Battle of the Bulge?

Before you go on, an article in the May 8 & May 22, 2021 issue of Science News ran with a cover "Awash in Deception: How science can help us avoid being duped by misinformation." In the lead article titled: "The Battle Against Fake News," Alexandra Witze presents five suggestions on how to debunk bad information. They come from the News Literacy Project (see the above link).

How to Debunk:

1. Arm yourself with media literacy skills, at sites such as the News Literacy Project (newslit.org), to better understand how to spot hoax videos and stories.

2. Don't stigmatize people for holding inaccurate beliefs. Show empathy and respect, or you're more likely to alienate your audience than successfully share accurate information.

3. Translate complicated but true ideas into simple messages that are easy to grasp. Videos, graphics and other visual aids can help.

4. When possible, once you provide a factual alternative to the misinformation, explain the underlying fallacies (such as cherry- picking information, a common tactic of climate change deniers.

5. Mobilize when you see misinformation being shared on social media as soon as possible. If you see something, say something.

"Misinformation is any information that is incorrect, whether due to error or fake news.

"Disinformation is deliberately intended to deceive."

"Propaganda is disinformation with a political agenda."

Sander van der Linden
Social Psychologist
University of Cambridge

Source: Science News/May 8, 2021 & May 22, 2021

Update: September 22, 2023: This is more important now than ever. Be vigilant and speak in your own way. Love Wins.

In the spirit of how to debunk misinformation and disinformation, I encourage you to examine The Financial Services Forum, The American Accountability Foundation, The Epoch Times, Fox News, and One America Network(OAN), among others, using the media literacy skills taught by the News Literacy Project from #1 above under "How to Debunk."  Click on the News Literacy Project link to start your work.

The “Battle of the Bulge” is widely called the greatest battle in U.S. Military history. World War 2 was nearing it’s end and it was just before Christmas (December 16, 1944), when an unexpected German counter offensive in the Ardennes forest of Belgium caught Allied forces off guard. The offensive resulted in a giant bulge in the 85 mile long Allied front line in the densely forested area.

German tanks and infantry actually breached the line on Day 1 of the military action. Reinforcements were called in to support the battle weary troops in the bitterly cold, wet and foggy and snowy conditions of the Ardennes over the next several days. One of the units called in to reinforce the beleaguered American soldiers was the 101st Airborne Division, a battle hardened group that was asked to to hold the vital transportation hub of Bastogne. Things remained bleak for Allied forces and Bastogne was surrounded by German forces.

On December 22, the German Commander sent a message to the Commanding General of the 101st. Upon receipt of the message, Gen. Anthony McAuliffe was said to have replied with the one word answer, “Nuts!”

Three days later on Christmas Day, the weather broke allowing allied aircraft to take control of the skies over the Ardennes. The 101st held on until Gen. George S. Patton’s 3rd Army arrived to liberate Bastogne and drive German forces back across the Rhine into Germany. Within five months, the war in Europe would be over thanks to the heroic actions of American soldiers throughout the Ardennes.

So what does this have to do with anything? It was a battle fought early eighty years ago far away in Europe. Who cares?

Well, I bring it back into the light because to me it seems analogous to the political battle being waged against democracy in the United States. In America, we thought that the war was won (The Revolutionary War) and that we would be able to occupy our place of power in the world using a Capitalist economic system covered by a thin veneer of Democracy.

That thin veneer of democracy is bulging now and the opposition forces have breached the lines and have surrounded the people and institutions trying to hold on against the counter offensive of those that want democracy to fail.

A Legislative body that is hell bent to do nothing in defense of Democracy, a Judicial branch that has been turned into a partisan shit show and the very real possibility that the Executive Branch will be controlled by a petulant, vindictive, delusional and well protected former president that has no future outside of prison unless he becomes president again.

So, in the words of the commanding general at Bastogne, I say “NUTS!” to the surrounding forces asking us defenders of democracy to surrender. The fight is just beginning, the clouds are starting to part and reinforcements are on the way.

God bless you all regardless of where you stand (or sit) on the political spectrum. It’s going to be an interesting 2024 and I plan on not being a spectator.

Bruce