So recently I was told I was un-American for my political views, that I disrespect the code of having served my country and that I am in fact turning against it. This was from a woman I don’t believe I’ve ever actually met nor had a conversation with. A mutual friend on Facebook had posted a political meme (you know, those pictures with quotes on them) and it was patently false. It was what I would consider the very definition of fake news.
I did a quick internet search and verified the quote was entirely made up then remarked how many of my Republican friends often share memes and posts that tell a story very different from the truth. In short, I called my friend out for sharing “fake news”. This woman saw my comment and immediately made the assumption that I somehow supported what the meme stated (for the record is said Democrats believed social security was a right for illegal immigrants). I don’t know why she made that assumption so in my reply to her comment, I reiterated the meme was false and encouraged her to do her own research to find the truth for herself; to not take my word for it alone. Based on her reply after that, she did not take my advice and made further disparaging remarks about my character.
I think the part that surprised me most was that after a full day, my “friend” still had the post on her wall. Now if it were me and I posted something I believed to be true but later found out was false, I wouldn’t be able to get that post down fast enough! Is that because I value the truth more than this friend of mine? I hope that’s not the case.
I am supremely careful about what I share on my newsfeed because I don’t want to be the source of propaganda or misinformation. I recognize how dangerous that can be because I actually had to read books like Orwell’s 1984 when I was in school; it made an impression. I was taught in the Navy that integrity is what you do when no one is looking. The bible very clearly tells us “Do not lie” and to “rejoice in the truth.”
What I am seeing with this woman who said some pretty terrible things about me, is a trend among Americans where they’d rather stay with their own beliefs, however false, than challenge their preconceptions. Whether because of propaganda or xenophobia, I am seeing more and more people become entrenched in one side or the other, forgetting that there really are no sides if we are to remain one country; e pluribus unum.
To my friends who are Democrats, not all Republicans are bad and not all of them share the same ideological beliefs as the leader of their party. To all my Republican friends, I would encourage you to really consider what it is the Democratic party advocates for (and doesn’t advocate for) and not jump to conclusions based on your own bias or preconceptions. Maybe, just maybe, the divide between parties isn’t so great.
When I took my oath back in 1999 to defend my country, it was from all enemies foreign and domestic. Right now I believe misinformation is our greatest enemy of all and while I no longer wear the uniform of a United States sailor, I still consider myself under oath.
End Transmission.