I'm tired of progressives, and I mean people I am certain are progressive-- helping to amplify and blast out right wing echo chamber messaging, because they've been duped. And it's not just the progressives and the left who are being duped. It's also right wingers. Surprise. Both the neocon right and the neoliberal left political parties are both happily engaging in despicable behavior that deserve our contempt.
But that doesn't mean I'm going to allow duped people to put the messages they've been duped to believe or promote where I have a role in the editorial and curation process. And to any who suggest I'm engaging in censorship, GFY. It is my JOB to curate content. Only governments censor. That said, I have published many articles, scores if not hundreds that I totally disagree with, but I run them.
Are you or some progressive you know saying that:
- the Black Lives Matter protests are bogus because they have funding from foundations?
- Antifa is a major problem in recent demonstrations?
- George Soros is behind ... f*cking anything
- The deep state is behind the Corona Covid 19 virus
- Bill Gates has conspired with Anthony Fauci to make billions and depopulate the planet
- Covid 19 is a fraud aimed at taking away our freedom
- Social distancing and mask wearing are bogus health prevention methods aimed to take away our freedom
- Shutting down businesses is a ploy to increase the power of the Deep State
Then there's a good chance you've been influenced by right wing trolls, or you're reading either right wing sources or extreme sources, like anti-vax sites. Some of them can look very scientific too. And if you're going to try to convince me about anything related to to Corona virus, citing a website operated by anti-vaccine people as a scientific source is not going to work.
Let me explain how I've come to this conclusion.
It started with someone asking me about whether I had to deal with trolls and sock puppets-- people assumed to be paid to disrupt and distract. He assured me that the CIA and other powers that be (PTB) were actively placing such trolls on progressive sites.
The thing is, I haven't had that experience as publisher of OpEdNews. We've had a few people over the past 17 years who were on a mission, like one guy who attacked people who brought up the issue of hardened ammunition. And we've had conservatives who have made it their mission to dispute progressive positions. But I don't think we've had the kinds of sock puppets our editor was concerned with.
But our discussion did get me thinking. 'Why do progressives start putting out messages that originate from right wing think tanks and websites?' All of the questions I cited above originate from right wing sources. So how do progressives become infected with that kind of thinking? I think it's because they've been punked, sock-puppeted and duped by right wingers on conspiracy sites and sites that celebrate the fear of the deep state or anti-vax messaging.
I've had at least two people tell me I am accusing them of being right wingers. Let me be absolutely clear. I am not saying that these progressives have become right wingers. I AM saying that they are being duped to help right wingers. So yes, they are dupes, but I know they are well intentioned.
RT @JohnWDean: Rush Limbaugh advised young people to ignore calls for social distancing, telling his audience they should "go out and live… at
— Mark OBrien (@MarkCapnumpire1) July 8, 2020That's why I've been putting in extra effort recently, spending hours, to check sourcing and links that writers use to support those right wing sourced messages. I'm certainly NOT saying that the people writing these articles or citing the links are right wingers. But I am saying that these usually very smart people have been suckered or duped. And given that they are passionate about their causes, they're taking these positions passionately.
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