibuster ― that it is an archaic tool used mostly throughout history to block civil rights laws and is now preventing the government from operating as voters want it to ― is already at a boiling point. If the filibuster winds up killing democracy reform, it may be what finally drives Democrats to turn around and kill the filibuster. 

These reforms are all the more vital now, Democrats argue, as Republicans seek to pass new voter restrictions at the state level, spurred on by former President Donald Trump’s voter fraud lies. If Democrats don’t pull off these reforms now, they could be too late. 

The groundwork laid down a decade ago gives today’s filibuster reform advocates a running start. The anti-filibuster coalition Fix Our Senate launched in 2019 with backing from some groups involved in the 2010 effort, including the Communications Workers of America, Common Cause and Public Citizen, as well as many new progressive and issue-oriented partners like Sunrise Movement and Data for Progress.

Fix Our Senate and the Declaration for American Democracy, a coalition of good government and progressive groups whose membership overlaps with that of Fix Our Senate, are now pressuring Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and other key Democrats to pass the For the People Act no matter what.

And the Beat Goes On…Feb 22 Update

“CPAC’s dangerous embrace of Trump”. CPAC-headliner speaker = Trump. https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/21/opinions/cpac-trump-dangerous-embrace-obeidallah/index.html?fbclid=IwAR1xx5-pcddK_MJQUaGjCiQEw2yCc51rEq_cfLH7y1GwVk70Yip41Uli-gw 

Check out the direction CPAC and the GOP are headed…for starters, did you see the “topics” for the convention? They’re listed below. Perpetuating and reinforcing the Big Lie, warming up the audience for the Big Liar himself…

There’s a Master Plan in the works and the GOP is targeting the Long Haul. Over the past four years they’ve packed the judicial system with conservative lifetime appointees, too many with questionable judicial credentials but unquestionable loyalty to Trumpism. The Big Lie branch of the GOP is fortifying, and CPAC is openly condoning perpetuating The Big Lie. Last, The Big Lie is being leveraged in a sweeping effort by GOP-controlled state legislatures to restrict voting. Targets: traditionally democratic voters.

A mashup of excerpts from the linked article…

CPAC, which bills itself as “the largest and most influential gathering of conservatives in the world,” is going a step further by celebrating the man who spewed the “Big Lie” and who encouraged people to storm our Capitol.

Even CPAC’s schedule appears to be crafted to further Trump’s Big Lie. Under the guise of “Protecting Elections,” the conference will feature seven panel discussions on election fraud and irregularities despite Trump’s own homeland security officials telling us the November 3 vote was “the most secure in American history.” The titles of the sessions — if indicative of the content — suggest that speakers will seek to reaffirm Trump’s baseless thesis the election was stolen.

One of them is subtitled “Other culprits: Why Judges & Media Refused to Look at the Evidence.” In reality, there were over 60 lawsuits by Trump and his allies including a two-day trial in Arizona that all went against Trump. Others have names like “Failed States (PA, GA, NV, oh my!)” — which focus on states where Trump disputed his loss — and “The Left Pulled the Strings, Covered It Up and Even Admits It.”

STOP THE CHEAT, STOP THE LIE!

Where Did Everybody Go? March 1 

We’re in that part of the political cycle that’s pretty much a valley when it comes to discussions. People are laying low, suffering from the post-election blues and nursing a major political hangover. Even a sham of an impeachment “trial” and a violent insurrection hosted by the friendly folk at our nation’s capitol failed to wake us up. And I’m afraid we’re coming to realize that in spite of a few new faces, the same old partisan game is plodding along.

Sure there are exceptions. But we’re mostly asleep at the wheel and the Bus is headed for the ditch. Is it apathy? Burnout? Are we jaded? Can’t afford to be.

