Truth on Trial: Social Media vs. Reality in Payson, Arizona
One of the crown jewels of American democracy is our justice system. It’s not perfect, but in principle, it's built on a brilliant foundation: facts are weighed by neutral parties—judges or juries—who are sworn to consider evidence and arrive at the truth. We may take it for granted, but that system stands in stark contrast to the circus of misinformation unfolding daily on social media, especially right here in Payson, Arizona.
On Facebook and other local forums, truth is often treated like a nuisance—something to be twisted, omitted, or trampled if it gets in the way of a good partisan rant or a conspiracy theory. Half-truths, cherry-picked facts, and outright lies are tossed around like horseshoes at a backyard barbecue. And heaven help you if you try to inject facts into the fray. The response is usually name-calling, deflection, or silence.
But there is a solution. It's radical in its simplicity: let the people who spin falsehoods meet the people who have the facts—in person. You know, like in a civilized society. Face to face, fact versus fiction. Let’s bring back the idea that truth should be something we see, not something we just scroll past.
Kadizzle, who has been repeatedly smeared by the usual local fabricators, has made this offer many times: meet me, and I’ll show you the facts. The records, the evidence, the truth—laid out plainly. Not surprisingly, most of the local blowhards decline. Some don’t even respond. Others retreat behind excuses: “I’m afraid,” they say. “I don’t want a confrontation.” That’s convenient. They’ll hurl accusations from the safety of a keyboard, but won’t back it up in a public, peaceful setting.
To make it even easier, Kadizzle has offered neutral venues: the public library, the police station, anywhere civil and safe. But still, the offer is ignored. Why? Because when facts enter the room, lies have to leave.
If we want anything resembling a functioning democracy—locally or nationally—we need to reclaim the value of truth. And that starts with accountability. Until the liars in Payson are willing to stand behind their claims in person, in the light of day, we can all safely assume they don’t have facts. They have Facebook.
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