The Internet is a wonderful creation and allows almost anyone to access a wealth of information online and be educated and informed in depth in ways that were never before possible. Unfortunately, this same technology enables the proliferation of propaganda and untruth in ways that were never imagined. There is a creeping danger to our free society that increases as people become complacent and treat every bit of information that comes over the Internet as truth and fact. We seem to be in a society that is losing the ability to think critically as it takes a lot less effort to view situations as black and white and avoid nuance.
The Trump administration did not create this situation, but they certainly are masters of using it to their advantage. They play fast and loose with the truth and make a sport out of trying to discredit and suppress the media and anything that doesn’t fit their gameplan. If you don’t see the danger in this, I suggest that you read George Orwell’s 1984.
Kellyanne Conway’s coining the term “alternate facts” was the inspiration for this website. I built this site specifically for family and friends but also myself, to have all of my fact-checking resources in one easily accessible place. This site will be a work in progress, at least for the next few months, as I investigate and add more fact-checking resources. I hope you find some helpful information here and that you take the time to investigate the news and have the courage to change your opinions when the facts that you believe don’t match reality.
Problems in families, communities, and nations are usually complex and nuanced. There are usually multiple solutions available, often very different in their approach. In the United States, we have two political parties who often provide different solutions to our problems and this has served us well over the years. Bringing different solutions and opinions to the table should result in a negotiated solution that benefits the most people. But, when denial of the facts and outright untruths influence the decision-making, especially when it is done deliberately to benefit some special group, everyone suffers, and society suffers.
So, here are some resources you can use to try to make some sense out of the news. I hope you use them, especially before you use that SHARE button on social media.
Links to the different categories appear on the Pages menu to the right or use the menu bar at the top of the page.
News Media – This page has links to some trustworthy news services and a site to help you determine the bias of a given media outlet.
Political Fact Checking – Political fact checking sites will investigate statements made by politicians as to their truth. They will usually provide factual support for their analysis.
Social Media – Social media is a large problem because anyone can circulate false information. The sites on this page will help you check all of the stuff your friends forward on Facebook.
Think Tanks – Think Tanks are research institutions that provide in-depth analysis of fiscal and political policy. Some are non-political, some are biased, others are hate groups. This page will help you find the difference.