Case in point…to me, the #1 issue we face is rampant propaganda and conspiracy theories, even bald-faced LIES. Total disregard for integrity and truth, and it’s accepted. Zero accountability to hold elected officials (and media) to TELL THE FREAKING TRUTH. I put together a non-partisan MoveOn petition addressing integrity, trust, and accountability in government and media. Circulated it among my more politically active Facebook friends. Gathered 26 signatures in three weeks. Twenty six. The petition’s not dead but my hand is on the life support switch. Maybe it’s just not the right time to drum up support….but “if not now, WHEN?”

There are plenty of BIG issues looming that can’t be ignored until the 2022 campaigning starts. CURRENT STATE: Courts are jam packed with political lifetime appointments– judges short on qualifications but long on loyalty. The GOP did very well seizing control of state legislatures. There are already hundreds of bills in the system designed to limit voter participation and permanently tilt the election process to the GOP. There’s a giant schism within the GOP and the “good guys” are on the short end. CPAC was a Big Lie-affirming coronation, complete with golden pig worship. QAnon is alive and well and has a foothold on Capitol Hill. AND NO ONE IS SPEAKING UP. Last, the insurrection and the seditionists who promoted it are forgotten, with NO accountability beyond probable hard time for a few hundred sacrificial lambs who swallowed the Big Lie and got caught doing the dirty work. 

“Are you ready for the next devolution?” If we continue on this do-nothing, see nothing, say nothing course, Act Two will put the rubber to the road for all the above. If the wingnut version of the GOP rises to power, it’s likely we will never shake loose from their toxic stranglehold. If you think that’s just hyperbole, I guess you can go back to sleep now.

So…what can be done? How can we re-engage and stay engaged, what can we do to prepare for and counter the growing and fortifying forces of evil?  Or, alternate question…am I just being Chicken Little and I need to shut up?

YES !!!! Good gawsh amighty y’all…YES !!!

Finally, some positive dialogue around the need for social studies and civics education. But this cannot be just for students in schools-big kids are in desperate need too. Maybe even moreso…

From a meme featuring Andy Borowitz: “stopping Trump is a short-term solution. The longer-term solution–and it will be more difficult–is fixing the educational system that has created so many people ignorant enough to vote for Trump.”

Andy is not all satire, this is deadly serious. “Educating” must include developing the thinking skills needed to investigate enough to tell truth from lies. Also, to ask about what you are being told when you need more information, and challenge information when you feel it’s necessary. 

Then, an apparent lightning flash of serendipity…an article in WaPo:  Massive investment in social studies and civics education proposed to address eroding trust in democratic institutions….but a glitch. This article is for paid subscribers only (not me!) so it’s up to us to draft our own from the WaPo starter headline–that would be entertaining. OR…snoop a little and go to the source (!) via googling “proposal to invest in social studies and civics education”. Found this describing the boiler plate for the “massive investment”: 

New National Civics Guidelines Carve a Middle Path for Teachers in a Polarized Climate 

It’s a good article on the issues surrounding social studies and civics education, but it may be best to focus here, from the article:

“Released today, the “Roadmap to Educating for American Democracy” guidelines are part of an ambitious project to reverse decades of neglect of the social studies. But they also come in perhaps the most difficult era the discipline has ever faced and will likely face intense scrutiny as a result.” 

Roadmap’s home page: https://www.educatingforamericandemocracy.org/ 

https://www.educatingforamericandemocracy.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Educating-for-American-Democracy-Report-Excellence-in-History-and-Civics-for-All-Learners.pdf (34-page pdf report. If trouble downloading, PM me with your email and I’ll send the report pdf)

https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/new-national-civics-guidelines-carve-a-middle-path-for-teachers-in-a-polarized-climate/2021/03 (main article) Education Week March 1, 2021

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/civics-social-studies-education-plan/2021/03/01/e245e34a-747f-11eb-9537-496158cc5fd9_story.html?fbclid=IwAR0Tm4WAigcpvnZ1vZV7xS8vX7dGyRhFDh2HQlbyxeyqUzjcr3ETXOyhS2U  (WaPo article)

“The Truth is out there…” (Mulder, X Files). Include “That’s a Fact, Jack”…resource for educating young and old on the joys of fact-checking, validating sources…finding and using credible information. A counter-balance to the climate of propaganda, lies, deceptions rampant in politics and the media, a clove of garlic against the QAnon nut cases….

