TIRED OF THOSE EMAILS FULL OF HATE AND LIES? I AM.
I have been receiving an increasing number of chain emails that are forwarded by well meaning people who have been duped into forwarding them without checking out whether or not they are true.
These pieces of "information" are created on the premise that people will pass them on without checking by appealing to the people's faith and/or patriotism. The creators of these diatribes assume that enough people receiving these messages are too ignorant or too stupid to realize that they are spreading lies. Sadly by forwarding these messages, good people lent credence to them-based on their implied endorsement. The lies spread so fast that the truth has no chance to catch up to them.
When I get these pieces of "information," I send messages back to the people who forwarded them with information refuting the garbage and supporting links. Most people, but not all, are embarrassed that they had been duped and many ask me how to check out the emails they are sent. I've had ONE person tell me to perform an act upon myself that is physically impossible. 3-9-07. He also sent me a variety of "interesting" graphics illustrating his suggestion.
To other people that "stuff" about not bearing false witness isn't really that important. Some respond that it doesn't matter if the information is true or not-often with quite interesting vocabulary. The concept of "false witness" comes from a great list of 10 rules to live by-not just to profess-to some people the truth is "inconvenient."
Here are my comments to those who believe that truth, faith and patriotism are not mutually exclusive: (as the intro to Superman used to say "Truth, Justice and the American Way."). Those who don't care about the truth have probably stopped reading already.
Here are some simple rules to follow when you get one of "those" emails:
If it says "Agree or Delete," in it, the assumption is that those who think it might be correct won't bother to check out whether or not it is true and will pass it on. Those who do check it out and find that much of the message is untrue will delete it. Very effective way to spread lies. Check it out before you forward it!
The bigger the fonts, the more colors in the text, the more likely it is untrue. Check it out before you forward it!
The more is tugs at your sense of patriotism or your faith and the more outlandish it gets, the more likely it is to be untrue.
The more it emphasizes being a "true American" by asking you to exhibit "un-American" and anti-Christian (in the spiritual, not the extremist sense) values of hate and intolerance, it's a strong indication that you should check it out and verify the person's real intent. Check it out before you forward it!
www.Snopes.com is a great place to check out whether the email is true or not. Use their search option with a few key words and you will be able to verify the email.
When you are sent those multi-forwarded emails and find out that they are full of lies, you should question the information sent you previously by the same sources. Odds are good that if they were duped this time, they've been duped before.
OR they have intentionally passed this information on-knowing it is untrue (at best) hoping to trick you into passing it on-someplace up the chain the truth was know and intentionally perverted.
As Ronald Reagan often said "Trust but verify." No matter what your political persuasion, don't pass it on as true until you are sure it really is. The damage is hard to undo. You should take it upon yourself to let the people "upstream" know that they have been duped, or if they are intentionally sending out lies, that you know what they are up to. Assume the best of people, and then judge by their response.
A lie told often enough becomes the truth. Vladimir Lenin Don't help these hate mongers and liars succeed. Check out ALL chain emails - you will find that very few of them are truthful.
Here are some of the ones I get most often:
Check these out by clicking on the links, or copying and pasting them into your browser.
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Claim: A
display at the National World War II Memorial omits key words from a speech by
President Roosevelt.
Status: False
http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/memorial.asp
This one REALLY disturbs me. It intentionally debases those who this memorial is dedicated to and the people who worked to honor them with this fine (though much belated) tribute. Have these slanderers no shame?
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Along the same Vein:
Claim: The new Dollar Coin Omits the words "In God We Trust"
Status: False
http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/dollarcoin.asp
I've seen this a number of times and have had several people thank me for letting them know that this one is false, with one exception who forwarded the email with this note: "I haven't checked the accuracy of this but I wouldn't be surprised if it's true." I told him this was irresponsible. His responses (multiple) were graphic and immature.
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Claim: Daughter of murder victims decries the removal of "So help me God" from the oath trial witnesses are sworn by.
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/sohelpme.asp
This one was the straw that broke the camel's back-and is the reason I added this page.-thanks Skip for the inspiration...
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Claim: A new
Pepsi can design omits the words "under God" from the Pledge of
Allegiance.
