Critical thinking is necessary

Apr 16, 2021
Apr 16, 2021 Updated Apr 13, 2025
16

Editor,

I so appreciated “Just the Facts,” April 10 by Phillip Hage. I too researched the facts and dates related to the vaccine distribution and find Mr. Hage’s statements accurate.

(16) comments

Terence Y Apr 16, 2021 9:13am

Well written, Ms. Karlsen. Almost a week after that letter, notice there has only been one response from the group mostly fooled by outright lies spread by the fake news, the anti-Trump crowd, and it wasn’t remotely close to the content in Mr. Hage’s letter? Maybe anti-Trump folks, and others who never question what they read and hear, will take classes on critical thinking. One can hope, and all would be appreciative.

Tafhdyd Apr 16, 2021 9:24am

Ms. Karlsen,

I also checked the facts about the vaccine as you did and I totally agree with your conclusions. I also feel that checking the facts and sources of the facts is important.

Not knowing your background or beliefs I have a suggestion regarding your letter. I am not sure if it was by accident or on purpose but it appears to me that you have one word more than needed or two words less than needed. In the sentence “Major media eliminates a lot of facts or simply does not report a story to push their liberal narrative.” I think it would be more meaningful to either drop the “liberal” or add “or conservative” after liberal. Leaving the sentence as is gives me the impression that you believe that only the liberal media gives false information. If that is the case it goes against the subject of your letter about critical thinking and checking the facts. Changing it similar to what I suggest would give the readers the impression that you are “fair and balanced” in your presentation, unless you are not.

Ray Fowler Apr 16, 2021 11:13am

Wow, Tafhdyd... I know it's 5 pm somewhere, but c'mon, man!

Judy's comments about major media are spot on. There is a liberal bias... period. And the mainstream media promotes that bias with their reporting that includes ignoring stories that don't fit the liberal narrative and presenting false information.

The most impactful and recent example is major media ditching the Hunter Biden story just weeks before the election. This is important story especially as it involves the family of a presidential candidate mixed up with foreign adversaries. Wait a minute... could such involvement be collusion? The media did not cover the story. Social media banned legitimate news outlets from posting the story and the ban was extended to persons, including the WH press secretary, from forwarding the story to their followers. BTW... the mysterious laptop associated with the Hinter Biden story? Yeah... it's his... a simple fact not checked by the major media in 2020. Check your calendar... it should not say "2021" across the top; it should say "1984."

But there was more than just shelving stories that could cast the Democratic Party nominee in a negative light. Positive stories about the former president were ditched, too. The five months before the election witnessed the creation of over 11 million jobs... the economy was bouncing back from the pandemic. Not covered by the mainstream media. Coming full circle, Biden voters... let me say that again... Biden voters polled after the election acknowledged they were unaware of negative stories about Joe Biden and his family before the election. Many of them said they would not have voted for Joe if they knew about stories like Hunter's foreign entanglements. Enough voters to change the outcome of the election? Possibly. We'll never know, and the reason we'll never know is due to the media not honestly reporting stories about both candidates.

You know, the "Stop the Steal" crowd should not be chanting about what they view as Democratic Party voting shenanigans... they should be directing their chants at major media. Do you have to go any further than CNN's virtual nonstop stories about Russian collusion over a period of 3+ years? Unsourced and uncorroborated stories promoted as breaking news? Where did CNN's staff go to J School? They should be entitled to a refund of their tuition...

There's a story out currently about a CNN staffer bragging about the outlet's purposeful coverage that favored Joe Biden... pure propaganda. To be fair, he could have been exaggerating CNN's commitment to supporting the Democratic Party, but how can anyone deny that CNN does not favor a liberal agenda? And it's not just CNN... MSNBC, NBC, ABC, CBS, NPR, PBS... OMG.

Dirk van Ulden Apr 16, 2021 1:14pm

Ray - in their continuation of suppressing stories that don't fit the narrative, the SF chronicle has not mentioned a word about the humanitarian crisis at the border but to deflect has spent many days and pages on a rinky-dink mayor up north regarding alleged sexual abuse. While this is important it pales by comparison with the disaster that is unfolding. That newspaper just decides to ignore it, as it has with other stories even remotely critical of the Biden team. Shame on the editors!. This paper did, in fact, become successful because of yellow journalism so history is repeating itself..