Need a Bigger Mudder Truck, Bigger Tires

To my concerned, informed, activist therefore probably frustrated friends…I love sharing thoughts with you. We think so much alike and complement each others’ weak spots. Somehow I’ve been blessed (lucky?) enough to connect with an amazing bunch of what would have remained complete strangers if it wasn’t for this little meeting place called Facebook. 

Every day I see so much brilliance, commitment, passion for what’s right and indignation over what is clearly wrong. We share so much. So why am I so frustrated? How to put this into words? 

We’re wasting our time preaching to the choir. We’re making no difference.

WE are WOKE already dammit! How do we wake up the sleepers? How do we find a way to make our voices really heard by those who matter–those who need to understand but refuse to? How do we improve the odds that our thoughts and actions will maybe count for something? How do we actually change anything? 

Anything?

It’s a damned shame to see so many essays so eloquently written and dead-on, but will never ever get read, much less understood, by those who really need to read and understand them. Some are complex therefore long, too much information, perceived as too attacking. They’ll read just a smidge and run away hands in the air screaming “FAKE NEWS”….or worse. 

I love reading things that reinforce what I feel–some sort of validation I guess. But WE need to focus outward, on those we need to reach. We must craft our messages to fit challenging  comprehension levels, limited attention spans. We need to find a way to fight through the dense fog and hit the numbest of the numb where it hurts.

Trump reaches his base by saying what they care about whether he believes it or not, by bringing up what they fear the most or creating things and people to fear whether it’s real or not, by promising to make the bogey man go away even when it’s a lie and most sane people know it. But I cannot resort to the same level of lying and deception just to reach them, how about you?

It doesn’t do us a stitch of good to share deep thoughts among ourselves. Jumping up and down together does no good. A whole lot of passion, commitment, talent… all for nothing?

Sorry for rambling, but this issue bothers me. It kills me to read messages that are SO well done, SO on target that it hurts, because I realize they won’t hit the targets that need to be blasted. 

So….HOW do we boil our messages down to their basic elements, high-impact, emotion-grabbing TRUTHS that are relevant and easily understood by those we need to reach? I need answers. We need answers. Because when all is said and done no matter all that whining I just dumped on you, I’ll be damned if I’ll give up. Need a bigger mudder, bigger tires or stay out of the mud, dummy! But wait…. I like the mud!

I don’t think many of my friends will give up either. What a bunch of muddy masochists….love ‘em all.

Self-Talk Survival Tip #1–maybe the Prime Directive: choose your battles. The world and all its issues is a whole lot bigger and scarier than you are. Zone in on something that stirs a passion in you, something that you care enough about to learn everything you can about it, something that you may possibly be able to make a difference in. 

My priority (for now…) is to restore and maintain integrity and truth in government and media. Fight propaganda, call out liars. Educate, inform, grow awareness. Mostly through sharing information. Am desperately seeking others who feel the same way.

(From Friend Thor…connectedness and community are vital. Right behind integrity and truth on my short list of Save-The-World things-to-do. They are related: society is being torn apart, lie-driven divisiveness that is turning violent. There cannot be community without integrity and trust.)

I recall a time when most neighborhoods had front porches and sidewalks in front so people would interact. Now neighborhoods are designed to isolate so that people retreat into their shells and cubbyholes to sit in front of screens that reinforce that your life is empty and meaningless because you aren’t consuming the right brand, have the latest gadget or worse burping or farting which means you suffer from acid reflux or irritable bowl syndrome. The solution is to get into your vehicle, press the garage opener and head off to Walmart, Walgreens or Publix.  Thank goodness for Bezos as now you don’t have to leave your cocoon or disengage from your screen as Amazon will deliver it to you and place it in your lockbox so you don’t have to engage the delivery man soon to be replaced by a drone or mobile robot cart.

