Half Truths and the Information Sewer

In a previous post, I mentioned someone who had sent a dreadful and gigantic message about the dangers of Barack Obama to a list that I'm associated with. She said that she thought the document "seemed to be documented". It was, if you consider links to Fox News and right-wing nutcase sites to be documentation.

There is a huge difference between "seems to be documented" and "is documented". Just because somebody posted something on a website or in a blog doesn't mean it's true. One of the letter's sources for anti-Obama "proof" was RightSideOfWisconsin.com.

RightSideOfWisconsin.com is registered through GoDaddy.com and here's the record: Administrative Contact: Lohenry, Todd toddlohenry@gmail.com e1evation, llc PO Box 203 Algoma, Wisconsin 54201 United States (920) 486-4798 Fax -- (920) 482-5666

Todd Lohenry? According to his profile on LinkedIn: Former Chairman of Republican Party of Kewaunee County (So would you accept the opinion of John McCain by a former chairman of a county Democratic party as gospel?)

How Half-Truths Work

I could say that John McCain has 6 fingers on each hand, was brainwashed by the Chinese during the time he was supposedly held captive in Viet Nam, that he intentionally crashed his plane to turn it over to the Russians because he was a mole, that his father was a Martian and he had to be born in Panama to avoid US medical records.

I could even create a blog that contained all of those claims. And I could put together some pretty convincing "documents" that would make it appear to be true. And I am certain that some gullible person would find that website and use it as a reason why McCain should not be allowed to get within 100 yards of the White House.

I could do that, but I won't. I won't because I know not a word of it is true. But there are unethical people in this world, people who would gladly lie, cheat, and steal to put forth disinformation (that's an old term from the Soviet era).

The Soviets thought they had perfected disinformation. If you want to see perfection, just examine the Internet, books by Jerome Corsi, Rush Limbaugh's radio program and blogs, and most of what comes out of the Fox News sewer.