3%'ers rebut media on McGeachin
An astonishingly brazen lack of journalistic integrity necessitates a substantial narrative correction following the inexplicable explosion of non-news surrounding two Real 3%’ers Idaho photographed with Idaho Lieutenant Governor Janice McGeachin.
The Real 3%’ers Idaho is a collective of concerned citizens who engage in grassroots activism, participate in the political process on behalf of the advancement of liberty through the implementation of limited government, and who seek opportunities for community service and enrichment.
Membership in the organization is, in fact, limited; but only to the extent that one pledges to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the State of Idaho. That single requirement transcends race, ethnicity, religion, or any other potential indicator of individuality. All are welcome.
In that principle of inclusion, there is no void for racism to fill. It does not exist in this organization. Any assertion to the contrary is wholly libelous, devoid of factual basis, and inappropriate for print or verbal dissemination from any media outlet that esteems journalistic integrity as an integral part of delivering substantive, productive news. Apropos, the imputation of nefarious meaning on the III% hand gesture represents a willful embodiment of profound ignorance and personal bias. There exists no explanation outside of “fake news.”
The sentiment of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and Anti-Defamation League (ADL) were very obviously formed in a positive feedback loop of misinformation between themselves and the mainstream media. No representative from any of these “watchdog” organizations have ever contacted The Real 3%’ers Idaho. Any assessment of the nature of this organization is the product of the imagination of someone with no functional firsthand knowledge. Regurgitation of these assessments as fact, which typifies media outlet behavior, is reckless at best: nevertheless, devoid of factual substance.
Boise State Public Radio’s roundtable discussion from Friday, 01 March 2019, presents a quintessential casein-point for the systemic colossal failure of the media to engage even the most basic fact-checking measures before the flagrant dissemination of patently false information.
During this segment, the contributors incorrectly attributed the behavior of another defendant in that case to Todd Engel. Worse, the panel perpetuates the incorrect notion that Engel was convicted for brandishing a weapon and threatening Federal Officers. A three second glance at the disposition of the case on the docket shows that Engel was acquitted of all charges that contained any element of threatened or actual violence.
The manufactured sensationalism surrounding the photo with Lt. Governor McGeachin represents what can only be construed as a coordinated attempt to subvert the natural political process as it relates to citizen participation. With label-lynching in full swing, unfounded and unverifiable accusations of extremism, violence, and anti-government sentiment are being used to ridicule what was otherwise an entirely appropriate interaction between constituent and elected official.
The unrelenting perpetuation of these easily debunked falsehoods, coupled with the egregious nature of the inherent accusation of wrongdoing contained within them, appears to serve as a tangible element of propaganda-inspired coercion for social media supporters to carry out calculated personal attacks that perilously encroach upon the division between distastefulness and criminality.
The Real 3%’ers Idaho will make no apologies. The Organization will continue to participate in the legislative process at the citizen level within the bounds of both appropriateness and the law. Members of the Organization will not be instructed to cease use of the hand gesture. It predates the recent cultural reassignment of meaning and is an expression of the Organization’s prerogative to identify in whatever lawful form it deems appropriate.
The Organization always welcomes inquiry from media outlets who endeavor to present the whole of fact to their readership.