Facts no longer matter. The very concept of truth is on trial in the United States.
A few years ago North Springs Shooting Range hosted the Youth Hunter Education Challenge. At the time I was director of the local recreation agency. During a planning session, I was at the range to help with transportation and to promote the activity.
Someone said something about the people in power wanting to take away everyone’s guns. I responded that I didn’t think that was true, and it wasn’t.
The gentleman then said something bewildering. He said, “If we believe it’s true, it’s true.”
Say what?
This country needs a remedial course in belief and knowledge. You can believe something that isn’t true, but that doesn’t make it true.
This is not a political opinion or position; it’s just basic knowledge. Don’t they teach this in school? They should.
As a society, we need to cut through the bull snot and stop accepting whatever is said and whatever is written as fact. This happens so much that the very idea of truth has become blurred. This is perhaps the biggest danger facing our country today.
Truth will always prevail. Truth doesn’t change. If something is stated as a fact, eventually it will be proven or disproven. As a people, we must be willing to accept facts as they are, regardless of our personal beliefs.
One of the problems associated with this phenomenon is that people blindly accept what they want to believe as truth. Then, blindly, they pass the same false information along as truth to others. Eventually everyone who wants to believe something does just that.
Socrates said, “The unexamined life isn’t worth living.”
There is much to learn from that statement. He could have said, the unexamined statement isn’t worth passing along. Maybe he did say that, inherently. Before you blindly pass something along as fact, do some research, check your sources. If it doesn’t pass the smell test, perhaps you shouldn’t pass it on.
Saying something doesn’t make it true.
The United States, where truth is on trial
STEVE CHRISTENSEN