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.
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