Media fact-checking needs … fact-checking
Before we consider the reports from the growing number of media fact-checkers, we should first define what we mean by a “fact.” That is not as easy as you might think. There are hard facts, but most of what parades in the public media as a “fact” is merely an opinion.
Example: I can say that President Biden is not giving Ukraine the military support it needs. That is merely an opinion which requires “facts” to support it. If I say that President Biden has refused to release the fighter jets to Ukraine that is a fact – a hard fact – supporting my contention.
Whenever I proffer an option, I try to present hard facts that support my thesis. In between a pure opinion and a hard fact is a statement that is so obviously factual that one should not have to supply the supporting details. For example: I recently said that most race riots occur in the major cities ruled over by Democrats. A reader challenged me to prove it. For me. It was like saying that I should prove that the sun is hot. Common knowledge should be sufficient in such cases.
Since we want only the facts, we might believe that the plethora of fact-checkers would be a useful service. But in fact, they are as victimized by their own biases and inaccuracies as the folks they claim to be checking.
It is a bit like the Dr. Seuss story of the “Watchers.” It poses the question “Who will watch the Watcher?” … and then who will watch the Watch-Watcher?” And on it goes.
PunchingBagPost.com – and me — were recently the subject of one of those media watchers. They call themselves Media Bias/Fact Check (MBFC). Like all such organizations, they make elaborate claims – one might even say “arrogant claims” –about their neutrality and dedication to the truth. They offer themselves as unbiased referees of the public discourse.
Of course, they are no such thing. Their position on the political bias continuum can usually be seen rather quickly. One of the most obviously biased media observers is the very leftwing Media Matters. Check them out and you will know what I mean.
This commentary, however, is about NBFC.
Their first judgment or assessment is that PBP is a conservative news analysis operation. Since the sites’ banner-head includes the statement “News from a Conservative Perspective,” their conclusion is neither surprising nor enlightening.
Their own rating opinion ranges from extreme left to extreme right, as seen in the embedded scale. The yellow dot is us, PBP, squarely on the right. Personally, I would argue that we are more “right-Center” when you look at how they define these designations.
MBFC defines those (us) in the “Right” category thusly.
“These media sources are moderately to strongly biased toward conservative causes through story selection and/or political affiliation. They may utilize strong loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by using appeal to emotion or stereotypes), publish misleading reports and omit reporting of information that may damage conservative causes. Some sources in this category may be untrustworthy.”
In terms of “factual reporting,” PBP is rated as “Mixed.” In the interest of modesty, I would rate PBP minimally in the “High” category. This is where I personally believe MBFC’s own bias is showing. Of course, they do not provide any “facts” to prove their “opinion.”
MBFC goes on to say that PBP does not provide original reports, but “rather summarizes existing stories and adds conservative commentary.” Nothing to reveal there since the PBP site says its mission is “to analyze the news for most important and most relevant stories.” For example, I am a commentator. My job is to put perspective in the news of the day – and occasionally make news.
On the other hand, PBP does produce news stories based on facts and information not found in the reports of the mainstream media. That is just a fact. In many cases, our “analysis” may deal with subjects that are in the news, but we may reveal new facts and information that have not been incorporated in general coverage.
Now, I could go on and on as to why I believe MBFC is biased in their view of PBP, but that would take an Oxford-level debate. What really got my attention was this bit of information from MBFC – you know, the folks who brag about getting the facts straight.
“The Punching Bag Post does not clearly state ownership, however, Larry Horist is the founder and presumed owner. Revenue is derived through advertising.”
If you check out the MBFC site, you will notice that it says that Larry Horist IS “the founder and presumed owner.” I am neither. I was not even involved with PBP when it was founded. I write for the site – and other conservative online sites. I produce between 40 and 50 commentaries per month. I did not find – nor do I own – PBP or any of the other sites that carry my commentaries.
I got a kick out of MBFC’s claim that the ownership is “not clearly stated.” It is not really a secret, and a phone call or an email might have gotten them the information they wanted. That is just lazy fact-checking.
