You are going to see a lot of posts about the Trump administration on my social media accounts because he is now our president. I have posted a lot about Obama as well, often times not complimentary. I’ve repeatedly told Obama critics that he did many questionable things and if they wanted to be outraged, there were plenty of true things to descry without making up fake stuff about his birth or religion. (Research the drone program, the lack of transparency, the collapse of Libya, the escalating crisis in Syria, the water crisis in Flint that is now past 1,000 days)
Since 1999, my job has been to watch politicians and hold them accountable for their actions. I’ve fulfilled that duty under Clinton, Bush and Obama. I will continue to do so under Trump.
But here’s the promise I make: I will post the truth. And if it turns out that something I post is untrue, I will acknowledge it and declare openly that it was wrong, instead of just deleting it as though I never made the mistake. News develops. Sometimes the best reporting at the time is not what the final reporting will be.
There is so much to be angry about in regards to our government. There is so much fuel for outrage. I fully support passion in politics, no matter what party you support. But be outraged over the truth! Spend your energy on real things, not fake stuff. Don’t discount facts just because you don’t like them and you have found other people who also don’t like them.
Politicians (ALL politicians) are trained and schooled in how to manipulate people, hide the truth and spin the facts. Don’t be fooled by the magic tricks.
There are many people trying to deceive you in order to accomplish their own selfish aims. It’s good to be skeptical. It’s smart to double-check facts and confirm them. But it’s not smart or good to dismiss what someone tells you because it makes you feel bad or because you don’t agree. If you only hear about things you agree with, you will never learn or grow.
So, be skeptical, be careful, but don’t be willfully ignorant. Don’t lock yourself away behind ideological walls that protect you from facts you don’t like. I guarantee, you are wrong about many things. That’s called the human condition. None of us know everything and we have to rely on others to do the research and find the truth for us.
For almost 20 years, I have been a public servant. I take that responsibility very seriously. And I will carry out my duties under this administration with the same honesty and dedication that I have since 1999. That’s my promise. Now, promise me you won’t look away.