The Truth of the Matter
Hitting the rocker
Yesterday I listened to the radio in my car. For a lot of years, it has been automatically tuned to pick up just two stations: OPB the Oregon Public Broadcast station on the FM dial and a talk radio station on the AM dial. There is a rocker button that allows you to select AM or FM. I can’t pick other stations because the tuning dial went dark somewhere around 2010.
Hitting he rocker switch is like moving between worlds. On one, Obama is considered one of the best presidents the country has ever had and the man who pulled the USA and the world back from the brink of financial disaster. On the other Obama is spoken of as a criminal and probably not a citizen. His work in the oval office is described as felonious.
Trump is treated with respect (for the office) on one while lauded as a political saviour on the other.
The personality on the talk station was filling in for Sean Hannity. He claimed to be a sitting US Congressman! His views, to me, were those of a semi-illiterate white racist who clung to religious views that were wrapped in a word-for-word belief in the Bible. I have no doubt that if he was elected he came from a district heavily gerrymandered to maintain his ilk in office.
I must give him credit for being sincere. He obviously believed what he was saying. He was, undoubtedly, committed to his world view. But how does that fit with the truth?
What is truth?
Believe it or not there is a website (Truth-defined.com) that claims to be “THE ONLY WEBSITE WITH A DEFINITION OF TRUTH.” The look of it alone tells me that it is the work of an individual trying to convince or persuade anyone who will engage with them.
The dictionary says truth is “that which is in accordance with fact or reality.”
It’s slippery
Facts and reality somehow elude the people that are currently running the US Federal government and some commenting on it. I would love to hear some “fair and balanced” reporting. But, to me, it doesn’t appear to be happening. Why is talk radio all rants about Hillary, the doubts about global warming, falsity of the Mueller investigation and firm stances on the need for a border wall?
On the other side of the dial Hillary isn’t mentioned, Climate change is treated as real and every scientific aspect is explored, The Mueller investigation is treated as a straight news story and dying children separated from their parents at the border are featured in the news programming and extended reports.
Global Warming becomes Climate change
Al Gore’s “Inconvenient Truth” was all about how carbon sequestration was warming the atmosphere. It became global warming until it was termed “a hoax” by folks that could lose a lot of money, directly or indirectly if it were the truth. Then we had what appeared to be greater snowfall and the naysayers got the upper hand. Scientists and others began calling it climate change to provide evidence that the impact of all that carbon could cause multiple effects. But deniers continue to beat their drum.
Trump pulled us out of the Paris climate accords because he is one of the world’s most prominent deniers of what is painfully obvious to many people. He denies the accuracy of the report issued by our own government!
- In my view hoaxes don’t produce the most dangerous fires ever around the world.
- In my view, hoaxes don’t cause polar ice to melt faster than ever before.
- In my view, sea levels don’t rise forcing seaside communities to move.
Facts beat Suppositions
- Fact: Thousands of children have been taken from their parents on our southern border.
- Fact: A judge ruled that the practice should cease and the children returned to their parents
- Fact: Not all the children have been returned.
- Fact: The practice has continued.
- Fact: Some of those kids have died.
- Fact: Trump never indicated he cared.
- Fact: The Hannity fill-in had the temerity to suggest that if Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus fleeing the ruling of Herod to kill all children under two appeared at our border seeking asylum that it would quickly and surely be granted.
- Fact: that last item is a supposition.
There is no accordance in fact or reality.
In other words it is not the truth.
How do we find the truth?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jerry Fletcher is a sought-after International Speaker, a beBee ambassador,founder and Grand Poobah of www.BrandBrainTrust.com
His consulting practice, founded in 1990, is known for Trust-based Brand development,
Positioning and business development for independent professionals on and off-line.
Consulting: www.JerryFletcher.com
Speaking: www.NetworkingNinja.com
DIY Training: www.ingomu.com
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Comments
Jerry Fletcher
5 years ago #23
Jim, Your wife may be right, for you although I'll miss your reasonable rants. I decided that too many of us who want our government to reflect real problem solving based on facts have, for too long, not stood up and said so. I said my goal for this year was to turn the lights on. I meant it. If I can get just a few people regardless of their political persuasion to have a conversation instead of a shouting match I will have begun the long trail to compromise which strangely enough is what surfaced from the beliefs of a bunch of secessionists. I may not live to see this mess straightened out but I damn well will get us on the road to our real promise. And so it goes.
