… there may be a smoke machine. I could end this post with that. Or I could wait until a sweet everyday example comes to me, so I can make a small point that reverberates. But I’m feeling declarative this morning.

We have this concept in our culture, that if something is said often or widely, there must be some truth to it. We need to change that “must” to “may” or even “might possibly.”

Ben Franklin was a good guy. He happened to enjoy France and its people. He spent so much time there that some of our citizens began rumoring that he was really in league with the French. Assertions were made questioning his loyalty to his home country, implications of treasonous behavior. There was never anything to the rumors. But they created an impression in his time, that maybe he was a bad guy.

Shall we discuss Weapons of Mass Destruction? Want to get into some of the enduring and powerful misinformation about the Cold War?

Even now, as we’re getting introduced to the latest load – “we don’t want to raise taxes on the job creators” – we’re seeing some folks gather the idea that there must be something to it. Excuse me. Job creators? When? Where? Why are these words allowed? Why don’t we all rise up and laugh the claimants back into their seats?

We shouldn’t tolerate this, any more than misinformation on pharmaceutical labels. We shouldn’t allow ridiculous ad suggestions (Currently, Cheerios is asserting that the cereal is made from “carefully selected oats.” I watched a Ford ad last month, and nearly lost my seltzer when it that stated “the most important decision you may make is what car you drive.”)

I am NOT suggesting more regulation. I want people to police this. We’ve been bombarded by dishonest nonsense for so long that it’s like we’ve been beaten numb and dumb into silence. It’s time for us to say and act “not.”

If something gets repeated that much, it’s because it isn’t true. The speakers want it to be true but they’re a little insecure. So they keep saying it. That’s stupid. That’s boring. Let’s make it ineffective too.