{"id":12961,"date":"2024-03-26T01:37:43","date_gmt":"2024-03-26T01:37:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/heatherhaley.com\/hh2\/?p=12961"},"modified":"2024-03-26T20:05:21","modified_gmt":"2024-03-26T20:05:21","slug":"who-to-believe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/heatherhaley.com\/hh2\/?p=12961","title":{"rendered":"WHO TO BELIEVE"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I made the mistake-or was it-of posting this recently. Almost immediately discourse deteriorated into unpleasantness. No wonder I’m reluctant to employ my voice or post anything remotely political. Navigating such a complex, polarized information landscape is fraught.<\/p>\n

First there was a disagreement about the authenticity of the photo, which is fair enough. Then a sort of pissing contest ensued about who was the most well-informed, or least indoctrinated.<\/p>\n

It appears to me there is little possibility of rational discussion, or a ceasefire, or the unimaginable therefore unattainable, peace.<\/p>\n

What breaks my heart most is that despite our potential, human beings are seemingly incapable of true advancement. It’s all so fucking sad.<\/p>\n

WHO TO BELIEVE<\/strong><\/p>\n

The podcaster with a legion of followers?
\nThe journalist who\u2019s been there,
\nface etched by the sun of that distant land?
\nWhat of the emigrant decrying the place,
\nor at least, its right-wing government?<\/p>\n

Is it the loudest voice that holds the truth?
\nOr the one armed with the sharpest wit,
\nslicing through arguments with precision?
\nIs it the one drawing the most poignant,
\nheart wrenching analogies:
\n\u201cWorld\u2019s largest concentration camp.\u201d<\/p>\n

The optimists, pessimists or realists?
\nAll claim to know the facts,
\nseemingly own the facts. Clarity.<\/p>\n

Censors lurk, eager to snuff out every voice,
\nmute dissent, but still, we hear. Listen.<\/p>\n

Exactly who are the indoctrinated?
\nWho wields oppression\u2019s heaviest hand?<\/p>\n

No one agrees as debates
\ndevolve into discord none can flee
\nwhile sidestepping the vital teachings
\nof forgotten epochs,
\nflames ignited in a terrain
\nrife with deceit and harsh decrees.
\nI wonder how to mine hope from the mire.<\/p>\n

Complexities abound in every human heart,
\nour aim not to unfurl hate
\nbut to envision a world rooted in empathy.<\/p>\n

Can I hear a gentle word?
\nIs there room for a kind gesture?<\/p>\n

I cast my lot with truth,
\nhowever elusive.
\nWeariness creeps
\ninto the wait for illumination,
\nthe vigil for the dawn
\nof a new era.
\nA new beginning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I made the mistake-or was it-of posting this recently. Almost immediately discourse deteriorated into unpleasantness. No wonder I’m reluctant to employ my voice or post anything remotely political. Navigating such a complex, polarized information landscape is fraught. First there was a disagreement about the authenticity of the photo, which is fair enough. Then a sort […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/heatherhaley.com\/hh2\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12961"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/heatherhaley.com\/hh2\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/heatherhaley.com\/hh2\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/heatherhaley.com\/hh2\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/heatherhaley.com\/hh2\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12961"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"http:\/\/heatherhaley.com\/hh2\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12961\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12985,"href":"http:\/\/heatherhaley.com\/hh2\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12961\/revisions\/12985"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/heatherhaley.com\/hh2\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12961"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/heatherhaley.com\/hh2\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12961"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/heatherhaley.com\/hh2\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12961"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}