Recognizing Alternative Facts as Something Other than Facts

The phrase itself may have lost some of its sizzle now that we are a month past its initial use, but what is behind “alternative facts” is something that shouldn’t be lost as we move forward in adjusting to what is shaping up to be one of the more controversial or at least divisive presidential administrations in U.S. history.

Whether you are for him or against him, the reality of Donald Trump as the president of the United States is not an alternative fact and is something that we are all focused on in our own way. For some, it may be the happiest moment ever and for others, it may feel like the end of the world. The reasons behind that are debatable. What should not be up for debate, however, is the existence of “alternative facts” and the buy-in that large number of people seem to have for it.

Facts are defined as things that are “indisputably” the case. There is no room for alternatives with the word “facts.” If there is an alternative, then it isn’t a fact. It is a theory or a hypothesis or a proposal or a conspiracy or something along those lines.

The issue behind the phrase began with White House counsel Kellyanne Conway stating on national television that press secretary Sean Spicer’s interpretation of Trump’s inauguration attendance numbers were “alternative facts” that should be taken into consideration. When going back and reviewing Spicer’s viewpoint, the media was unable to find anything that would allow for Spicer’s point of view to be considered as accurate. Whether it was comparable aerial photos or data from the Metro station, the media did its homework and found nothing from the Trump administration on this particular topic to be true.

As a former journalist whose reputation was on the line daily, I can appreciate how important it is to review provided information to verify its accuracy. Anything short of that isn’t an alternative fact – it is false information. The mere thought that there are educated people out there who aren’t humiliated with the thought that this “alternative facts” episode is more than just an embarrassing moment in time is somewhat surprising and completely political.

Given that it is political in nature, we could look at it this way. Bill Clinton’s affair could be viewed as a religious preference rather than an extramarital escapade. Or how about the alternative fact that Hillary Clinton won the presidency (she did get the most votes). But either of those is much more plausible than a press secretary providing false data and insisting that anyone who doesn’t believe it is wrong. There was a time and place for such propaganda and it wasn’t a good era for the world.

Some might attempt to call “alternative facts” as a label that could have been applied to something like one-time beliefs that the world was flat or that Pluto was a planet or that the moon landing was fake. But there is too much evidence and long-held knowledge for two of those to be anything but actual facts. And Pluto being a planet or not being a planet had everything to do with a change in what defined a planet and nothing to do with it being an alternative fact.

With the inflated Trump inauguration numbers, it was clear that false information was being shoved down the public’s throat. That’s the great thing about the world we live in now. It is so easy to prove something as false and there is no doubt that Trump’s alternative facts are something far less than that – they are, as Meet the Press’ Chuck Todd told Conway when she first mentioned the phrase, nothing more than a “falsehood.”

Show off your ignorance and continue to support the notion that alternative facts allow for you to support false information. Show off your lack of education and continue to believe that actual data is irrelevant when Trump is your president. But please don’t continue supporting what you know is a lie and expect me or anyone else to not call you out on it. Otherwise, labeling you as a person who thinks for themselves or has a functioning brain is merely nothing more than an alternative fact.

Thunder Fans Are the Winners This Time

We’ve all seen the scene – a junior high kid and his friend run into the school bully and his friends and the two of them get beat up. Undeterred, the two kids scheme until they come up with a way to beat the bullies. And just when they reach the point where they have an opportunity to be superior to the bullies … the kid’s friend joins the bullies and beats up on the kid.

Movies don’t happen this way and life shouldn’t happen this way either. It would be shameful and go against everything we feel about how people – especially friends – should act. There is a right way to live life and there is the wrong way.

This movie scenario may sound familiar and that’s because it is. The two friends were Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. The bullies were the way too arrogant Golden State Warriors and their lone title that was won in a year when each of their playoff opponents suffered a significant injury to the starting lineup either prior to or during their series with Golden State.

