Letter to the editor: We must stop hate and fearmongering

Ray Epps was a true believer. He believed what former President Trump, Fox News and the right-wing media repeatedly told him about the 2020 election being stolen. So on Jan. 6, he stormed the Capitol.

But then the conspiracy machine turned on him. They said Epps was an FBI plant and he was the one promoting violence. Then Epps received the same treatment from the far-right extremists that so many before him have experienced. Journalists, lawmakers, government officials, election workers and public health officials all have been subjected to harassment, intimidation, stalkers and death threats. This barrage of hate forced Epps to sell his home, cost him his livelihood and safety, and forced him to live in hiding in an RV. It ruined his life.

We have the power to stop this hate, fear and terrorizing. Our government must insist that anyone disseminating information, any news outlet, tell the truth. They must perform due diligence to make certain what they are reporting is factual and they must report corrections when necessary. There must be a clear distinction between facts and opinions. Systemic disinformation and alternative facts must have consequences commensurate with the destruction caused by the lies. Telling lies is not free speech; it is promoting terror, distrust and chaos.

“When a society ceases to value intellectual and public life and are unsure who to believe, they lose the ability to think and act critically and to resist authoritarianism.” — Heather Gautney, Current Affairs

Gloria Gralewski

Manor