Since I am easily contacted, you might think that MBFC would have made a simple inquiry before publishing a totally, provably and reckless false statement. It seems to me that any organization that would brag bout its unbiased veracity would do a better job.
But … it does explain why their “opinion” of PBP is so far off. They are not a reliable source for fact-checking. Someone needs to do a little fact-checking on MBFC. Perhaps we could find a fact-checker to check the fact-checkers.
Or maybe they could add this to their “about us” biography. “We sometimes check out the facts and occasionally get them right.”
I guess one could accuse the self-proclaimed fact-checker of maligning PBP with its biased and inaccurate summary, but that is life in the media realm. In terms of being a useful fact-checker, I like Project VERITAS over MBFC. PV busts the big lies instead of telling them. But of course, that is my conservative bias.
If I may appropriate their rating system, I would put MBFC in the “Very Low” rank on their “Factual Reporting” system. But … I did get a good laugh out of being named as the founder and owner PBP. Almost as good a laugh as the guy who really founded and owns it.
So’ there ‘tis.
I haven’t gone to the trouble to see what valuation Media Bias/Fact Check has assigned to the the left stream media, but I consider them to be excellent only at pushing propaganda . If a left stream “reporter” said good morning to me, I’d assume he was lying.
“ Common knowledge should be sufficient in such cases” to be considered a fact. I say bullshit on that little piece of crap. Like when everyone thought the world was flat. Or global warming does not exist. Or Donald Trump had a good Economy. You just can’t say the Democrats cause race riots due to Democratic policies in the city because everyone knows it. That’s what you did. It may be common all right, but it’s not knowledge, and it’s certainly not a fact.
On this site, it is common knowledge the Democrats are communist and liars and thieves in their leaders should be impeached. That’s certainly does not make it a fact in the real world. Just in Larry’s world.
Fact is that most major metro areas are controlled by Democrats, so no duh, if there’s a race riot it will probably be in a democratic city. But not all metros are Democratic. .
Fact is riots happened in Republican controlled cities in democratic states and in Republican controlled cities in republican states.
Fact is that wasn’t even the entirety of what Larry’s discussion was about; the fact was I was disputing your opinion that it was democratic cities only, and that only democratic policies that caused this. What I said, factually, was that it probably occurred on both sides of the aisle. I said I did not know for sure as that was a fact, but I was pretty sure. But I did know, and showed the data, that there were republican cities, with Republican control, with race riots. Can’t tell you were there more there than in democratic cities, I can just tell you there was an occurrence at least .
And I asked you to support your opinion, and to this day you have not.
I also believe I provided you many source materials, including either a count or a list for the Republican controlled cities, in democratic states, and in the Republican controlled cities, in Republican states, from the top 100 cities in America. Think I provided crime rates are there as well. He did not respond, he did not offer rebuttal facts, he told me it was, common knowledge, and therefore I should believe it. Basically, you said your résumé should tell us that everything you say is true. I did not buy that.
That’s just your style. You either say it’s common knowledge and therefore we should believe it or tell us we can look it up ourselves. The first will never fly and the second depends on how much time we have. However, it should be up to the author to toe the line and prove or support their stuff. Otherwise, it’s just an opinion and should be taken as such.
Now that’s a fact Jack.
Except for the blunder that you pointed out which is indeed in egregious mistake, which I’m sure they will correct in time, I think the review is spot on. But generally, I pull a few fact checkers before I agree or disagree with their opinion, and always realize that the media bias part of it is going to have a bit of subjectivity in it no matter what.
What I’m surprised about is that usually they provide a much better audit trail as to why they made the recommendations.
But no, I would see you as nothing less but leaning more than right center which might be the US average but you are farther right than average. Also, the other authors tend to bring Larry down. They are far less accurate, far more subjective, and much more likely just to plagiarize other lies to carry them forward. And yes, that’s my opinion.
