Ignorance thrives when there is a lack of knowledge, learning, or information. Many people confess of being “voluntarily ignorant” in choosing their elected officials. Without unbiased information, voters often fall prey to those that simply make assertions based on what they think the electorate wants to hear. During the last four years, we have seen how, when left unchallenged,
these assertions can morph into actions grounded in disinformation.
The questioning of the recent presidential election reminds me of a story that I once used in a Sunday school lesson years ago. Although this lesson was to illustrate how ones’ fate is “in your hands,” the story line can also show how deceitful individuals can “trick” our logic.
Once upon a time, two boys tried to trick a wise old man able to answer any question anyone might ask of him. One of boys approached the sage with a live bird in his closed hands. He asked the wise man: “Tell us, is the bird in our hand dead or alive?” The wise man replied, “Son, if I say the bird is alive, you will close your hands and crush it to death. Or, if I say the bird is dead, you will open your hands and it will fly away. The answer is in your hands.”
Like the president, the boys controlled the narrative: if the president had won, the election was flawless; if he lost, the election was rigged. Even after the results were contested in state houses,
courts, and even the Supreme Court, the president and others propagated disinformation instead relying on evidence gathered by following the letter of the law.
We all can do better by avoiding disinformation traps and being more tolerant of our fellow citizens, regardless of their lawful, political views.
Felix Spinelli
Bozeman
Bozeman Daily Chronicle Letter to the Editor 1/30/21