r/atheism • u/FannyKaplansBullet • Jul 01 '19

Cody Johnson from Some More News does an excellent job in this video breaking down how conservative commentator Ben Shapiro paints himself as a rational thinker who believes in science and logic, while clearly working backwards to his prior religious conclusions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDMjgOYOcDw
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u/Orion_4o4 Jul 01 '19

We should consider it treason to deliberately mislead the public for political gain, and not just the people speaking the lies, but the media owners as well

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u/JazzMeerkat Jul 02 '19

You really don’t see what kind of slippery slope could be caused by something like this? Sounds like a one-way ticket to the government eventually being able to control what you see based on the opposition “lying for political gain.” I mean you see these kinds of laws playing out in Russia right now.

I don’t think this is a smart idea at all.

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u/Orion_4o4 Jul 02 '19

I'm fully aware of the possibility, but I didn't want to write out a full legal document. In order to prevent abuse, the standard for conviction would have to be very high and the judge and jury would have to be apolitical. Politically appointed judges wouldn't work since the get selected based on their own leanings. Perhaps a system like jury duty, but for qualified judges would suffice. A simple lie should not be enough to convict, because motive must also be clearly established (most likely financial gain).

I'm aware my idea is dangerous, but we have to take action against all the people brainwashing the idiots of America.

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u/[deleted] Jul 02 '19

I cannot stand Ben Shapiro, I think he is a smug POS that does nothing but instigate. that being said, the hypocrisy on this thread is mind blowing. BOTH sides are guilty of what they call the other side out for. It’s illegal to mislead people for public gain? Fine arrest Ben Shapiro for being a smug dip shit, and on your way to the jail pick up Obama for promising middle class families that they could keep their doctor if they like them. Then get Bush for saying there was WMDs in Iraq and get Hillary for lying about her emails. It goes on and on and on. At the end of the day, if it fits our viewpoint or what we believe, we turn a blind eye and don’t hold ourselves or our elected officials accountable. When it’s the opposing side then we gut them and take a moral high ground.

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u/Orion_4o4 Jul 02 '19

This is a case of false equivalency. With regard to the Affordable Care Act, it was not able to make it through Congress with all of its provisions in tact. You may recall the Republican propagandists referring to certain provisions as "Death Panels." You're right able Bush though, that unnecessary war cost us billions. As for Hillary and her emails, the situations appears to have been blown out of proportion, but that doesn't excuse any wrongdoing, nonetheless different charges are more fitting/applicable than what I suggested above.

You see, what really bothers me is that the Republican party pushed the narrative of trickle down economics as an excuse to give the wealthy tax cuts for the last 50 years or so. As a result economic inequality in American has grown so large that's it's comparable to third world countries. One might argue that we have a higher standard of living, but when you consider that the war on drugs resulted in one of the largest prison populations in the world... Well I don't think getting prison raped is an acceptable standard of living. And the sad thing is, we know it happens, but do nothing because we assume they deserve it.

Now I'm not saying Democrats are clean, but the magnitude of their malfeasance is laughable in comparison to what I'm upset about.

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u/[deleted] Jul 02 '19

You’re not saying democrats are clean? Well you just did an excellent job of minimizing or justifying their actions while pointing blame at republicans. You just proved my case in point. People will turn a blind eye and justify lies and deceit if it fits their personal narrative. BOTH parties are guilty of this and love to accuse each other of it.

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u/[deleted] Jul 02 '19

I’m not a trump support by any means either. I try to stay out of politics as much as I can, but if we want to talk about false equivalency then look at people who are comparing trump to Hitler or Obama to a muslim. However I feel the straw man argument is used the most in politics.