Even the kids isolated from each other. My old neighborhood went through a phase when my kids were little where it became a competition over who’s yard had the best playground equipment. This led to Little Lord Fauntleroy syndrome over who was invited over or not. My own kids somewhat caught up into it all pleaded for a major upgrade to the old swing set.

We ended up getting the latest greatest playland but my budget combined with 2 others and matched by the town had it installed beside the ball diamond up the street. How are our children to learn the life lessons of sharing, community and even conflict resolution if there’s no public playground/park ?

Those block parties, playgrounds and other community endeavors much more than just kinship, companionship. Imo so much of the drug problems, divorce, delinquency, bullying, consumerism, narcissism,  cult of individuality and such is a result of the breakdown in community. “It takes a village to raise a child”. Actually I think it takes a village for everyone to thrive. We all have our ups and downs but faceless, impersonal government bureaucracy can’t provide the personal support that community can. Government can and should provide the resources, planning and infrastructure to   empower communities.

(Link to main page for Integrity and Truth project… https://onepondripples.wordpress.com/2021-integrity-and-truth/ )

PRESIDENTS DAY PROFOUND REVELATIONS

No news here, no grousing about current affairs for a change (don’t worry–I’m fine. Just need a little introspection). You may know I committed to circulating a petition on “Integrity and Truth in Government”. It’s bogging down and I’m trouble- shooting how to get unstuck… or possibly whether to pull the plug, or maybe start over. My first inclination-what a waste starting over would be.  If you have time to review and offer your thoughts, great. If not I understand.

I track number of signatures and who is signing, I’m a little disappointed in what seems to be low interest in the petition. Not because it’s a “pet project”. Yeah, I’ve put a lot of thought and time into it but I didn’t do this for fame and fortune. It’s more deep concern (fear!) than “disappointment” –I am genuinely fearful for our future. We should be getting serious about the 2022 election cycle NOW. We need to counter the misinformation, lies, propaganda that infests our social and political systems. But we’re falling asleep at the wheel. Again. Fatal crash dead ahead….

I could be too antsy, as I’ve never done this before. And MoveOn could also be experiencing an administrivial issue, as people told me they signed but I don’t see their signature and the counter doesn’t change. I’ve asked their “Help” but no clear response. They’re activist volunteers–can’t get upset. IF YOU SIGNED, could you go back and verify that the petition page indicates you have signed and let me know?

This link to the petition sign-up page includes the petition description but if you’re willing to review content, use the two blog links further below-they’re more detailed. Thanks in advance-this is quite a bit of reading. https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/restore-and-maintain-information-integrity-and-truth-in-government-1?share=9922c4e4-c4ab-460f-be34-4be528e2100a&source=rawlink&utm_source=rawlink&share=2e501548-0f41-49b9-94d6-8fe672e94a20 

Fork In The Road

I could just hang out on the side of the road and plink the grasshoppers with gravel for a spell. Just kinda wait to see what happens. Other than doing nothing (that’s always a choice-don’t forget it!), there are two alternatives:

1. Pull the plug, take the petition out of “active” status; or
2. Craft one hell of a “sales” pitch, re-tool it a bit and go after bigger political / organizational fish too. 

For decision input, here’s a BRIEF rear-view failure mode analysis that could use some input. Comments here on the blog or email please… craig.althof@gmail.com 

Plans are perfect until they get smacked by reality…(anon)

Possible reasons for (perceived) low interest 

• (Maybe this is typical for a petition-I haven’t done this before!)
• “Integrity and truth in government” missed the mark–it’s not as important to enough people as I perceive it to be. Even with numerous direct shares to people I was dead sure would really grab hold of this issue, the number of people signing is disheartening; 
• Activists’ plates are full and integrity and truth are not perceived as high priority;
• I didn’t state the case well enough–maybe not compelling enough, or not clear enough?
• “Tell me in 100 words or less, or I’ll stop reading”. Society has morphed from novels to short stories to mini series to blogs to tweets to txt msgs. Next up: single syllable grunts. But they will be the very finest, the best grunts, the smartest grunts…”
• People don’t like to go beyond quick fixes and drive-by comments. Most don’t want to commit to a cause that requires too much attention or long term effort. It’s a sign of our transient, git-r-done-now, fast-food nature. We can’t set aside time to devote to what’s important vs urgent…survival is tough work.

