No Difference of Opinion — Simply Some People Convinced of a Fabricated Reality
This is what’s always been the cause of hatred and violence. But now the targeted “others” includes some white men.
The major networks and many people I know refer to “differences of opinion” to explain the “divide” in our country — the extreme “polarization.”
Five years ago that concept was accepted, but I question if “differing opinions” was ever a valid explanation. The old standby mantra of “agreeing to disagree” can work with friends and family who live in the same reality and who share the same set of facts. But it stops there in today’s world.
Whatever we may think it was in the past, it’s certainly not a difference of opinion that we’re dealing with now.
Then What Is It?
What’s causing such “polarization” in the United States?
I offer my theory below.
But first, it’s important to clarify that even though strong emotions and aggressive action has increased and recently taken a unique turn, I believe the cause I describe below has always been the reason for intolerance, prejudice, hatred, and violence.
The cause of the “divide” in the U.S. is essentially the same as any cause of violence of one group against another.
The Cause is the acceptance of false information as fact — false information about a specific group of people. Falsehoods that become “beliefs” will influence the perception of one person or millions of people of the “other” group of people. When that false information is frightening or enraging, those who have accepted it as true will feel motivated or even obligated to take action against those “others.”
Why?
Because the collection of false information boils down to one accepted fact — “Those people are against me. Those people are evil.”
Once the perception is planted in people’s minds that the “others” are actively working against them, it’s almost impossible for those with that belief to not act. They instinctively protect the people and property they love.
They act in order to protect ______________ .
(fill in the blank with false information from examples below or add others)
- their own group from extinction
- their children from abuse or abduction
- their women from attack
- their businesses from vandals and thieves
- their neighborhood from going downhill
- their home from losing value
- their children from being negatively influenced
New and improved additions for 2020:
- their children from being eaten
- their children from a sex trafficking ring
- themselves from the evils of Satan
- their family from cannibals
Alternative Facts Are Not New
With the exception of maybe the newly added cannibalism, we can’t deny that a significant percentage of white Americans, have perceived all of the above as “facts” about Black people for hundreds of years.
Many have lived by a set of alternative facts that they thought were real.
When someone believes “their facts” are the facts, there’s no hesitation, no research, no asking questions or checking sources…because facts are indisputable. There is simply the response of that person which may include:
- the feeling of fear with the behavior of avoidance
- the feeling of fear with the behavior of confrontation
- the experience of hatred based on the belief that the “others” are evil
- the behavior of violence in the name of protection against evil
The Divide in this Country May Be Irreconcilable
Two sets of facts cannot coexist.
“Alternative facts” came out of the closet when Kellyanne Conway first coined the term on January 22, 2017. Our jaws dropped but we chuckled. It’s not one bit funny now that alternative facts have blossomed into full-blown alternative realities. As we’ve watched those false realities expand, become more extreme, more bizarre, and more entrenched, we might be past the point of rescue.
There are increasing numbers of Americans who live in a fabricated world consisting of fantastical lies and an abundance of manipulated images and videos that have convinced them of their new “truth” because the falsified content they keep seeing “proves” their claims.
Are people that gullible? Apparently they are.
In an attempt to find common ground, we can talk about our mutual interest in “protecting children” till the cows come home, but we will never be on the same page.
Why Not?
Many of us were talking a few years ago about children at the border traumatized by being separated from their parents and put into a detention cage.
However, those living in an alternative fact reality are talking about children they believe are victims of the Satan-worshiping cannibals of the Democratic party. This is no exaggeration — This is what we’re now up against.
Are you willing to “agree to disagree” with folks who believe that Hillary Clinton was running a child sex trafficking ring out of the basement of a pizza parlor? Fortunately, the guy who showed up with his assault rifle to “save” those mythical children from the mythical trafficking ring in the pizza parlor that didn’t even have a basement, was able to realized that he’d bought a pack of lies and told that to the police who arrested him.
Are you willing to sit and listen to a train engineer from San Pedro, California, who derailed a freight train because he believed the nearby hospital ship was part of suspicious activities involving the coronavirus?
The article below by Lois Beckett details the violent activities of a specific group.
“The FBI identified (name of conspiracy organization) in 2019 as a potential domestic terror threat and the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point described it as a “novel challenge to public security”. — article by Lois Beckett
I’m not mentioning the name of the group because I don’t wish to give them publicity, but you likely know who they are.
