Some people will say anything if it means they’ll win an argument, damage a perceived enemy’s reputation, to rhe degree of having criminal charges brought against the other person. When all is said and done, the headlines have disappeared, the tumors have died down, and the individual initially under the microscope is at least beginning to get life back to normal, the question always arises as to? what happens to the person or persons who were responsible for the investigation?Usually? Nothing.

Although it has been done, it’s difficult to prove libel against another person or organization without proving withour a doibt some malicious intent. Otherwise it just becomes, Oops! My (our) bad. Sorry. Of couqrse that doen’t make the front page or lead the evening nres does it? If mentioned at all in a newspaper,e it’s Buried somwhere under “Corrections”. On air media? Sometimes a talking head will make a quick apology and be done wiyh it. Sometimes.

Then there’s the incident involving a teenager from a Catholic school who was in Washington D.C. with some schoolmates at a pro-life march. You may recall his name: Nick Sandmann. He was in hid bright red Make America Great Again cap, standing with other students, waiting to board the school bus foe the long trek home. His face became the symbol of racism an bigotry in America not only across the country, but around the world. Instantly.

The yong man had been standing in a group, not being a bother to anyone. There beeded to be a negayive story about the march becaause, you knw, Trump. Well, their arrigance has cost them, not only financially, which we’ll never know about because of Non-Disclosure Agreements attached. Why? If it came out how much the settlement was, it would be another embarrassment towardthe particular press organ. I think it may be safe to say that Nick Sandmann will be financially set for life.

There are so many more. More recent. Maybe one involving not jusr rhe ptrss but social media companies thar effectively blocked a major newspaper’s stoty of a now fabeled laptop, it’s contents, and how it might affect the upcoming election for president. As many as 17% of those that voted for that candidate say that if they had been aware of the story, would not have voted for that person. Recently, some of those involved have done a sort of mea culpa and said yes, the story is true. Oopsy! Fifty one experts in National Security, including former, CIA, FBI, NSA, etc. directors, declaring the item in question to be Russian disinformation. Now that we know it’s not true? Oopsy-doodle! Those fifty one that apparently lied because, you know, Trump? Any stories published anywhere of any consequences for any of them?

It might be funny if it weren’t so dangerous to our republic. When the only colluding occurring is between members of our government, the press, and social media companies with incredible reach and power, who exactly are the deplorables?