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/undergod.asp
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Claim:
According to a study by the Lovenstein Institute, President Bush has the
lowest IQ of all presidents of past
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/hoaxes/presiq.htm
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Claim: Someone
is in a race to collect the e-signatures of 300 people who believe in God before
someone else collects 300 e-signatures from those who don't.
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/petition/belief.asp
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Claim:
Canada has arrested U.S. President George W. Bush and charged him with war
crimes.
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/bush/canada.asp
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Claim: George W. Bush took a half hour off from glad-handing supporters at a 'thank you' dinner to witness for Christ to a teenage boy.
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/glurge/bushpray.htm
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Claim:
Study finds that persons of lower intelligence are more likely to support
President
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/satire/gop.asp
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Claim: Former President George Bush wrote that trying to eliminate Saddam Hussein during the Gulf War in 1991 would have "incurred incalculable human and political costs."
Status: True.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/quotes/gulfwar.asp
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Claim:
The outcome of Washington Redskins home football games has correctly predicted
the winner of every
Status: Not any
more?
http://www.snopes.com/politics/ballot/redskins.asp
Claim:
A Texas woman who cast her vote for all Democratic candidates discovered her
ballot marked for Bush/Cheney.
Status: True.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/ballot/travis.asp
Stalin, a man with an irrefutable understanding of power, put it this way: He who casts the vote decides nothing. He who counts the vote decides everything.
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Claim: George
Washington told of an angel who revealed a prophetic vision of America to him at
Valley Forge.
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/language/document/vision.htm
Washington was a Deist who would not have prayed OR believed in angels.
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Claim: Teresa
Heinz Kerry donates millions of dollars to fringe political groups through the
Tides Foundation.
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/kerry/tides.asp
Claim: Quranic
verse speaks of the "wrath of the Eagle cleansing the lands of Allah."
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/war/quran.asp
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Claim: Four
thousand Jews employed by companies housed in the World Trade Center stayed home
from work on September 11, warned in advance of the impending attack on the
World Trade Center.
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/rumors/israel.htm
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Claim: Certain symbols displayed on the packaging of a variety of grocery items signify that their manufacturers have paid a secret tax to the Jews.
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/racial/business/kosher.htm
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Claim: A woman dies leaping through her car's sunroof when events convince her that Jesus has returned.
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/religion/rapture.htm
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Claim: Steven
Spielberg is planning to direct a film about the Crusades.
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/satire/crusades.asp
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Quote: [George Washington, 1779] They work more effectively against us than the enermy's armies. They are a hundred times more dangerous to our liberties and the great cause we are engaged in. It is much to be lamented that each state, long ago has not hunted them down as pests to society and the greatest enemies we have to the happiness of America The Jews.
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/quotes/thejews.htm
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Claim: John Kerry's Vietnam War service medals (a Bronze Star, a Silver Star and three Purple Hearts) were earned under "fishy" circumstances.
Status: False.
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http://www.snopes.com/politics/kerry/service.asp
Claim: Native
Americans dubbed John Kerry "Running Eagle."
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/kerry/eagle.asp
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Claim: Senator
John Kerry made disparaging remarks after viewing President Ronald Reagan's
casket.
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/kerry/reagan.asp
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Claim:
President Bush misspoke at a right-to-life rally and repeatedly said 'feces'
instead of 'fetus.'
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/bush/fetal.asp
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Claim: Vice-President Al Gore claimed that he "invented" the Internet.
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/quotes/internet.htm
I can't believe I got this was recently...it has been repeated so often that even though it isn't true, many intelligent people think it is.
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Claim: Hillary Clinton played a significant role in defending Black Panthers accused of torturing and murdering Alex Rackley.
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/panthers.htm
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Claim: Lee Marvin, actor, and Bob Keeshan, television's "Captain Kangaroo," fought together at the battle for Iwo Jima.
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/military/keeshan.htm
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Claim: Soupy Sales sneaked smutty jokes into his television program.
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/soupy2.htm
I met Soupy a number of years ago and this one really annoyed him...but the story about the green pieces of paper and Puerto Rico WAS true.
http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/soupy1.htm
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The truth IS out there, but to some people who claim to be part of the "86%" whatever that is, it isn't important.
TRUST BUT VERIFY!!!
Russ