This isn’t the first time I’ve gone on the attack against KD and his cowardly way of approaching his career. He spouted off for years about how he was a leader and that he was going to settle for nothing less than bringing a championship to Oklahoma City. Considering he was playing with one of the best point guards in the NBA, it seemed inevitable that he would in fact do just that. And then, suddenly, out of nowhere, he joined the bullies and became a tag-along on the way to a possible title. He became the Derek Fisher or Robert Horry of a team that has already proven it doesn’t necessarily need KD to win the gold.

I wasn’t at the game this weekend when KD returned to OKC for his deserved medicine, nor did I watch it on TV. Fortunately, in this day and age, I didn’t need to do either of those for me to be able to learn about the reaction of fans and players to the game. Between media reports and social media posts, I got more than enough of how it went for KD. Sure, the Warriors won. It is what happens when you have four of the best five players on the court. The fact that they aren’t undefeated this season shows just how flawed they are – they are the favorites every single game and yet they underperform night after night.

Based on the social media reaction following KD’s announcement, I was convinced the fans would take the soft way out and pretend as if KD never did anything wrong. But he did. Sports is a competition and as fans, we don’t root FOR or encourage the opponents. KD made a decision to play for the opponent and it is our duty to applaud our team while also rooting against our opponent. It is how competition works. We can be good sports following the game but the contest itself is not the time to hold back and act as if it was fine that KD decided to be shady and greedy in joining the bullies.

So, kudos to those fans out there who booed KD, and who made creative signs or t-shirts showing their disdain for his selfish actions. He signed on to that life and he knew it was coming. And who knows, maybe Mr. Unreliable will show his true colors once again and disappoint the Warriors’ fans the same way he did the Thunder fans each and every postseason he was here. That’s the KD we all came to know.

Standing Up for What is Right

The name Martin Niemöller may not ring any bells when your first hear it, but he was the prominent Protestant pastor whose quote about the Adolph Hitler regime has often been repeated throughout history.

First, they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out – Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out – Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me – And there was no one left to speak for me.

As he said, Niemöller initially held his tongue but eventually ended up being an outspoken public enemy of Hitler. He spent seven tortuous years in Nazi concentration camps as a result of his words. Fortunately, what was acceptable in Germany leading up to World War II wouldn’t be allowed in the United States. Or would it?

The thing is, nobody knows for sure what will happen in the future. Paranoia and anger stemming from the attack at Pearl Harbor led to the U.S. locking up Japanese-Americans in internment camps during World War II. Who can say with certainty that isn’t what will happen next to Muslim-Americans given the paranoia and anger that seems to be sweeping across red America?

When Donald Trump announced his executive order banning immigration from a select seven nations (Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen), it sounded the bell that he intended to follow through with all of his ridiculous campaign promises. Swiftly. But the fallout that has resulted from his action showed exactly what everyone feared – that he didn’t have much of an understanding as to how things worked and that he didn’t think through his actions.

Federal agencies weren’t warned of the pending policy change and were ill-prepared to immediately put a halt to processes that had been in place for decades. Some of them, for centuries. Private companies who had employees with dual citizenship suddenly found themselves in a quandary. It was a complete mess, driven by people with racist beliefs and a lack of knowledge and experience in this area. Ironically, the goal of the ban was for public safety purposes, but none of the 19 terrorists who were a part of the 9/11 attacks came from any of the countries on the banned list.

When the Trump administration first threw out the concept of “alternative facts,” it felt a lot like a propaganda campaign similar to what swept through Germany in the 1930’s and 1940’s. Hitler, preying on the nationwide desire for change and the desperation of a citizenry in need of something positive, manipulated the minds of his own people to advance his personal agenda. And they bought it and stood idly by as he wantonly destroyed lives over and over again.

People may be right in saying it isn’t fair to compare Trump to Hitler because all he has done so far is attempt to alter facts, take steps to begin construction on a wall for the southern border and temporarily ban all immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries. But, it is early in his presidency and there is nothing wrong with making sure history doesn’t repeat itself. Because, as with what happened with Niemöller, when does he start coming after you and me?