Jim Murray
5 years ago #22
Jerry Fletcher
5 years ago #21
Louise, In my view we must do it individually and when others share our view a tribe will form. A tribe can use collective power to allow others to demand that others operate based on facts and understand that anything else is unacceptable. Each of us must stand alone at first.
Louise Smith
5 years ago #20
Louise Smith
5 years ago #19
Hi Jerry, I was not advocating either fight or flight - just commenting on the lack of credibility of our leaders & the system & how disheartening that is for me. I saw that Barack Obama was campaigning for the Democrats & against Trump. I was surprised as I had never seen a past president do this before in media that reaches Australia. But I totally understand why he would be moved to do so. I agree that people who want change need to be active. I come from a very working class background. I have followed the Australian Labour Party my whole working life. I was a Queensland Teacher's Union Member my whole working life. In my last 10 years of teaching, I was an active Union Rep in my school & Brisbane Branch Secretary for 4 years. The Queensland State Education department introduced EBAs & contracts. They were bargaining pay rises off against conditions. I never saw, let alone received, any benefit from any EBA condition. My salary was eroded away in real time at the end of my 30 year career. That is one of the main reasons I went back to Uni for the third time & studied & became a Psychologist. I also wanted to be treated with respect but that's another story altogether.
Jerry Fletcher
5 years ago #18
Louise. In many cases simply walking away from the situation is the best bet. We are past that . too many of us have done it and those who follow a one-sided implacable set of beliefs have captured control. We need to stand and deliver for equanimity, real listening and working with the facts. And so it goes.
Louise Smith
5 years ago #17
Louise Smith
5 years ago #16
Don't listen to them just yet .....
Louise Smith
5 years ago #15
Louise Smith
5 years ago #14
Louise Smith
5 years ago #13
Ali Anani
5 years ago #12
Fully agree Jerry and the bells tolled for me for sure.
Jerry Fletcher
5 years ago #11
Ken. I've been the soldier on that wall. I've commanded a unit that held the lives of millions in their hands. The real military heroes are the ones that know the truth. They are the officers that resign instead of obeying improper orders regardless of who issues them. We need to confront the partisan political viewpoint and cite it for what it is: Fascism. Once there was a Great America. It wasn't racist. I broadened it's religious perspective from Judeo-Christian to welcome major and minor religions from around the world. It welcomed people who had fallen on hard times. It had armed forces that were color blind. It finally gave women the vote. It learned that clinging to a stilted view diminished everyone. Yes, I've been on the wall. That's the America I defended and will defend until I shuffle off this mortal coil. You hit a nerve Ken. the whole point of that movie is how wrong things can go. And so it goes.
Jerry Fletcher
5 years ago #10
DR. Ali, Yes. it is sad but true. Would that we could trade politicians for statesmen. Once we had a government that revered the word compromise. Our founders never let their disagreements descend to personal verbal assaults. None of them would speak without considering any matter first. I seldom get the sort of response this buzz is generating. It has been posted in more hives than I have ever been in before. It would appear that the bell tolls for Bees of all stripes in many disciplines in countries around the world. I do not speak for them but to them and with them. Fascism round the world must end. That is the truth of the matter. And so it goes.
Jerry Fletcher
5 years ago #9
Renee, I agree. A singular truth is the key. Getting enough people on the same page is critical. I'm already advising in that pursuit and your comments reinforce the direction I'm trying to head them.
Ken Boddie
5 years ago #8
Ali Anani
5 years ago #7
Jerry Fletcher
5 years ago #6
Thanks Jim. I've got to stop listening to AM talk. It will push me round the bend!
Jerry Fletcher
5 years ago #5
Renee. How do we get that imprinted on the minds and hearts of the "Make America Great" crowd as well as the latest cause celebre crowd? Both need a strong dose of it.
Jerry Fletcher
5 years ago #4
Neil, I as mystified as you. Apparently if there is no real enemy we have for make one up.
Neil Smith
5 years ago #3
Jerry Fletcher
5 years ago #2
Thanks Franci
Jim Murray
5 years ago #1