All tagged back to facts

The myth of racial and moral purity: a treatise on fascism

By Tatiana Prophet
The word “fascism” has been used generously in the public square in the last few years – with many people accusing their political opponents of being “fascist” in their beliefs — usually because there is a perception or reality that they seek to impose those beliefs upon others.

What is the origin of the word “fascism”? It dates back to the Roman Empire, when those who enforced the law were portrayed in bas relief holding a bundle of sticks resembling a poster case, with an axe affixed to it. A fascio is a bundle, or “league.” The word predates Benito Mussolini even in modern Italy, as many groups including labor unions used the word to apply to a “league.”

The powerful think we're stupid. Let's show them we're not

Opinion by Tatiana Prophet

On Nov. 3, 2020, we witnessed manipulation in real time on the television screen.

First there were the early calls that candidates had won particular states, but really they were projections. And let’s hope they weren’t deliberate lies. A call should be definitive. It is not supposed to change. But the calls from various “decision desks” changed all evening, and all night.

Then there was the sudden pause in counting in crucial battleground states, then stonewalling, then a sudden jump in votes for Joe Biden.

We don’t have all the facts, but we do know when we’re being stonewalled, censored and controlled. What a coincidence that social media users are being herded by the tech companies into forbidden areas that are proven false by “fact checkers.” Well and good, but when the fact checkers are simply the same cast of characters, even a child could figure out that there’s a problem. Especially because the fact checks are a little like sawdust on the palate. Full of a definitive tone, but very little proof. And almost always, missing context.