Half Truths, Lies and Misrepresentation

Posted by Moderate September 12, 2012 at 6:48 p.m.

What is a half truth? The word truth means an absolute meaning fact or certainty. If what you say/write is not accurate it is not the truth.

Exactly what is not truthful in Representative Jenkins comment that “Right now we have people who are happy to collect unemployment and not work. We have a problem with people working the system.”

I might point out one could also write that right now we have people who are doing their level best to find a job and end receipt of unemployment.

The word “people” is a plural noun. It does not mean all. It does mean more than one. She did not say all people. Her statement is factual – the truth. My statement is also true. Neither is a misrepresentation – another word some on here use when the truth hurts.

I remember when I posted that almost half of US households pay no federal income tax. At first I was a liar until I published data from the IRS. Then I was misleading because someone pointed out that almost half of those not paying taxes do at some point return to the tax roles. Absolutely, but that does not make my point a lie or a misrepresentation.

Using the word lie or misrepresentation as a weapon to discredit others from legitimate and accurate reporting is a tried and true way to distort reality and win arguments but it contributes nothing to responsible dialogue and hardens the sorely needed debate about the future of our country.