Frank Stetson … You have a right to your opinion … not just a right to be taken seriously. Check out all the race riots in American for the past 100 years and compare those in GOP run cities and those in Dem cities. Hmmmmm, Almost all in cities long governed by Dems. That is a FACT, Check out the most segregated communities in America …. any Republican cities in the top 25? Check out the black employment rates in cities. Dems have the worst condition? Cases of police racism? Dem Cities. Check out Jesse Jackson’s and Al Sharpton’s appearances at riots, demonstrations, police killing, etc. Rarely find them in Republican led cities. You keep complaining that I do not do research, but it is YOU who babbles on about the importance of facts and rarely deals in them. Pure projection …. in my opinion.
But maybe you are correct … that it is not as common of knowledge as I have implied. There are a lot of people who are ignorant or just ignore the overwhelming facts. Like you. That is why I write about the FACTS … the hard irrefutable FACT about racism. You are totally busted as a reliable fact checker.
You have a right to not take me seriously but no right to say it’s a fact because it’s a popular belief amongst your peers.
In your rebuttal, you offer not one fact, not one statistic, not one source. Just “ here it is and you look up the facts…:
Do you really want to litigate this again? Your answer is you’re right and I can look it up and mine is show me a fact, a statistic, a source.
Fyi – you know agreed, with caveats, to the segregation, which you expanded your discussion to add. You know that.
Wait, I’ve been down this road before. You’ve rejected proven facts on numerous occasions. Frank, how would you know a fact if you saw one?
Show me what you are talking about. You speak in generalities. You talk about concepts, things, and stuff that was said.
Prove it.
Maybe you just need a decent search engine on your site.
The rioters should be shot in the streets no matter what city they are in.
And don’t forget the children.
Ted Harvey. There has long been a debate about the use of guns against rioters. The left dismisses that question because they do not want it openly debated. We have a well established policing policy that lethal force is permissible if there is imminent to life or limb of the officer or member of the public. That is a legal standard. Do those on the left not believe that arsonists, Molotov Cocktail throwers, and raging looters are not a threat to life and limb? That does not mean mowing down the mobs as the left will mischaracterize it. But when a person throws a Molotov Cocktail into a police car containing two officers (actually happened), I think a lethal response is more than justified. Ben apparently brings up the irrelevant issue of the children because he argues like one. After all, the children also suffer from the violence of the rioters.
Frank Stetson … you seem to be uneducable. Use your search engine and loop un the list of race riots in America over the past 100 years — and check out who ran the cities.. That should not be too difficult. You fight my fact-based statements with “show me the facts.” You are a lazy learner. You need to be spoon fed. Can’t you check out the FACTS before you start to deny them? Geez … I even gave you the roadmap to find the facts. You are the king of accusations unsubstantiated by facts. Defending ignorance is not a winning argument.
Again, not a number, not a stat, just some unsupported ideas and a request for ne to support your assertions.
I did it and found plenty if race riots in the oadt 100 years occurring in red states, at leadt red today.
Abd fyvn on the uneducable, kazy learner, spoon fed, king of accudations crap. It’s beneath you.
But I did it and found plenty in red states. Thanks. Im done. You’re factually wrong.
Especially the children
Frank Stetson … I hate to say this, bit you are either a partisan liar or a moron — with a short memory span. First, you should recall that we covered the issue of states vs. cities. The intuitional racism occurs at the CITY LEVEL. They control the police, the housing, the schools, etc, etc. The riots have been against the CITY administrations. So, you can have Democrat CITY racism in red states. Do you recall that previous exchange on that very subject? God … you are so thick skulled.
And what the hell does this mean? “Abd fyvn on the uneducable, kazy learner, spoon fed, king of accudations crap. It’s beneath you.” Is that some bad attempt at humor, a secret code or were you a bit potted?
I would explain to you AGAIN how to get the list of the race riots for the past one hundred years and check out the CITIES in which they occurred – and who governed over those CITIES, but crayon is not one of the options on my keyboard
I really bet you hated to call me all those names as you once again lose sight of the argument and devolve into gutter-speak. Larry, the bottom line here is you made a claim that Democratic policies in Democratic controlled cities causes institutional racism to which I asked: does this not occur in Republican cities too and can you show us some evidence to your claim, the racism, the violence, and the Democratic laws, policies, and programs that cause this that ARE NOT in Republican cities.