The group I’m not mentioning by name recruits members by claiming they are on a mission to “Save the Children” from those they allege to be abusers (which includes anyone who is a Democrat). This investigative article exposes the reality about that group:
“(the group) has not brought a single child abuser closer to justice, but has radicalized people into committing crimes and taking dangerous or violent actions that put children at risk.” — article by Lois Beckett
This is a head-scratching phenomenon. You’d think that as the theories crossed into insanity land, more people would say “Hey, wait minute, this is nuts!” But it seems that not only rarely does that happen but the opposite happens — people become more convinced.
A more recent belief (within the last few years) — these folks will tell you that a certain powerful man, who in their eyes can do no wrong, is the savior who will lock up all the child-eating Democrats and save our country.
Are you willing to “agree to disagree” with them about who won the 2020 election?
I’m not.
Can the Country Come Together in Unity?
President Joe Biden called for unity during his campaign. He is committed to facilitating unity among the American people but that seems to be a greater challenge every day as big lies continue to be repeated and new lies are spread.
Have We Had Unity in the Past?
It may seem so…to some people. But likely only to white people. And likely only to those who have not faced obstacles that kept them in poverty.
What Anand Giridharadas had to say in 2020 about unity:
“You don’t pursue unity with your abuser. You don’t pursue unity with people trying to sabotage your democracy live, right now. You don’t reach out your hand to people whose hands are themselves busy rigging democracy.” -From @Morning_Joe chat.
What’s the Answer?
Fortunately, there are organizations made up of former extremists, committed to “helping people leave the violent far-right to connect with humanity and lead compassionate lives, ” like Life After Hate.
On the media page or their website, you can watch videos of stories on “how it’s possible to start moving toward a life of acceptance, humanity and love.”
Then there’s the film “Healing From Hate” which features the work of the Life After Hate organization. Watch the trailer:
From the Healing From Hate film website:
“HEALING FROM HATE examines the root causes of hate group activity through the bold work of those battling intolerance on the front lines, including Life After Hate, an organization founded by former Skinheads and neo-Nazis, now engaged in transforming attitudes of intolerance. Documenting a stunning era of hatred in America, HEALING FROM HATE follows these reformers in their work to de-radicalize White Nationalists, and heal communities torn apart by racism.”
As far as I can tell the Healing From Hate film does not directly address the newly fabricated realities. The approach would likely be similar, but the new factions add the challenge of deprogramming women who joined after being convinced that they’re helping to save children from a nonexistent ring of “evil Democrats.”
How Do We Bring Them Back to Reality?
Putting policy in place that effectively levels the playing field can benefit many who hold false beliefs. Lessening their economic burdens, improving their healthcare plans and providing affordable childcare are just a few things that might help bring them back from la-la land because their lives will improve (making them less inclined to look for someone to blame).
However, we are seeing disinformation about enacted policy — Some Republicans voted against the bill, have claimed credit for the Biden Rescue Plan funds their constituents received. The same is happening with Biden’s Infrastructure Plan that most Republicans also voted against.
There Must Be Accountability
Those who planned, funded and participated in the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the United Sates Capital building must be investigated and prosecuted. Many of the low-level participants have been charged and sent to prison, though with what many consider to be light sentences. Some of those people may have opened their eyes.
Those who planned and participated in the attempted coup after the 2020 election must be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. They must be held fully accountable. If they are not, they will continue their seditionist activities and next time will likely succeed.
Those who deny the election results of 2020 and who continue anti-democracy activities at all levels of government, state and federal, and current members of Congress must be investigated, prosecuted and sentenced to the long prison terms that they deserve and that will keep them from continuing their traitorous activity.
The United States has a history of not holding its highest elected officials accountable. That’s part of why and how we got here and why we are now struggling to save our democracy. This article details some of that history.
There are now many independent broadcasters of falsehoods, but perhaps the most insidious is one of the popular “news” networks that is included in almost all cable TV bundles. A no far-right network that at one time featured some real news. But as of 2021 has fallen farther down the misinformation rabbit hole and blatantly lies to its viewers and does not cover significant stories of negative information about the right.
One of their evening “entertainment” hosts (who many think is broadcasting the truth) is speaking against the United States government and in favor of Russia and Putin. A few short years ago, that TV host would have been out of a job and ostracized for siding with a former KGB agent autocrat, known for imprisoning and poisoning his opponents, rigging his elections and who is an enemy of the United States.
Much of the fabricated realities are incomprehensible.
It’s impossible to find common ground with those who have chosen an alternative universe.
This was originally published on Nov.16, 2020 on another platform. It has been updated and republished on February 1, 2022.