Your Voice for the week of Nov. 9, 2022

TV news, internet, and social media worlds are a noisy “hellscape” of election misinformation, lies and misleading ads. Every search for news or information brings more unsolicited ads and outrageous click bait images to our phones and computers. Clearly, our searches are monitored and search results nudge us ever deeper into our own private “echo chambers” that we must then curate for ourselves. Most people simply don’t have the luxury of free time to sort out truth from lies or political misinformation.

Election misinformation noise distorts what each of us can know and call “reality.” This remains a challenge for both political strategists and voters alike. The Democrats still don’t get it. It's not just about whether voters can distinguish what is true from what is false anymore, or even whether or not they can examine the merits of political party platforms. This election is simply about making noise; whoever is the loudest and commands the attention of voters, most of whom want to simply upend an unresponsive system, wins.

This election requires reaching out to voters living in two different “realities.” One reality is grounded in reason and accountability. The other reality is grounded in fear, grievance-identity, and in holding political power at any price. Reaching the ears of those living in either reality requires speaking to all who are “not satisfied with the direction of the country.” Critically, fear and hate speech, not reason, commands the most rapt attention of voters.

“Trumplicans” are good at commanding attention; they do this by ramping up passions on cultural hot buttons like open borders, gun rights, crime, etc. The Trumplican Congressional Minority shamelessly promises to fix a gridlocked legislative system denying that their own relentless play for power creates that very gridlock. Republican solutions remain deliberately vague, no party platform required, just ask Mitch McConnell. The Election Fraud Lie lives; no evidence required, ask Trump.

Voters are exhausted and spellbound by this “hellscape” of hot button political noise. Democrats must break the spell, call out the lies and noise of election deniers and hypocrisy of the “Party Of Power At Any Price.”

James McKee

White Salmon

Motivated youth

Here in Trout Lake, we have some highly motivated youth, under the leadership of Dennis Anderson.

Our class of '23 have elected to serve the community. They dedicated one day to service to help with fall preparations for winter, raking and cleanup and helping wherever necessary. Then these enthusiastic young people organized and prepared an exquisite meal for the community at the school. Plans were made for music to be provided by local artists, tables were set with flower arrangements and lovely fall centerpieces all by the future youth of our community. (They even spent a day baking lovely loaves of bread.) We were then treated to a beautiful meal of chicken and rice almondine with greens served with vinaigrette accompanied by the homemade artisan bread and huckleberry jam.

Some folks don't feel there is hope in our future youth; well, they are all wet, we have the best of humanity yet to come! Let's hear it for the class of '23! The purpose of humanity, to be of service, still exists, contrary to current news outlets.

Carole Veres

Trout Lake