Thomas Jefferson comments on fake news
by Jon Rappoport
November 7, 2017
The current campaign, waged by politicians, media leaders, and their social media partners, against independent media, is an act of sheer desperation.
The tonnage of fake news, spewed from the most prestigious media outlets, has cracked its own foundations.
The public is waking up.
So did Thomas Jefferson, more than 200 years ago.
Here is a progression of Jefferson’s thoughts, over a 20-year period:
“Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.” (28 January 1786)
“The basis of our government being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. But I should mean that every man should receive those papers and be capable of reading them.” (January 16, 1787)
“Nothing can now be believed which is seen in a newspaper. Truth itself becomes suspicious by being put into that polluted vehicle. The real extent of this state of misinformation is known only to those who are in situations to confront facts within their knowledge with the lies of the day. . . . I will add, that the man who never looks into a newspaper is better informed than he who reads them; inasmuch as he who knows nothing is nearer to truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods & errors.” (June 11, 1807)
There is a grand tradition of fake news, and it has always sprung from the major and official sources.
Today’s mainstream reporters, of course, don’t want to think about that. They don’t want reflect on the long stench-ridden history of their own profession.
They would rather pretend their brethren have always served with honor.
This hoax is understandable. Who would want to enlist in a field where truth is of the utmost importance—and yet has been trampled on without let-up throughout its history?
Every journalism school should post a sign on its front door: WE HAVE ALWAYS LIED.
The pompous, bloated, sold-out politicians and media executives, who are currently sitting in committee hearings bemoaning the incursions of independent news sites, should pause for a moment and realize that the public they are supposedly serving are catching a strong whiff of their deliberations—
And they should understand that a natural and growing boycott of mainstream news is well underway.
With your help, the fakers will continue losing.
It’s called justice.
Meanwhile, is there one journalism professor anywhere who will tell his class, “I want to read you three quotes about the news by Thomas Jefferson. We’re going to spend the semester trying to understand what led Jefferson down this path. It’s an important inquiry, unless your idea of a career is whiter teeth and good hair and toeing the line your editors set, minus your own conscience…”
In America, I don’t think one professor could get away with that.
(New piece up on my other blog — OUTSIDE THE REALITY MACHINE, entitled “Karma Shuffle, Invented Religion”, click here.)
(To read about Jon’s collection, Power Outside The Matrix, click here.)
Jon Rappoport
The author of three explosive collections, THE MATRIX REVEALED, EXIT FROM THE MATRIX, and POWER OUTSIDE THE MATRIX, Jon was a candidate for a US Congressional seat in the 29th District of California. He maintains a consulting practice for private clients, the purpose of which is the expansion of personal creative power. Nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, he has worked as an investigative reporter for 30 years, writing articles on politics, medicine, and health for CBS Healthwatch, LA Weekly, Spin Magazine, Stern, and other newspapers and magazines in the US and Europe. Jon has delivered lectures and seminars on global politics, health, logic, and creative power to audiences around the world. You can sign up for his free NoMoreFakeNews emails here or his free OutsideTheRealityMachine emails here.
Very nice article. I attempt to use a number of critiques to balance my comprehension of daily syndicated media misinformation that is repeatedly regurgitated throughout the day. One is to notice how often the same stories are repeated by the top syndicated news sources throughout the day. If the same repeated stories are dominating their media space between the plethora of corporate sponsored advertisements, then I ask myself…what other news is there (that is likely equally important) that the media is not telling me. Fake news is not just the skewed/bias/one-sided/syndicated misinformation currently flooding the media, it is more importantly what is not being said due to intentionally leaving out important news by intentionally filling the alloted time or space with repeated headlines, fluff, or increasing advertising time.
One of my peeves is the increasing use which our modern news broadcasters wastes their valuable news time by throw in news plugs “we have an important ‘news topic’ that you will want to hear right after these messages from our sponsors.” Why not just spill it out now? Stop wasting you media time and my valuable time with this worthless fluff!
Syndicated news will perish if this garbage new continues. I’m concerned that what will replace it will be equally corrupt or exploited once a weakness is identified. We need to start building the foundation “and rules” for the replacement new media system now before the corporate new and commercialization corrupts it as well.
Interesting points Leon…your comment lead me back to some thoughts of my own that I have pondering over of late.
I have become aware of the on-going manipulation of alternate news media. The controlled opposition; and its seems the fix is in; marginalizing smaller news venues. Algorithms that seek and destroy, or fritz up; pulling and censoring, denying payment or access to payment.
The ones too small, fail to fight back. Lack of money and resources.
And the dirty deals are made by the likes of Alex Jones and Inforwars for a sizable piece of the bandwidth; and a promise. The righteous jump Alex ship and seek to try again another day to get back to the honesty.
But of course there are hundreds of small alternate media outlets that have absolutely nothing to say…but, “Look at me.”
Here’s the weasel-word document from the Obama Administration that made it legal for government/media to broadcast propaganda to the public while suckering the people to pay for it.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/5736/text
The 1948 Smith-Mundt Act forbids the government use of propaganda on Americans; however, it exempted the War Department, now called The Pentagon and 1987 applied to only portions of the State Department. Broadcasters were obligated to present contrasting opinions with “News Stories”, they called News Programs and we’ve been programed a long, long time.
Thank you Jon for your brilliant writing and research of President Thomas Jefferson’s words that I had no knowledge of until your presented this informative article.
“…… as he who knows nothing is nearer to truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods & errors.” (June 11, 1807)
This is profound wisdom expressed through Mr. Jefferson.
One of those spiritual Truths that we need to be reminded of.
Today’s Free Press, supposedly the “Truthers” on Youtube or blogs or maybe even facebook, are really mostly just con-trolled opposition. They beat us to the punch this time. The orthodox press are the bad guys, but any given time, a “truther could end up being no better than the 6:30 news or the local newspaper.
this brings up an interesting circumstance. We can not rely on others and must learn to analyze and think for our selves and question everything. this tests our character and the the ability of our species. Can we rise to the challenge or not? Some can. But most won’t. But the times we live in will certainly separate the precious metals from the dross and slag.
In the words of the cigarette man on X files, “Trust no one! We need to trust ourselves and our abilities.
I just saw (on another post about forcing vaccinations) the word “presstitutes,” to describe the “reporters” who do the bidding of corporations. That sums it up very well, I think.
I’m not as impressed by TJ as you are, Jon.
You can take those statements many ways. Did they not have newspaper EDITORS (censors) in his age?
“Free press”…..my ass……
Isn’t it ironic that these little wordpress sites are about the only blessing left? 😉
Best
OT
TJ: “Advertisements contain the only truths to be relied on in a newspaper.” We all know how much advertisement is suffused with hyperbole…
Like many of TJ’s comments, they contradict themselves. Liberty depends on newspapers, even though they are filled with lies and polluted? Every man should receive them, be capable of reading them, but is better informed if he does not?
There is a great use for them. Pulp-mash fire bricks, and in desperate circumstances, the wiping of the posterior.
little late? little lost? what rocked my world is the ideal of obedience ? to what? is there a consensus?great men? .great heros?.what do we trust now? consensus reckons the hero.the ideology.the consensus frames reason /logic etc.we are now at the void.what the hell do you do with that?ignorance is bliss? no wonder!!