Editorial: Fake News

Fake News, it's all the rage today, right?

It pre-today.

It even pre-dates the Iraq War.

Journalism does not have the noble history so many wish it did.

It's history is one of being fish wrapping and little more.

Yes, there are I.F. Stones.

They have always existed.

They have always been in the minority.

The bulk of the press has existed to reinforce racism and to reinforce empire.

The Iraq War was sold on fake news.

Both before it started and after.

Recent fake news?

"The US withdrew all troops at the end of 2011."

But it didn't.

Here the exception is Ted Koppel.

He was the only American journalist to note (on NPR and NBC) that all US troops were not leaving Iraq.

More fake news?

"The Iraq War ended."

Then what's been going on the last few years in Iraq?

The US military is still being used to prop up an unpopular government in Iraq -- a government the US installed.


On the two examples above, did you call the fake news out?

Or did you simply repeat the lies?

The reality is that far too few called out the lies.

That's how fake news works: People repeat as fact what journalism tells them.

That's how it's always worked.