You concluded it’s common knowledge so it’s a fact, your resume says you can tell us the facts, or I can look it up myself.
I said no, that’s not good enough, you have to prove your shit to be true.
You said I have mental problems, which may be true actually, but does not change anything here.
I lastly said, OK, I did it, you’re wrong, I have found cities in red states over the past 100 years, with race riots, or riots against minorities, and you said: not good enough, you have to prove the cities are red too.
Again, Larry, I have made my point, I found some. The closest you have come to prove your point is to say it’s common knowledge, look it up, and even if the data proves Larry wrong, it is imperfect. But MOST IMPORTANT, Larry is right and does not have to prove he is right, you have to prove he is wrong or else he calls you a bunch of names.
But wait, Larry, there’s more. Red Government is so, so good in the cities that Larry can’t even show you how good it is. Democrats are so bad because it’s common knowledge. And, somehow, in Larry-world; Democratic rule in the cities controls all, and State rule by Republicans, or Federal rule by Republicans, gets trumped by city rule…… Amazing.
Here’s what Republican rule gets you. Red States are the economic piston driving the 8-cylinder turbo charged US economic engine we call Make America Take Handouts Again. Now, I will admit that Red areas bounced back quicker from the pandemic slump, but their constituents paid that price, in death, too. But beyond that little speedbump of happiness, here’s some other things Republicans bring you with their laws, programs, practices, and policies:
SOME REAL FACTS LARRY:
“I’ve always lived as dependent on the kindness of commies.” Red States get more stimulus, welfare, and child tax credits. https://www.forbes.com/sites/shaharziv/2020/05/12/blue-state-bailout-red-state-residents-received-largest-stimulus-checks-and-millions-in-federal-aid/?sh=2f868df83524 That’s right, BLUE states giveth, RED states taketh. And I want my quid pro quo….
RED STATES: where it’s so safe with Right-Must-Carry, Stand-Your-Ground and EZ gun buys that you can leave your doors unlocked, your fly down: “oh, I, wish I was in the land of cotton,” 7 out of 10 of worst violent crime states are red states, and that includes riot violence in those stats. https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/crime-rate-by-state.
And it’s better to be RED than dead, but with Republicans, you can have both. Yes, in RED States you can “live long and prosper.” More likely to die in Red States than Blue, covid death rates higher in Red States. https://khn.org/morning-breakout/covid-deaths-skew-higher-than-ever-in-red-states/
I can list much, much more Larry, but my bottom line is America has challenges and said challenges can only be met if we strive to discover the truth, take action, monitor, and correct. And this will take a partnership of both sides if we want to be the best we can be. We can disagree, we can tussle, but we must play fair, follow the law, equally punish all offenders, but in the end work together to proceed forward with the most progress possible, for all.
But if it’s history you want, and race riots are you’re thing and you believe Blue riots more than Red, here’s a history lesson: most of these acts of violence attempted to suppress voting rights, property ownership, economic advancement, education, freedom of the press, religion, labor rights of African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Asians, and immigrants. Sometimes it was just to steal. No matter the reasons, it’s always about the message to help maintain white supremacy. The list below is just a short skim of history. And it covers hate crimes against a number of minorities, mostly black, but gender-based, religion-based as well. I have no freaking idea who the mayor was, I can not guarantee a RED mayor………but I can guarantee they are not all Blue cities in Red States, some are RED cities. Racial violence happens in RED cities. I can guarantee that RED State Law today governs all of these cities and I can guarantee that almost all state laws trump city laws, Federal laws trump state laws. The list:
1898, Wilmington NC massacre
1910, Slocum Massacre in Texas
1918, Porvenir Massacre TX
1919, Elaine Massacre AR
1919, Bogalusa Labor Massacre LO
1920, The Ocoee Massacre, FL
1921, Tulsa Massacre OK
1923, Rosewood Massacre FL
1923, Terror Attack on African Americans in Catcher, Arkansas
1973: UpStairs Lounge Massacre LO
2018, Hate Crimes in Kentucky and Pennsylvania (blue)
And again, I give you that a number of Democratic cites in the NE have laws, programs, policies, and practices, that foster segregation. However, that’s using a “woke” definition of segregation which would include actions like Donald J Trump’s fines in NYC for refusing to rent to Blacks, that kind of stuff, perhaps more insidious than the Southern lynching since it’s so secretive. But, in a woke fashion, if the offended party feels it, it must be true. Amazing that Larry is woke.. :>)
The final bottom line is we are both looking for the truth, I would hope with some level of curiosity and open-mindedness and we should be glad to strut our stuff —- not tell each other to “do your own work.” It is not for the reader to disprove, that’s an option. It is for the author to substantiate their claims. Always will be. And it’s “common knowledge,” and therefore a fact logic as support is just awkward at best.
