A bipartisan report released by the CIA, FBI, NSA, and ODNI stated unequivocally that Russia, under orders from Putin, carried out a far-reaching cyber operation with the goal of interfering in the 2016 U.S. elections.
One branch of this attack involved fake Russian accounts spreading disinformation, discord, and inflammatory content (in a word, propaganda) across many social media platforms, most notably Facebook and Instagram, but also tumblr. The Department of Justice indicted 13 Russians and 3 Russian companies for these actions. The defendants referred to their activities as “information warfare”, and stated that their goal was to “spread distrust towards the candidates and the political system in general.”
In spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, President Trump has dismissed reports of Russian meddling as “ridiculous”, and has publicly stated that he believes Putin’s assertions that Russia did not interfere in the 2016 U.S. elections.
We should all be concerned about outside powers seeking to interfere with the integrity of our elections, regardless of which candidates or parties benefit from such interference.
- As the midterms approach, be wary of voices sowing discord, fear, and despair. Look for solutions and ways to help instead.
- Be wary of anyone who says your vote doesn’t matter. It does.
- Be wary of anyone who says that “both sides” are the same. They’re not.
- Be wary of anyone who says an election result is a foregone conclusion. It isn’t.
- Be wary of anyone who argues for ideological purity and categorical rejection of “flawed” candidates. Perfect people do not exist.
- Be wary of sharing posts from sources you do not recognize or know to be trustworthy. Always corroborate with a reputable source.
These people want you to stay home on election day. They don’t want you to exercise your rights and your power at the ballot box. Remember, voter turnout is always lower in non-presidential years, which means your vote counts for more.
100 day until the Midterms….
Remember, we outnumber them, but only if we show up.
90 days until the Midterms….
Please vote. Vote for candidates at all levels of government, even if they are flawed, or you’re not that excited about them, or their views aren’t perfectly in sync with yours.
The goal is not to elect people who think exactly like us; it is to elect the people who will be easiest to appeal to for the changes we want to make.
Solidarity will save us, apathy won’t.
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