Letters: Fact check before voting
October 23, 2012 7:12PM
Updated: November 25, 2012 11:24AM
An ancient Greek dramatist, Aeschylus, is credited with being the first to say, “In war, truth is the first casualty.” The closer we get to Election Day, the more I feel we are all in a war zone, and truth — more important than ever — is on life support.
Campaign commercials are not truth. Radio and TV hosts are not sources of unvarnished facts. Commercials are propaganda and media stars, no different than sports announcers, root, root, rooting for the home team. Emails passed among friends and family trumpeting partisan views are often the least accurate of all.
Elections are not wars or games. They are about our power to choose leaders who will make decisions that have serious, long-lasting effects on our lives. When you hear an assertion about an issue that matters deeply to you, whether it is about Medicare, Obamacare, Planned Parenthood, or taxes, check it out. Don’t base your precious vote on half-truths or out-rite lies. Almost all of us have access to the Internet, even if just through a library or family member. A few great sites dedicated to fact without any political point of view are Politifact.com (for a quick assessment of how true a statement is), FactCheck.org (for more extensive exploration of the facts of an issue) and Snopes.com (for those viral emails you get from family and friends). Check them out, and you may find yourself deciding to dig even deeper into the history of and facts about the issues you care most about.
Don’t be afraid to change your mind as you educate it. No one knows how you vote when you go into that booth. But, armed with facts, you will know what you are actually voting for or against.
Nancy Eichelberger
Plainfield
Who’s best for Christians?
The polls reflect there is a tight race as to who will be our next president. There is one more poll that should be taken that will give some indication as to who will win the presidency.
About 80 percent of Americans indicate they are Christians. While some never go to church, some go to church sporadically and some go most of the time. The question facing Americans is, will America be better off if Obama or Romney wins?
Obama has never given a clear answer as to whether he is Christian or of the Islamic faith. Romney is of the Mormon faith, which believe only portions of the Christian Bible, and not true Christians.
When the 80 percent of Americans who vote in November, they will probably vote primarily for the one they feel will not pass laws at variance with their religion. Another poll should be taken as to how Christians plan to vote. This poll will indicate, beyond a doubt, who will be our next president.
Jerry Cavender
New Lenox