Ray Fowler Apr 16, 2021 3:40pm

Thanks, Dirk

Hearst Communications took over The Chronicle about 20 years ago. You are correct; this modern day Hearst publication practices the same sort of journalistic dishonesty made famous by Hearst in the late 1800s. He sent Frederic Remington to Cuba in 1897 to document revolution on the island. Remington advised Hearst... "Everything is quiet. No trouble here. There will be no war. I wish to return." Hearst replied, "Please remain. You furnish the pictures and I'll furnish the war."

BTW... Joseph Pulitzer was just as bad. Good to see liberal journalists keeping the Hearst and Pulitzer tradition alive, today.

Tafhdyd Apr 16, 2021 1:22pm

Ray,

Giddy-up horsey I want to whip you some more. We have been to this rodeo before. I have stated several times about both sides lying and also there should be no absolutes when describing things. Everyone that voted for Trump is not a whack job or a crazy, but a lot are. Major networks, ABC, NBC, CBS are bias to the liberals and Fox, Fox News are bias to right. Are you saying Fox is not major? Are you saying they are not bias to the right? Fox has more viewers than MSNBC and CNN combined. If you include PBS and NPR on the left I will include Newsmax and OAN on the right.

The whole point of my reply was that I totally agree that facts and sources should be checked and critical thinking is needed. Unfortunately, IMO, she dropped the ball by accusing one side and not both. She didn’t follow her own advice. Finis, done, over.

Ray Fowler Apr 16, 2021 4:03pm

Tafhdyd...

Whack jobs on both sides of the aisle. Finis, done, over.

The major media networks are definitely liberal... some more than others. While Fox cannot escape being part of the media, I'm not so sure we can include them in what we refer to in the parlance of our times as "mainstream" media. I would further differentiate between the Fox news section and the Fox commentary shows. The news is good, but I have neither the time nor the inclination to watch Sean Hannity.

No, I am sidling up next to Judy on this one. The major media is liberal and that liberalness permeates its coverage of the news. The key difference is this... Fox does news and commentary... CNN does commentary and calls it news.

Now, I do catch Greg Gutfeld once in a while... it's just funny. And... I catch Bill Maher once in a while... again, it's just funny.

Tafhdyd Apr 16, 2021 4:34pm

Ray,

Like I said on the other LTE post, great minds think alike. Sean Hannity, in the words of the valley girls, (I think), gag me with a spoon, for sure, for sure!

Wilfred Fernandez Jr Apr 16, 2021 7:23pm

Ray,

Hi five on your 4:03 post. I haven't watched Hannity since before the doofus liberal opposing him left the show. I'll add that the N.Y. Times and Washington Post need to clean up their act.

willallen Apr 16, 2021 12:26pm

"Major media" would be enough. "Liberal media" would be redundant - like saying the pope is Catholic.

Wilfred Fernandez Jr Apr 16, 2021 1:46pm

Tafhdyd,

I think you missed the target. I read Ms. Karlsen's LTE as a plea for how to think, not what. But I applaud the spirit of your message. Once again, you are a good read that helps me grow. Thanks for the thoughtful LTE.

Tafhdyd Apr 16, 2021 2:08pm

Hi Wilfred,

It wouldn't be the first time I missed something and I am sure it won't be the last. In actuality I know what you are up to. You are buttering me up before you put me on a Cedar plank and smoke me over an Alder wood fire.:)

BTW, any new tastings?

Wilfred Fernandez Jr Apr 16, 2021 7:10pm

Tafhdyd,

Nothing new on the tasting front. But I'm on the hunt. I'll work on the Buffalo Trace until I find something new. I have recently reconnected with my godmother's son. He recommended Jameson 18 Yr old Irish Whiskey. Any opinions?

Tafhdyd Apr 16, 2021 7:43pm

Wilfred,

I have had the everyday Jameson but that was quite a while ago. I haven't had the special 18 yr but I just looked on line to see what others say about it and they give it a big thumbs up. I would hope it is as good as they say considering the $150 price tag. Let me know if you do try it. I have a little Buffalo left but I have been tapping the Woodford Double Oaked lately for my bourbon drinking. Take care.

Ray Fowler Apr 16, 2021 4:09pm

Wilfredo!

Agreed. Judy was making a plea for more critical thinking... and she's right... we need more. We just have to get past a very liberal media first...

Then relegate the hyper-right pundits to a place where they will not interfere with critical thinking.

edkahl Apr 16, 2021 10:59am

You are so right. Unfortunately the liberal media now controls 95% of the message with contrived facts in support of a preconceived narratives.

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