Social media feeds and blog posts are filling up with the disturbing story of the Russian violation of our 1987 Missile Treaty. I have noticed that many of the posters are left-leaning or hard-left sympathizers. The story, from the New York Times, is deliberately misleading. In fact, NY Times designed the title for the exact purpose most digital media titles serve, which is to mislead and encourage readers to click on, share, and use the “title” as disinformation. In this case, the title is, “Russia Deploys Missile, Violating Treaty and Challenging Trump.”
The NY Times knows that most readers will simply re-flip, re-post, re-tweet, and share the story based on the title. They know that will generate more clicks. They also know that the title serves a political purpose, is pleasing to their core audience, and feeds the narrative that a beleaguered Trump team, with cozy Russian contacts, have now put America in danger. This is a deliberate lie and crafty deception by the old grey lady, whose digital team understands 21st century social media.
Most people don’t read these stories, and if they do, they must read deep into the story to find and decode the truth. This missile violation began in 2014. The Obama Administration knew all about it. The missiles weren’t deployed because of Trump; they were deployed under Mr. Obama. It was only recently that one of the Russians moved one of the two battalions of operational missiles. The NY Times used that recent movement to create this misleading story. The challenge to address this issue does now fall on Mr. Trump. However, it only does so because Mr. Obama was tested, and Mr. Obama failed. He let the violation go, and did nothing to stop the development or deployment of this technology.
If one only read the NY Times headline, one might think Mr. Trump was to blame for all this, and was permitting this to happen. Of course, it fits the left’s narrative that an America first, nationalist billionaire, Donald Trump is in bed with the Russian. The entire premise is an absurdity accepted as gospel by the loyal opposition. If this “story” shows up on your social media from a liberal friend or known liberal source, write back and ask them how they feel about Obama allowing the development and deployment of these missiles. You may just find out the poster had no idea what the story actually reported. This is the essence of the fake and false news movement.
The NY Times knows exactly what it’s doing when it crafts pieces like this. The real question is which group does your friends or sources fall into. Are they willing accomplices, or simply political dupes?
Author: Richard Kelsey
Richard Kelsey is the Editor-in-Chief of Committed Conservative.
He is a trial Attorney and author of a #11 best-selling book on Amazon written on higher education, “Of Serfs and Lords: Why College Tuition is Creating a Debtor Class”
Rich is also the author of the new Murder-Mystery series, “The ABC’s of Murder,” book one is titled, “Adultery.”
Rich is a former Assistant Law School Dean and Law Professor. At Mason Law Kelsey conceived of, planned, and brought to fruition Mason’s Center for the Protection of Intellectual Property, known as CPIP, drawing on his expertise as a former CEO of a technology company specializing in combating cyber-fraud.
In 2014 he was elected by the graduating class as the faculty speaker at their graduation.
He is a regular commentator on legal and political issues in print, radio and on TV. Rich has appeared on hundreds of stations as a legal expert or political commentator. He provided the legal analysis for all stages of the Bob McDonnell trial and appeal for numerous outlets including NPR and WMAL.
Rich also writes on occasion for the American Spectator and CNSNews.com.
In his free time, Rich is part of the baseball mafia of Northern Virginia, serving on numerous boards and as a little league and travel baseball coach.
His Twitter handle is @richkelsey.
