Oh, and PS

This is why fighting the lies matters so much.

From Media Matters and the Washington Post:

"In an August 15 article examining the political opinions of young evangelical voters, Washington Post staff writer Krissah Williams Thompson wrote that one such voter is 'leaning toward [Sen. John] McCain because she shares his economic views and is afraid that [Sen. Barack] Obama will raise taxes.' But Williams Thompson did not also report that Obama has proposed cutting taxes for low- and middle-income families, and McCain's own chief economic adviser, Douglas Holtz-Eakin, has reportedly said it is inaccurate to say that 'Barack Obama raises taxes,' as Media Matters for America has repeatedly noted.

"A recent analysis of the candidates' tax plans by the Tax Policy Center found that 'Senator McCain's tax cuts would primarily benefit those with very high incomes,' while 'Senator Obama offers much larger tax breaks to low- and middle-income taxpayers and would increase taxes on high-income taxpayers.'"

Kickin' Back

Earlier today, I posted about getting an email dishonestly contrasting Obama and McCain's tax policies. I said that we all need to stand up to this stuff. We didn't fight back hard in 04. We didn't take it all that seriously. Now, I hope, we know better.

Most of this e-trash comes to me via six or eight other sequential emailers who don't know how to forward without sharing every email address to which the post had previously been sent.

So I opened the Obama-McCain tax policy email, scrolled down to the bottom, and voila! There was the name and the business card of the guy who originated at least this daisy chain. I decided to write him and cc: everyone else. Here's what I said:

Hi ____,

Your reputation as a knowledgeable, honest money manager is important to you, right? Well, you might want to check out Snopes.com about the “facts “ in the email you're sending around over your name and business card. (Scroll down) http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/taxes.asp Your post gives me the impression that you’re either a lousy fact-checker or a casual liar, neither of which makes me long to sign up with [your well-known securities investment firm]. I hope my impression is mistaken.

By all means vote your conscience, but at least vote based on facts.

In my view, fighting irresponsible lies and other propaganda from all sides is the job of good people of all political views, because lies just shove us all down further into ignorance, divide us bitterly, manipulate and distract us, and, little by little, create the character of the country we want our children to live in. They also lead us to make stupid decisions.

Your views may differ, but I doubt it. I think you, too, like me, don’t appreciated being manipulated, want to live in a decent world, among honorable people, making decisions based on reality, getting accurate news and information from people you can trust who respect your ability to think for yourself.

Do us all a favor: Fact check before emailing.

About an hour later, I received the following post:

Thank you for contacting _____ regarding a recent email regarding "proposed changes in taxes after the 2008 General election." Please know that [this company] does not endorse any political party, candidate, or initiative, and that our Firm did not endorse or approve the email as it is contrary to our Code of Conduct and Corporate Values.

Members of executive and departmental leadership in ___ Corporation and ___ Securities have been made aware of the email, and ____ has been dealt with appropriately and directly. Every effort has been made to ensure that no additional emails or communications of this nature will be issued by any member of our Firm.

We sincerely apologize for this unfortunate incident.

___________,
Assistant Branch Manager

Well, let's get some things clear here. I'm not a rat, and I didn't contact the firm. I wrote the sender himself, personally, at his work email address from which his post originated--the only address I have for him. How company officials got my email to him, I don't know. I guess they read employees' mail. And that's not my problem.

For the record, I wrote the branch manager back to that effect, expressing no intent to get the guy in trouble and my hope that he was "dealt with" gently.

But having said that, I'm just really not sorry this little incident percolated up through the ranks of a Wall Street investment firm. I hope it shook up a few people, and I hope it made them all think a little more carefully about what happens to reputations when liars and careless gossips get found out. Maybe people will be more careful. It's too bad, but if it takes this kind of kicking up a fuss to force us all to be more honest and better fact checkers, I guess that's what it takes. And I encourage you to go and do likewise. If you get a propaganda email, fight back. You never know what might come of it.

Your opinion? Would you email a bunch of strangers telling them politely to play nice? Would you mind if your complaint percolated up the ranks to somebody's boss? Would you feel guilty? Let me know your take.

So Much BS, So Little Time

Once upon a time, people didn't lie because they respected themselves. They regarded lying as the act of cowards and dishonorable people who, by lying, indicated their capacity to do other dishonest things.

