Editor,
As America slowly realizes the extent of the Russian use of social media to interfere with the recent presidential elections, there is still one big factor that makes the use of social media such a powerful weapon that has not been discussed. The amount of ignorance, laziness, stupidity and political divide that exists in millions of Americans that made such a Russian attack on American democracy so easy and complete.
Millions of Americans believe anything and everything they read on social media, simply because they believed that if it was on social media, it must be true. Millions of Americans believed every lie and false rumor or story about Hillary Clinton from total strangers on social media. These Americans didn’t bother to ask what was the source of the lies and false stories or what was the “back story.” They didn’t bother to check if these lies and false stories were true or not; they just simply believed them and passed them on — whether that was from ignorance, laziness, stupidity or political division.
When we were all kids in elementary school, when some kid passed on a rumor such as “Joey kissed Beth,” we all believed it and passed it on. We were too young and innocent to know that we should verify the rumor first or how such a rumor around school would negatively affect Joey and Beth. But in 2016, millions of Americans who helped the Russians pass on lies and false rumors about Hillary Clinton were not little kids, and they should’ve known better. In the end, the Russians had the best weapon possible: the gullible, ignorant and lazy Americans. I hope that all those same Americans feel proud of what they’ve done to our country.
Michael Oberg
San Mateo
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(10) comments
Michael- two words, Uranium One. The MSM is refusing to post any story of the biggest political scandal in our history. Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton and the Clinton Foundation bribed, colluded, committed fraud and were criminal in the selling of 20% of our countries uranium to Russia in 2010 while Ms. Clinton was Secretary of State. Many of the special prosecutors including Mueller were at the FBI at the time and knew about the bribery and illegal conduct and did nothing about it. Now Mueller who is the King Rat, is heading the investigation on Trump and his collusion with Russia. Talking about a conflict of interest. Ms. Clinton and her family are the most corrupt people to ever sit in the oval office and their pay to play schemes are now coming out to bite them. All these corrupt swamp creatures that you want to protect didn’t count on one thing, Trumps victory last November. Now, we are lifting the rock that has protected these swamp creatures and it doesn’t look pretty. Remember Michael, Uranium One, you might not be hearing it in the news, but Washington DC is going to hang the Clintons for what they, the FBI and the Obama Justice Department did when selling our Uranium to the Russians. The same Russians who you complain about in your letter. Now that is what collusion really looks like.
What an embarrassing way to prove Oberg's point, - using an allegation that has long since been widely debunked. Just google it, and you may learn something. Or don't, - if you hate letting facts get in the way of your Clinton bashing. Actually, you don't even have to google it, - just listen to what Trump claims about the "uranium deal"! Any reason to believe that, among all his lies?
Jorg- it has not been debunked and now that there is someone in the FBI leaking the true story. It looks as if the FBI had known since 2009 and did nothing about it. Hillary and Bill are going down Jorg, along with Holder, Obama, Comey, Mueller, McCabe and Rosenstein. Everything was going great for them until Hillary unexpectedly lost the election, then they were caught with their pants down. Going to have a great time when the subpoenas start flying and a special council is appointed, the rats are going to be scurrying to get off the sinking boat.
So true, and so very well said, Michael! You are so right, - the Russians have figured out how gullible and easily fooled many Americans are. What a dangerous weapon against a nation conditioned to believe anything fed them.
Which makes me wonder: to what extent is that kind of gullibility connected with religion, which conditions people to believe against all common sense, and not to question even the most ridiculous stories. By and large, people in more progressive, less religious countries don’t seem to be quite as naïve and easily fooled. I follow regularly many foreign newspapers and websites on-line and can clearly see a difference between the US and nations in Northern and Western Europe, where people aren’t as ready to believe the unbelievable and not so willing to swallow anything fed them in print. Your point is well taken, Michael, - and quite disturbing.
Let's focus on this White House.
OK- a year of investigating and nothing regarding collusion. Zero. Also, who heads the existing special council- the crooks that are responsible for allowing the Uranium One sale. Wake up folks, you are so partisan you can't accept the fact that your side is as crooked as they come. Let's let the Russia investigation continue and see where is leads.
Christopher C.: Oh, this is almost funny, - another unwitting confirmation of Oberg's point, - blind acceptance of the most ridiculous claims on the Internet! What a surprise!
Glad you thinks it's funny Jorg, but selling 20% of our uranium supply is about as serious a national security violation as ever happened. Who did they sell it to. Russia, Russia, Russia. Not to funny is it.
It was a complicated, old story, and not easy to follow, especially if you desperately look for Hillary Clinton's involvement, which was insignificant. However, the alleged security breach has long since been debunked, - whether you like it or not, - and certainly whether you understand it or not.
Right, Michael, I believed the FBI Director when he said thousands of government emails were found on a private, unsecured server belonging to H. Clinton. And many of those were classified above top secret. And thousands more were intentionally destroyed? Oh, I'm sorry, you weren't talking about that? You were talking about Hillary's pay to play scheme where Russians bribed, extorted etc. to get control of U.S. strategic material? Oh, sorry, not that either? Hummm, your letter couldn't be just a veiled hit piece against the President now could it?
America did not elect corrupt Hillary Clinton and the country is better for it.
Fortunately, H Clinton has all the time in the world now to sell her phony, self- obsessed book meaning the only people she can hurt are the consumers who buy it and not the American people at large.
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