Facts, data, logic, critical thinking, Integrity and truth…These are all non-partisan. Their usage is not.

Brain Drizzle What it Needs

• Priority: 2022. Foot on the gas–immediacy, urgency.
• Visibility and credibility = Petition needs new “TO” targets. Aim for high level celebrity / big shot sponsorship. 
• Killer elevator speech-an unshakable hook
• Re-establish focus on formal review board. Independent but government sanctioned for legitimacy, authority

Quick Presidents Day Note to my GOP friends. 

This is the future you are choosing: Propaganda, outright lies. Divisiveness, bigotry. Dereliction of duty. The Big Lie, Jan 6th. Multiple civil and criminal indictments…“But he’ll win votes, keep us in power”. At what cost?

Educate The Base, show them they’ve been lied to. Find your integrity, your conscience. TELL THEM THE TRUTH. They may surprise you.

That’s all for me-I left things intentionally weak on the brain drizzle because I want input! Good old Bernie…”Not me, US” If you’ve made it this far and feel really charitable with your time and thoughts, check out the tolstoy blogs linked below. And thanks!

STOP THE LIES!

https://onepondripples.wordpress.com/2021/02/05/petition-to-restore-and-maintain-information-integrity-and-truth-in-government/ (link to Part One: original petition text for reference, somehwat expanded due to space constraints in MoveOn format)

https://onepondripples.wordpress.com/2021/02/08/information-integrity-and-truth-part2/ (Link to Part Two–additional expanded petition text and Big Honkin’ Vision draft work on formal review board) 

(What path would my old buddy Bruce take? What would he say besides “if not now…when?” Corn-Corn-Corn)

Information Integrity and Truth, Part2

UPDATE: By dumb luck I somehow beat the rush. There is all of a sudden a good deal of clamoring for a renaissance in politics, notably from concerned GOP’ers calling for a rebirth of the Republican party. It’s an absolute train wreck as it currently exists. Since I’m a hard lean progressive this ought to be enjoyable, especially since the prevailing driver for all the reinvention talk is the need for TRUTH to counter Q and other conspiracy theory wingnuts. Both of the current two parties need to be healthy for the common good of We the People. Just my opinion.

All the rapid-fire developments have triggered me to re-up the original intent of the MoveOn petition to Restore and Maintain Information Integrity and Truth in Government, the big honkin’ vision: a formal, independent but government -sanctioned “Truth Review Board”. The timing is right, I just need to get it in front of the right players. So here it is…rough draft status. Help me flesh it out?

Downsizing is Painful…

The higher the risk the greater the potential for higher reward. Of course, the Formal Review Board would likely have a far greater impact, but it would also be much less feasible than the activist-driven initiative. It was tough to downsize to the more manageable, doable effort because tough times call for tough measures, and with information integrity and truth in government, we are facing massive challenges. We need both immediate action to meet the urgent, pressing crises and long-term, systemic improvement. The Big Honkin’ Vision of a formal review process will require high level sponsorship (the right public officials and organizations and I don’t have any in mind yet. Maybe for an organizational sponsor…Better Angels? Or a luminary media personality…Dan Rather? Bottom line…I am not giving up, just regrouping.

The current petition for activist action (Part1) has a good deal of crossover relevance to the Big Honkin’ Vision, especially the “impacts of truth” section. Not going to copy / paste here, but I’d recommend a brief revisit to Part1. 