Well that's done, huh!

There's this guy Corsi, who's getting free national press for filling two book covers with nothing but lies, sort of like Ann Coulter and Faux news. Sort of like McSame. Sort of like Limbaugh. Are we seeing a pattern here?

This morning I get an email purporting to compare Obama's tax policies with McSame's. Just as I thought, if it comes from the Right, it's probably gonna be a lie.

If you happen to get that post, be sure to answer it with this link from Snopes and something like these words:

"It's more of the usual dishonest crap from the Right. So. What I want to know is, will there be any consequences? Are you at all pissed off that they're lying to you and playing you like a flute, or are you just going to suck it up? And have you checked to see what else they're lying to you about?"

Don't take this stuff lying down. Fire back! Call a lie a lie, and hold your acquaintances, relatives, and friends accountable for passing on BS without bothering to verify it first. That's what Snopes is for. See its Politics and What's New pages, especially, and consider subscribing to its RSS feed.

There are numerous other news check sites, too, like Media Matters and FactCheck.org. You want to know the truth when you place your vote. Use these sites. That's what they're there there for.

No, this isn't just business as usual. This stuff kills. Lies about immigrants kill immigrants. Lies about "liberals" result in the shooting of state Democratic chairs. Lies about candidates deprive citizens of free choice and the facts that enable us to sustain democracy. Lies divide the nation bitterly, distract us from life-and-death problems we must address, and keep us all down, in squalor and ignorance.

Fight them actively or encourage more of same. Your country, your culture, your choice.

Is Word Getting Out?

Is it me, or is word beginning to leak out at last?

It's not that reasonable people disagree about immigration. It's that we are two groups of people operating from two diametrically opposite databases. "Agreement" and "disagreement" are irrelevant in that situation.

We need to get on the same page.

One of the few things I've retained from my MA degree is a good set of research skills. That and my native suspicion about life on this planet -- you would believe it if you saw my baby picture -- equipped me automatically to distrust some information under all circumstances, and most information under some circumstances.

Take the recent e-mail virus that's urging people to express outrage to Congress or the White House (depending on which version you get) because, it says, Congress is about to, or has, or wants to grant Social Security benefits to "illegals."

Of course that's a warm, steaming pile of doo-doo being fed to the great masses of Americans to make them even madder at Mexican immigrants than they already are.

And of course they don't know that because they haven't picked up an actual fact in about 8 years. They wouldn't know a fact if they saw one. But there are some things that even lazy, uninformed, dim-witted, bad-tempered, jumped-up 'Merkuns can do to protect themselves against further injections of E-coli into their bloodstreams.

1. Know the author. If it's anonymous, that ought to tell you something. If there's no bill number, that's a big clue, too. (If there is a bill number, and it's from Congress, go to Thomas and look it up. That's a Library of Congress website. Good to know about. People do make up bill numbers.) If you can't go to Thomas, call your US Representative or US Senator's office and ask.

2. Know the bias. For instance, the language used will tell you a lot. If it says "illegals," it's rightwing. If it says "undocumented workers," it's leftwing. Probably. Neither is necessarily right and neither is necessarily wrong.

3. Know the agenda. Who's behind it? Do you know? Does it appeal to your reason or your passions? Does it play to your fears or to your judgment? What does it ask you to do? Why? Who benefits? Who loses? Does it give you a bad feeling? If so, pay attention to that.

4. Know the source. Is it published by an organization? How long has that org been in existence? Who's on its board? What kind of reputation does it have? Has that reputation altered lately? Ask around but ask people better informed and smarter than you are. Otherwise it's kind of a waste of time, isn't it?

5. Cross-check the information. Has anyone checked the facts? As Ann Coulter demonstrates, you can't even rely on footnotes anymore. She makes hers up. If all else fails and you don't have time to do your own research, you can always check Snopes.com That site exists to rate urban legends -- the junk you get unrequested in your inbox, like that one about Social Security for immigrants.

6. Remember: Not all opinions are created equal. But you know that. "Measure twice, cut once." "Consider the source." "That and a buck will get you a cup of coffee."


Be very careful before you invest your credibility. In a way, it's like investing your money. Both say a lot about what kind of person you are, and both will either generate profits or losses.