How in the world can you determine the truth in our mixed-up mess of half-truths that are convoluted, contorted, repackaged, rebranded and retold as the “truth?”
Like a communicable disease, half-truths are contagious and without investigation, these “news bites,” these half-truths become the “truth.”
It is very similar to that game we played as kids called Telephone, which starts out with a sentence whispered quickly in the ear of the next person in line and the next person repeats what they heard (or thought they heard) to the next person in line. This is continued until the last person in line repeats out loud the “message” they received and think they heard. It seldom, if ever, resembles the original statement.
Our “news outlets” have become more slanted as we are being told what to think, how to think and the opinion we should have regarding a person, plan, program or candidate.
The result is scary.
What would be the end result if we didn’t do our own thinking? But who wants to think about that?
Remember back a few years ago when Mayor Gillmor convinced enough voters to vote into office her hand-picked majority for city council? It was a disastrous and costly experience for Santa Clara residents. It was a calamity caused by the absence of thinking.
Now, rumors and current gossip are creating a red danger light. Clearly, the Gillmor Gang is willing to make another run at the city council and create another collective council of cronies.
This time, residents must give some serious thought to who they want making decisions for Santa Clara. This time, based on experience, careful thinking and recalling past results, voters must choose to elect candidates who offer expertise and independence.
George Bernard Shaw was quoted as once saying, “Most people think once or twice a year. The reason I am famous is I think once or twice a week.”
Be it the local elections or the national ones, voters are challenged to look past the glossy brochures and TV hype into the character and quality of candidates and issues. Be it local or national, this is an election to think about.
Previous Milestones:
Milestones – Time to Fix It
Milestones – Play it Forward