Ugh

[moon_custafer]

So, I inadvertently overheard a couple of coworkers commiserating with each other about trans people and “what’s society coming to?” and then one of them said the CEO of Tim Horton’s had been arrested for possession of child pornography.

The other also commented on the man’s name being Jewish.

Thirty seconds of Googling the name reveals that (a) the guy in question isn’t the CEO of Tim’s but of a parent company that acquired the chain a year or so back, and (b) the newspaper that ran the story has since claimed it was “satire.”

Yeah.

The paper uses the not-very-satirical-sounding name “Vancouver Times” but describes itself as writing “satirical stories about issues that affect conservatives.” Goggling them turns up a description on https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/vancouver-times/ that rates them "questionable" and also mentions one of their past fake stories in which they state Paul Pelosi (Nancy Pelosi's husband) was arrested for child porn possession.

Apparently the anti-vaxxers are all currently mad at Tim Horton’s for requiring proof of vaccination from kids that attend the summer camp they sponsor, so I’m guessing that’s the motivation for this “news story.”

Anyway now I want to show those guys the article debunking the slander, but I’m not sure how to bring it up as I doubt they were aware I could hear them in the first place and I don’t interact with them that much; also it’s possible they’ll say the debunking article is fake, as it’s from what looks to be a somewhat left-leaning publisher.

ETA-- I can't get into the "Vancouver Times" site, which would be the smoking gun, on my work computer. Googling them does show that since they started up last December, they've spread viral claims that the CEO of Disney was arrested for human trafficking, and that Justin Bieber's recent bout of facial paralysyis was caused by the Covid vaccine. All under the name of "satire," of course.

Update (July 22) -- I got into work and told co-worker it had been debunked, directing him to Snopes who've now posted about it. He thanked me, and we agreed that misinformation is a problem. So, at least the truth is getting its pants on.

Comments

[dewline]

Propaganda disguised as "satire" is not a surprise to me at this point. They are - in my considered opinion - trying to get people to die early of their stories. And how the premature deaths are brought about isn't a thing their "editorial" staff feel all that fussy about. In fact, I think one of the legit "news about news services/journalism/reportage" websites has done an article or five on sites like this "Vancouver Times" operation. Could be Poynter, J-Source, TMU Review of Journalism, CJR...? Not sure which of them at this point.

[moon_custafer]

The debunking article posted a screenshot of the Vancouver Times' "sorry if you were confused, it was satire" walkback, but I'd like to have an actual link on hand if I bring the topic up with my coworkers.

And I'm still worried their takeaway is not going to be "check story sources" but "weird receptionist lady was listening in on our conversation."

[marahmarie]

I've never understood actively trying to kill off one's constituencies; seems like a right-leaning thing. All I can think is there's more money to be made in marketing to mostly self-assembled death cults then there is in keeping their members alive and well.

I'd say it only hurts them at the polls too, as less bodies equals less votes but the way the US right plans to get around that (by circumventing legal elections to install themselves at will) I guess how many bodies are on hand doesn't much matter.

[sabotabby]

Oh ffs.

[kore]

Well, fuck! That's horrifying.

[armiphlage]

When a faction has no qualms about creating and propagating lies, countering with truth doesn't have any effect. They don't want the truth, they want you to consume resources trying to counter the lies.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gish_gallop

[armiphlage]

I work in a factory. Some managers have adopted this method of political discourse in the workplace, and spew easily-verifiable falsehoods about contracts and procedures so they don't have to do any work. My own manager has given up, and just assigns other managers' workloads to me when those managers start making false claims that it's my job.

[dewline]

Aw Hell.

Sorry for your manager as much as for you here!

[oracne]

Yay for Snopes. Also, ugh.

[gingeriana]

very sad that such a seemingly normal name for a paper has been hijacked by bad people


also, when i hear people casually drop "oh, and he is also Jewish" in a discussion of ANY case - that usually means that you won't be able to persuade them in anything. and yeah, most prob, you would become that-weird-lady

[marahmarie]

It's funny how the mere mention of and reaction(s) to the idea that someone's Jewish codes for entire belief systems in so many (mostly right-leaning) people. Like a bellwether - throw out that one identifier and watch what comes back, now you know up to dozens more facts about that person's and/or group's beliefs than you did mere minutes ago.

[gingeriana]

Very well said!

[marahmarie]

Very sad but true.

[marahmarie]

So, at least the truth is getting its pants on.

If only it'd keep its pants on, that's the dilemma.