What a Waste of Space

While I applaud the Independent’s decision to give a voice to all members of the Santa Barbara community, I was very disappointed to read Lou Segal’s fact-free op-ed in the Voices section online. Again, kudos for publishing a different view, but the failure/refusal to fact-check the letter simply furthers the rampant mis-information/dis-information that has created so many problems, and so much divisiveness, in the last 8++ years.

A key part of Trumpist strategy (I won’t insult thoughtful, informed, honest Republican voters or representatives by calling people who support Trump by that name; they are, by and large, Trump cultists, or people who have fallen down the disinformation/conspiracy-theory rabbit hole) is as follows:

– Accuse your opponents of the very things you are doing;

– Take credit for the accomplishments of the other party;

– Lie, and lie, and lie some more until few people know what the truth is.

The proof that these are Trumpist strategies can be found in the verifiable statements, both written and recorded, by Trump operatives such as Steve Bannon, Newt Gingrich, Roger Stone, and others.

The result: the majority of Americans are so confused and overwhelmed, they decide there’s no difference between political parties, and forego their right to vote.

So the least the Independent could do, in my opinion, is to point out the inaccuracies or falsehoods in Segal’s letter. A failure to do that only contributes to the confusion and divisiveness. And isn’t part of the journalist’s job to inform and elucidate?