Part One, an Active MoveOn Petition https://onepondripples.wordpress.com/2021/02/05/petition-to-restore-and-maintain-information-integrity-and-truth-in-government/

Sneak Peek: Formal Review Process

Objective: provide a process that ensures misinformation leading to factual disputes is corrected in a timely manner with minimal conflict. First alternative is always for factual dispute to be self-resolved. Reasonable time limitations are determined, to ensure the process does not bog down. Expectations for what is a legitimate complaint are identified and clearly communicated so participants understand expectations. “Misinformation” is information that is factually wrong. “Misrepresentation” is misleading usage of, or spinning of, factual information. The latter can also be damaging and may also be resolved within this process but should be more easily corrected.  Anonymity is optional and is always assured if complainant chooses. 

An important key to success is a feedback loop that allows the opportunity to correct a situation before it gets out of hand–it is always best if corrective action comes without punitive measures. Ideally, public servants will come to understand that truth is a clear expectation and there will be publicly communicated corrections and  rebuttals, and possibly repercussions if the opportunity to self-correct is not taken advantage of.

Draft: Process Steps

1. Complainant objects to a substantively untrue statement. First action is for complainant to request clarification / correction by originator, avoiding confrontation or accusations.
2. Only if self-correction is unsuccessful, complaint is filed with Board, which assigns lead investigator
3. Investigator notifies originator complaint has been filed. Complainant’s name is not included. 
4. Originator responds with explanation including appropriate context
5. Complainant receives and replies to originator’s response within established time limit; 
6. Board Investigator checks validity of substantive facts relevant to the complaint, taking complainant’s and originator’s positions and comments into account;
7. If the complaint is found to be valid and requires correction, both parties are notified (complainant is anonymous if preferred). Findings are posted on public website, and originator has a designated time limit to communicate an acceptable correction to accompany the public notice. 

But what if the originator refuses to accept the finding and ignores the expectation to respond with a clear retraction? The last step represents the greatest opportunity for a process breakdown, and it is here where the need for a clear official mandate for authority including the power to recommend punitive measures to the appropriate Ethics Committee  is most needed.  

Success factors: (1) a clear expectation for truth and integrity, coupled with (2) an initial opportunity to self- correct before the problem escalates. (3) Teeth as needed. If necessary, those governed by the process must understand their accountability to adhere to the process or face consequences. 

********

CURRENT STATE–OUR COUNTRY ‘TIS A MESS

• The handful of Republicans who voted for impeachment are facing serious backlash, shunned by their peers with some even facing censure by their home state’s Republican-controlled legislatures. Punished for following their oath, for refusing to ignore the truth. If he is still a factor, they will be facing primaries against candidates backed by the trump faction.  
• The Republican caucus met the end of January. By their votes they showed vastly greater support for congressional representative Greene than for third-in-command Cheney who followed her conscience and oath of office and voted for impeachment.  This in spite of Greene’s QAnon beliefs which she tried to explain away but never said she was sorry, never fully dismissed her beliefs. That day, Greene stated in a press conference that the GOP was the party of Trump, no one else’s.
• Trump’s second impeachment trial is headed for certain acquittal, in spite of all senators taking oaths to be impartial jurors, an oath on top of their oath of office in which they swore to protect the country and defend the Constitution. Along with that acquittal will surely come claims of total innocence, and that the whole thing was a big hatchet job. Insurrection and inciting a riot while attempting to overthrow a legitimate election will become normalized, along with the accompanying violence and death. All in support of The Big Lie. 
• Unity? With possibly a small handful of brave members who take their oath(s) seriously, factions are already aligning along pure party lines, and we’re headed for gridlock once again in spite of the dire state of the union.
• GOP members are calling for us to basically ignore the Capitol insurrection, the role of the instigator(s) and the rising risk of violent domestic terrorism, by their actions and inaction they are clearly pledging support for trump and the Big Lie that is behind all this. And in the absence of GOP leadership admitting to the Big Lie, the masses are still frothing at the mouth. 

What if We the People were told THE TRUTH very clearly and consistently by elected leaders (not an oxymoron?)… especially those who perpetuated the lies… that they were lied to, that the election was free and fair, that Trump and QAnon and certain conservative media have all been leading them on? What if…

The transaction for the soul of the GOP is not quite yet finalized, but the contract is drawn up. The outcome of the civil war  within the GOP is unknown. The thing is, if we’re stuck with these two parties, we need them both to be healthy for the Greater Common Good. But there’s work to do.

