FAKE NEWS ISN'T NEW

I’m currently reading the book, “PRESIDENTIAL ANECDOTES” by Paul F. Boller, Jr. I’m up to James Buchanan, but already have read ridiculous news items about several presidents. Here are some highlights.

One story about John Adams claimed he wanted to reunite the US with England by having one of his sons marry a daughter of King George III.

Thomas Jefferson labeled opposing news stories as 1] Truth; 2] Probability; 3] Possibility; and 4] Lies.

During the War of 1812, a member of the opposing party asked Dolly Madison’s sister, who had very long hair, if he could cut it off and make a rope with which to hang the President.

John Quincy Adams was called a snob, a hypocrite, a drunk, a Sabbath-breaker, a spendthrift, and a gambler

Andrew Jackson was regarded as “a crude, ignorant, bellicose brawler” who would probably shoot anyone who disagreed with him. “His enemies thought he was reckless, intolerant, wrong-headed and dictatorial.”

Martin Van Buren’s enemies “accused him of living in luxury in the White House while people went hungry.”

William Henry Harrison’s opponents “accused him of profanity, drunkenness, and loose living.”

John Tyler was called, “a man destitute of intellect and integrity, whose name is the synonym of nihil.”

James Buchanan “was regarded as unimaginative, legalistic, and morally obtuse.”

There are many more examples of the Freedom of Speech which we enjoy in the United States, both historically and currently. One unfortunate side effect is that dishonest writers and newscasters often do provide FAKE NEWS for public consumption in order to denigrate a political opponent and advance their own candidate or party.

But as it says in Job 34:3 (NCV):^”The ear tests words as the tongue tastes food.” In other words, as we can distinguish good and bad flavors, we can discern truth from error.

COPYRIGHT 2018 BY CARL E GUSTAFSON