I know that I’m stating the obvious here, but I’m going to state it anyway in case it isn’t obvious to everyone.
Today, Donald Trump will launch another campaign. This campaign will consist of both legal action and disinformation as he seeks to find a way to win the election that he has more than likely lost.
He needs this. His followers need this. They are betting against hope that some massive fraud will be uncovered and that the election win will be awarded to him.
Incidentally, and I believe also NOT coincidentally, right wing personalities have called for an exodus from Facebook to another platform. This other platform will likely serve as an echo chamber for right wing conspiracy theories and all other manner of nonsense. There are people who know what they are joining and are more than happy to be in such a space. However, there will also be a lot of unsuspecting people who will be caught up in it.
There is so much cognitive dissonance happening right now, and people are going to be grasping at straws to justify their thoughts and actions both in the past and now. A lot of people are saying that the antidote to this kind of thing is facts and information. I think that this is only partially correct.
We cannot convince people who do not believe that facts from certain sources are not fact. They will create conspiracy theory upon conspiracy theory and believe anything that supports their beliefs and reject everything else. We all do this to some extent or another, but what could happen–what IS happening right now–is as dangerous as it is scary.
As long as these people look to Trump as their leader, and as long as Trump refuses to accept reality, we have a situation that is scary. A lot of these folks have been waiting and preparing for a time when they think that the US government is going to “turn” on them. This is the perfect storm.
I am not going to prognosticate about what might happen, because I do not want to create anxiety or alarm. What I WILL say is that if you have a relationship with some of the folks that I’m discussing, you need to start speaking the truth to them. You need to keep sharing the facts. We need to disrupt disinformation.
We might not be able to eradicate certain views, but we certainly can make sure that the views remain on the ideological margins.
Also, I want to speak to white Christians for a moment here. A lot of your folks are the ones who will be out here believing this stuff and will be among the most committed to it. Some of you who are in or adjacent to the Charismatic movement have likely heard “prophecies” and “words” about this election, and there are people who have a strong cognitive belief that God wants Donald Trump to be president and that God will make it happen. I cannot emphasize how problematic and dangerous this can be for some people. Please check on your people.
The Armchair Commentary 
I have been reading about this new group and it is terrifying. Social media has so much influence. I wondered for a moment if I should join in order to see what others are seeing and believing but I can’t. I just can’t. It is my sincere hope that we can become more united but the path is rocky.
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Yeah, I thought if that then saw this:
They require:
Photo ID
SS# or EIN#
Home phone
Full address
Voting info is public knowledge to anyone and they’re looking. This is extremely dangerous.
I don’t want those people having my personal business or SSN/EIN or knowledge I exist.
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It’s funny to me that some people I know who are leaving Facebook to head over to Parler are the ones to complain about the government asking for too much personal info through the census, and yet they are providing more info to the makers of some app like nothing could go wrong.
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I like the way you write.
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I’d like to try joining one of the sites you mention, to see if I can interrupt the nonsense, I’m not sure how to find them so if anybody has a link please post, thanks
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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/awakened-a-sleeping-giant-parler-jumps-to-most-popular-app-as-conservatives-rally-support-to-leave-twitter-and-facebook
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Hi there , I tried and you need to have a link from a member -I don’t know anyone who is a member so could proceed.
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Mewe is one, Parler is the other is the main two. And Telegraph is popular, as well.
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There are multiple new social media platforms that people are leaving Facebook to join, because they are uncensored. All of the sites are becoming extreme and dangerous.
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You guys are so fucken stupid, it’s disgusting, grow up. My God you guys are just fucked. NAH NAH NAH NAH….NAH NAH NAH NAH…… HEY HEY HEY…… GOOOOOOOODBYE………NAH NAH NAH NAH……NAH NAH NAH NAH………. HEY HEY HEY……….. GOOOOOOOOOD BYE
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Wow, Geoff. Thank you so much for your insight. How wonderfully civil and well spoken. You must be a highly educated individual full of well-researched opinions.
