From the Publisher's Desk: Fake news isn’t news at all

In recent days, we have been pounded with actual fake news in the form of social media posts and the sheep-like shares claiming anything and everything that might make you safe from COVID-19 or supposed maps showing where it is and how it’s the Democrats’ fault or Trump’s fault, or it’s only bad in sanctuary cities, presumably because of immigrants from Mexico and South America?

 

The reality is most of that is simply foul garbage disguised as scientifically reasoned fact. 

 

Fake, yes. But it’s not news. It’s nothing more than a ploy to get you worked up into buying something you don’t need at a price you can’t afford from a guy who lives out of his car . . . or its propaganda aimed at fear and blame to support some political agenda. While this ridiculous excuse for providing information has been around forever, the information age has accelerated it. And the coronavirus pandemic, which is real and a danger, has only fueled the spread of that misinformation, although to what end eludes us. Panic? Fear? Further polarization of the electorate going into the presidential election?

 

Want real news? News that is checked and vetted and is done for the right reason? Stick with trusted, local sources, whether that be newspaper, radio, television or their websites. You’re going to need them now and after the worst of the virus has become a memory. Remember that the next time you lump all media into the “fake news” category simply because you don’t like what they have to say.