I’ll get right to the point.
People…adults…REALLY need to quit saying this.
This is not some “Kumbaya” thing to try and get both sides to get along. I’m about done with trying to do that. This is about ADULTS being able to articulate themselves, number one, with their own minds and number two, using statements of substance to do so. I don’t believe that’s too much to ask.
President Trump says “Fake News” all the time. I gotcha. Nothing wrong with repeating what someone says. We all do it.
But of ALL the things to repeat, this is one a LOT of people need to cross off their lists.
The word “fake” means: not genuine; counterfeit.
Now, this phrase was never said until Mr. Trump came along. Again…I got it. I know how it goes. Along with that, people have some issues with the media. No problem.
So why is it so hard to just SAY that?
If you have a problem with the media, let me tell you how ADULTS handle this:
SAY so.
Try expressions like, “I don’t agree with the media here, and here’s why,” or “This is inaccurate BECAUSE,” or even “I don’t like that they said this and here’s my reason for that.”
When you disagree with your spouse, do you yell, “FAKE SPOUSE!”?
When you get into an argument with a family member, do you shout, “FAKE BROTHER!”?
When you don’t like what a co-worker does, do you scream, “FAKE CO-WORKER!”?
When you’re pissed off about a backup in traffic, do you shout, “FAKE CARS!!!”?
Right…
So…why would you say it about the news?
It’s a little sad to me to see so many people repeat this expression. It’s not even about whether or not I agree with them. “Fake News” is dismissive. I know that’s the intent for a lot of people, but there’s no substance there whatsoever. As someone who played basketball a lot when I was younger, this is the equivalent of “taking my ball and going home.” If you’ve never heard that expression, all it means is that if I’m the one who brought my basketball for me and the guys to play ball with and I didn’t get my way, I would take it, totally disrupt the game and go home. And if you didn’t bring your own basketball, then you would take the ball everyone was playing with and just kick it somewhere.
Even if you know nothing about basketball, can you imagine that would solve anything?
We’ve relied on major news organizations for a LOT of years. Even I’m not pleased with how things have sort of shifted from how they were in the past. THAT part, I can agree with.
However, because of what ONE person says, all of sudden, they’re all “fake”?
That doesn’t make sense.
People want to be heard, even those who say this. So wouldn’t it make more sense to speak in specifics rather than spitting out an expression that does the complete opposite of this?
Let’s say I told you, “You shouldn’t shop at either Target or Walmart.” Then you asked why and I said, “BECAUSE THEY’RE FAKE STORES!!”
What the hell does that even mean?
Would THAT alone make you stop shopping at either place?
But this is exactly what people do. We shouldn’t trust the news and what they say should be discredited all because someone yells “Fake News!”?
Not to mention, aside from the addition of social media, we are, for the most part, getting our news the same way now as we always have. So what exactly makes it “fake,” by definition?
The fact that you don’t like what they said?
Nope.
The fact that you don’t agree with them?
Nope.
Feeling that something they put out was inaccurate?
Wrong again.
The value of the dollar goes up and down. When it drops, does it become a “fake” dollar?
Ironically, the funniest thing just happened. Right as I wrote that, the signal went out on my television.
FAKE SATELLITE COMPANY.
But back to my shopping example. Now if I said, “You shouldn’t shop at Walmart because a, b, c and d,” or “You may want to re-think shopping at Target because of x, y and z,” chances are, even if you don’t change your mind, you’re more likely to listen in those cases than if I just called them “fake” stores.
“Fake News” to me has such a cult-following sound to it. It’s one thing to repeat something someone says, but when there is NO substance to it whatsoever and you trust that more than you trust something you have relied upon for MANY years (the news), even though a LOT more substance is included there, even when you don’t agree with it, well, that’s just disturbing.
You don’t have to hate the president. You don’t have to disown your political party. This isn’t about that, even though MANY of you will force it to be that way.
No surprise there.
Remember when we were kids and someone said that another kid “had cooties”? What was usually the reason for that? Did that kid carry a magnifying glass and actually study and analyze the kid(s) this was said about? Did the kid(s) in question bring doctor’s notes of any kind and the other kid got a hold of it in some way to gather a professional diagnosis?
Of course not.
They said it because they didn’t like the other kid(s). That’s it.
That’s the same thing the overuse of “Fake News” means to me.
Like anything else I’ve written along these lines, the point will be missed by those with closed minds (Yes, I’m a poet too). I’ll be called everything in the book, I’m sure. Needless to say, I won’t expect a ton of substance to be included.
I am a black man (strike one) who has been married to a woman who happens to be white (strike two) for nearly 18 years (strike three). So whatever you want to call me that you think I haven’t heard before, be my guest. If you’re childish enough to respond with insults as many love to do, chances are, you won’t be smart enough to say something I haven’t already heard. But you can always try.
That’s right. Feel free to say absolutely whatever you want about me. Call me whatever you would like.
Just don’t say I’m a “Fake” person.
Because that would just be…
…silly.
People's Court 