Authoritarianism, demagoguery and Xenophobia have swept the world over the past decade or so. China and Russia are ruled by their leaders with an iron fist, and dissent is viciously crushed. Far right leaders have also been elected in several key eastern and central european nations, from Hungary and Poland to Austria. Even Denmark — Denmark! — that bastion of Nordic happiness, has a far-right party leading the country.
Much of the European trend toward absolutism and the politics of fear is a backlash against increased immigration from the developing world. Germany is the prime example. Prime Minister Angela Merkel’s government made the radical decision in 2015 to take in over one million Syrian refugees, in a nation of 80 million people, and with that step she forever altered the fabric of the country.
In America, Donald Trump has ignited the flames of hatred and fear through his now-infamous “Make America Great Again” slogan, which actually translates as “Make America White Again” for anyone with half a brain.
But it’s not just America, Russia, China and Europe. In the Philippines strongman Rodrigo Duterte has restricted press freedoms and launched a murderous campaign against suspected drug dealers, who are mostly poor drug addicts in need of help. Instead they are given a death sentence by vigilante gangs.
Into this volatile mix comes a December 9th Op-Ed from the New York Times, which along with CNN has led the American media resistance to Trump’s authoritarianism. The Times op-ed is entitled “The War On Truth Spreads.” The essay outlines the ways in which Trump’s attacks on the press have led to other nations’ leaders clamping down on their own media.
But what really stood out was the Times’s mention that in Hungary, more than 400 news outlets, including the top online newspaper and all regional newspapers, were “donated” to a foundation run by allies of right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
WTF! I mean how is that even possible? All media in Hungary are now run by a foundation loyal to the Prime Minister? That would be as if Trump launched a media coup d’etat and nationalized The Times, CNN, The Washington Post, MSNBC, and Fox. It would be a seismic event of unfathomable proportions, and might even lead to civil unrest in America.
But that is the media and press freedom landscape we are dealing with in 2018. Nominally democratic rulers and full-on dictators intimidate journalists, restrict press freedoms, and present “alternative facts” to replace objective journalism. The truth is but a fantasy, and unreality rules the day.
Into this abyss of lies must be launched a thousand objections by educated, activist global citizens. Because this epidemic of falsehood is expressly used by dictators and strongmen to strengthen their power while disempowering citizens.
It is our duty to resist this tide of repression against truth and media, and to point out at every turn what is fact and what is fiction.
That is the only way we will take back the truth from those who would seek to envelop us in a cloak of lies.
As the Bible says in John 8:32:
Then you will know the truth
And the truth will set you free