/sarcasm
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*fucking
You’re welcome. Now you can go, spelling class is over.
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So…… you morons think God gave us that piece of shit, I swear you retards need to stop smoking the hillbilly grass. He is NOTHING, he is Raciest but we all know you guys are well. So with that being said America now is better, with a true leader. You guys are all fucken stupid hillbillies. Hahahahahahahahahahahah ohhhhhh and one more thing NAH NAH NAH NAH….NAH NAH NAH NAH…… HEY HEY HEY…… GOOOOOOOODBYE………NAH NAH NAH NAH……NAH NAH NAH NAH………. HEY HEY HEY……….. GOOOOOOOOOD BYE
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Thank you for continuing to write and share, Ally. Strength and grace to you as you continue to do good work.
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I have those people but you’re right, the more facts we keep sharing the more they retreat /attack. I’m at a loss.
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I don’t believe you can stop this kind of communication. It is here already “Qanon” and all kinds of wacko sites. YOU CAN’T KEEP PEOPLE FROM THEIR OWN STUPIDITY..
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Reblogged this on Sveta Kim and commented:
A very good commentary to what is happening.
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I know several of this type. They can’t hear a thing I say. I’ve tried. I won’t stop.
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I don’t know that we can reach some of them, unfortunately. I mean, just look at a couple of comments here on your post. I feel like half the country is in the throes of some mass delusion. Have we been living such a vastly different reality that it was this easy to take them all the way to complete mass delusion?
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Yeah, I just looked at some comments left on my Facebook posts by one person recently. My posts would share news articles or essays by people who actually know what they’re talking about, but he kept making snarky comments or saying things like “demoncrats.” I tried to break down the walls of propaganda with truth, but couldn’t get through to this person, at least. Then another person made a really nasty comment on Saturday because I support LGBTQ+. I just don’t know how they can be so blind to what’s going on, how they can be hateful, how they can be okay with our immigration policies, etc.
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It’s my opinion that the propaganda that demonises and dehumanises us (non-white people) has sunken into the very fabric of this nation, now. To the point where it’s one of those unwritten but known “rules” of life. I’m sure none of them could even explain why Black and Brown people or non-cishet people are subhuman to them. Like how we “know” that oxygen is what keeps us alive. They’ve somehow come to absorb this notion that we are dangerous to them and their way of life.
I also think they are very aware of how them and their forebears have treated us forever and they’re now afraid of it being turned against them.
I really think most of them are lost. I also think that those who are not aren’t going to engage with any honesty on social media.
Personally, I’ve just cut them all off because I don’t have the energy.
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This a time terrifying. Thank you for continuing to shine light and truth.
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Listening! Will share! Don’t stop writing!!!
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I made a funny/satire commercial poking fun at Parlor. Check it out.
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They require:
Photo ID
SS# or EIN#
Home phone
Full address
If they see your voter registration that you voted other than Republican, you’re banned. That voting info is public knowledge to anyone.
Still wanna join?
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I agree with all of this wholeheartedly, but what can we do with friends and family if “We cannot convince people who do not believe that facts from certain sources are not fact”? Personally I’ve been trying for years, only to be blocked or mocked or ignored. Nothing is working. In fact, it only gets worse, and I continue to lose more people who I would otherwise have thought of as compassionate and intelligent. I’m at my wits’ end. I will of course keep on, but I’m becoming more discouraged that it will make any sort of a difference.
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Me, too, all the laugh emojis and people yelling at me for not accepting Breitbart as a “source” and the mocking, insulting comments from people I thought were friends…all because I’ve been posting factual articles. The mom of a friend started harassing me last year during the border crisis, while I was trying to raise awareness of the concentration camps. So I had to unfriend her….On Saturday, I unfriended two people, and saw others had unfriended me. I don’t know how to reach people who don’t even accept the Washington Post, or the words of experts, as “real.”
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