The facts matter
As many of you are already aware, last week we published an article on a billboard that had popped up downtown peddling anti-vaccination propaganda (the billboard, we have learned, has since been taken down). Of course, Rochester was not the first community to witness such an ad, but being on the doorstep of what many believe is the world’s greatest medical center, we felt the message was worthy of our scrutiny.
In the course of 48 hours after our reporter, Isaac Jahns, first saw the ad, we did our due diligence. We reviewed the websites from the parents purporting the allegations of vaccination-induced deaths. We read other media reports. We combed through peer-reviewed scientific studies. What stood out to us was the vulnerability of these parents, and how well-funded anti-vaccination groups used their tragic stories — and the circumstantial evidence around prior use of vaccinations — to perpetuate falsehoods that have misled thousands, if not millions, of people.
To be clear, questioning the status quo can be a powerful — and necessary — tool in protecting us from outside interests that do not have our best interests in mind. Corporations, for instance, do not always have your best interests in mind; just as corrupt politicians do not always have your best interests in mind. In the 21st Century, you could argue, many with powerful media platforms do not always have your best interests in mind.
None of these statements, however, lend truth to the kind of conspiracy theories we see emerging in our everyday dialogue. Too often, I tune into Facebook to see ‘Hillary Clinton is a murderer,’ or ‘Tom Hanks is part of an underground Hollywood child sex ring.’ These types of stories are a product of our worst inclinations, representing our fears, unfounded assumptions and desires to blame someone else for the faults of our society.
This is what the anti-vaccine movement has become. You cannot reason with these people, as I have found in recent days. No set of facts can persuade them. Show them a news article, and the journalist is a sheep. Show them a peer-reviewed study, and the science is faulty. Show them a medical examiners’ report, and the medical examiner is crooked and corrupt. This is not debate class; this is the Alex Jones era.
Today, I believe disinformation to be the greatest threat to our democracy and our path toward a better world. Some will argue this threat has always existed, and they may be right. But, what is different, is the ability of fringe movements to coalesce and coordinate. With social media platforms, like Facebook and others, unwilling to take strong stands against disinformation, people from every point of the world can unite around ideas that historically would have been hidden from plain sight. Now, a conspiracist in Sydney, Australia can ally with fellow conspirators in New Delhi, Salt Lake City and Rochester, Minnesota. Together, they can create a powerful movement capable of establishing legitimacy and reaching millions.
I share my concerns with you, not as an all-knowing person capable of deciphering every argument and churning out the end-all, be-all conclusion on any given subject. Instead, I share my experiences of this past week — with people from every point of the country calling this site as ‘fake news’ and ‘everything wrong with journalism’ — because I believe we can do better. I believe we can have honest debates, share opposing ideas, and try to find common ground.
But all of this must start with the pursuit of knowledge and a willingness to step outside of our own bubbles. We cannot simply double down on our biases and ignore facts when they are not convenient to our pre-existing worldviews.
We are undoubtedly living through a difficult chapter in the nation’s history, one defined by fear, vitriol, misinformation, racial inequities and a virus. Still, I remain optimistic our best days are ahead. It is that sense of idealism that guides how we conduct our work on Med City Beat. We believe that by bringing honesty, transparency, humility and new perspectives to this platform, we can be a small piece in creating a better community and a better world.
That work will continue... tomorrow. For now, I am going to mark this moment, my 30th birthday, by acknowledging my appreciation for the things I value most: my family and friends, my everlasting curiosity, and this community that has adopted me.
Thank you all for following — stay safe, stay humble and stay informed.
Kind regards,
Sean Baker
Founder/editor