Our country ‘tis a mess…Why, we don’t need to guess…

PROBLEM STATEMENT: In a true and effective democracy, citizens actively participate and are well-informed. But We the People do not have access to credible information we can trust. We are misled, lied to by candidates and elected officials alike. Untruths become “news” and are amplified by media.

Media was once regulated by the Fairness Doctrine, which was eliminated in the Reagan administration. If some meaningful variation of the Fairness Doctrine cannot be passed, an independent review board with power to discipline could fact-check media accuracy and factual reporting. Ensuring truth in government is harder…. 

Before right-sizing, the first draft petition proposed a formal review board, longer-term potential. Draft of original material follows 

RESOLUTION (Draft): Formal Review Board 

Establish a non-partisan Truth and Ethics Review Board with members appointed from academia, media, and regular citizens. Non-partisan members are independent from the political process, but legitimacy and credibility are ensured through Board oversight by a government agency with authority over government matters.

The Board monitors and receives submitted complaints regarding truth in any government / political communication including campaigning, political advertising, floor debates, speeches and social media.  Legitimate complaints of falsehoods are immediately submitted to the Review Board. If a complaint is valid, a public disclaimer is published and the offender must retract the falsehood. 

The Board must have some degree of legitimate authority, as repeat offenders must eventually face some form of meaningful censure. To avoid degenerating into vindictive complaining and food fights there should also be sanctions against unfounded, frivolous, or vindictive allegations. 

Does accountability to do what’s right really require a punitive mandate? In an ideal world, you’d think self-monitoring would catch on fairly quickly…but we are far removed from “ideal”. 

Review Board Attributes 

• Only fact-based inaccuracies can be considered by the Board. It is not concerned with right / wrong, just is / isn’t verifiable Truth.
• Legitimate fact-based complaints are submitted to the Board. If a complaint is valid, the Board issues a public correction statement and the originator is also required to publicly correct the falsehood. 
• Specific penalties are set and administered by board members with approval by the government oversight agency. Reprimand strength is progressive for recurring and or / significant offenses (both frequency and severity are considered); 
• While intended to address complaints from anonymous political “insiders”– candidates and elected officials and administration, a process for qualified citizen input is also provided. (“qualified” is a safeguard to somewhat control potentially overwhelming input from the general public)  EX: only complaints submitted by ‘n’ number of citizens or a legitimate group / organization can be considered by the Board. Citizen watchdog groups are encouraged and supported as this would boost “We the People” engagement in the political process;
• To minimize nitpicking or vindictive payback the Board may censure unfounded or trivial complaints;
• An externally managed public website receives input from the Board and the government oversight agency summarizing status of pending complaints and disposition of legitimate complaints as reported;
• Potential: the website grows into a resource for educating citizens on determining fact from falsehood.

LONG TERM TARGET: EVERYDAY SUPPORT FOR  / PROTECTION OF INFORMATION INTEGRITY. 

Scope: youth through education and adults via awareness building and communication of official corrective information for falsehoods. Three tactics:

(1) Build awareness about what mis / disinformation and propaganda are. As critical thinking and analysis of information is a skill that can be learned, fact checking is promoted by sharing resources, tools and techniques. A lie is a lie, truth is truth and educational / awareness-building efforts to promote information integrity must be absolutely non-partisan. 

(2) Do not allow bad information to propagate. Carefully, clearly and credibly offer corrections for postings of “bad” information. Recommended: the website simply points out the falsehood, why it is untrue, and what the actual facts are. Prime directive: do not instigate battles as arguing is typically pointless. Make the case and move on even if it goes against your natural impulses. The most powerful correction comes from the source, not the enforcer.

(3) Make the case for WHY information integrity and credibility are so critical: to counter the pandemic of ignorance and irrationality that, if allowed to continue, will demolish this country and our fragile society.