Yesterday, I shared a statement from the editor of Cleveland's Plain Dealer, Chris Quinn. He states,
"The facts involving Trump are crystal clear, and as news people, we cannot pretend otherwise, as unpopular as that might be with a segment of our readers. There aren’t two sides to facts. People who say the earth is flat don’t get space on our platforms. If that offends them, so be it."
It was interesting to see how that statement struck a nerve with some folks, who replied to it with childish what-about memes – What about Kathy Griffin and the stunt she pulled re: Trump and a severed head?
As if that's any kind of meaningful response to or argument about a statement that facts matter and people who don't want to deal in facts don't deserve an editorial platform….
What-aboutism coupled with toxic disinformation and conspiracy-mongering such as we're now seeing in the wake of the Baltimore disaster: it's all the US political right has any longer.
What they're showing us is that their goal never has been about governing in constructive ways in line the originating principles they claim to honor. It's about tearing down and destroying, not building up or collaborating.
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