“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth. – Marcus Aurelius
In This Episode, We Get Stoic About:
In September 2021, images and videos circulated showing Border Patrol Agents on horseback confronting illegal immigrants from Haiti on the banks of the Rio Grande River outside of Del Rio, Texas. As a rush of Haitians attempted to illegally enter the United States, the agents worked to manage the crowd and push them back, using their long leather reins to control their mounts.
Unfortunately, still photographs of the incident were characterized by media organizations and the White House as showing the agents “whipping” or “strapping” people. It didn’t matter that video proved that characterization was an outright lie, the narrative, once established, drowned out the truth. And when the investigation into the agents' conduct eventually cleared them of any wrongdoing, there were no apologies from the smear merchants who had long since moved on.
This incident is a good reminder that we work in a dynamic environment where deceptively edited images and videos can create an anti-police fervor in the blink of an eye. And while we cannot control the actions of dishonest brokers who profit from spinning up societal outrage, we can take a lesson from how they operate: If they frame police conduct this way, what else are they manipulating?
Resources + Links:
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Sponsor Discounts:
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Takeaways:
- Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is perspective, not the truth.
- Media can manipulate incidents and create biased narratives that lead to societal outrage.
- It is important to engage in critical thinking, challenge our beliefs, and be fact-finders.
- We must be skeptical and curious, and not accept everything at face value.
- Support the podcast by purchasing the book, subscribing to the newsletter, or liking, sharing, and subscribing to the podcast.
Until Next Time…out of role!