I can’t say BUSTED —- it seems we still don’t know. But I still find it hard to believe that somehow, Republican-controlled cities magically missed the summer Floyd protests, some violence, due to Republican control, laws, policies, and programs. Larry has yet to tell us what that magic bullet consists of, or that’s it’s even true, which I doubt.
Sidenote: I really do like to discover the truth, and in this learned about segregation in the BLUE NE US. Thought we were done with that. But these protracted discussions would be so much easier if JOE could get off his ass and develop a decent search engine for his site. You guys put out so many PoC that it’s hard to even find the original story sometimes and we are all so OLD now that remembering which article we put this in is hard, and can’t search of topic or word string to bring it back.
Frank those states that you listed from the early 20th century were ran by democrats during that time periods. Southern democrats ruled the south during that time. BUSTED!!!!! What say you Larry aphoristic?
Frank Stetson. I will take you at your word that you are dealing with mental issues. In that case, I apologize for responding so harshly. I can see you are struggling with grasping what I say. I have tried to explain that you need to look at who governs over the cities in which the most egregious institutional racism takes place. It is the the city leaders who control the institutions that operated in a racist manner. The cities you cite as being in red states were in Democrat state with Democrat municipal leaders at the time of those riots. Your examples prove my point. And your Upstairs Lounge massacre was not racial, but a deadly attack on a gay bar. It happened in New Orleans, which has not had a Republican mayor since 1870. At the time, Louisiana had a Democrat governor — and Republican governor since 1877. So, that one was off topic and had total Democrat leadership at the time. Hate crimes are not necessarily institutional racism. That are acts of individuals. They can happen anywhere. But it remains true that the greatest suffering , segregation and oppression of blacks is Democrat institutional racism. I have tried to make the FACTS as plain as I can.
Well, I take it back, you can step that low. The only time this guy is ever taking me in my word is winter denigrates me personally. Excellent.
OK, in your mind, with no actual support whatsoever, except what you say, every single race riot that ever ever happened in America has happened in a democratic city. There has never been a race riot in a Republican controlled city. Because that’s where the tinfoil hat people live with milk and cookies and Andy and Opie. So, once again, will just have to take your word for it. Because we know if we ask you to prove it, you won’t, or at least never have in the past. You will call us names, we are told to look it up ourselves, and you will send us on yet another research project based on his stupid answer which he can never prove.
Because he apparently can’t support what he says. And he does it a lot. Just like Trump. Just like all Republicans. He said it himself, he’s an extremist. Take him as his word.
Good job, mission accomplished,. I’m sure you’re going to persuade many people from the other side of the aisle to your cause because you showed them. So open and transparent.
First Larry, thanks for the mental health notes; you are a dick sometimes, you do know that, right? At least it’s common knowledge, so you must believe it’s a fact :>)
Second, I get great amusement at your lack of political expertise: you claim: “It is the the city leaders who control the institutions that operated in a racist manner…….” yet, once again, can’t come up with one supporting piece of evidence on how they magically do this. You know the place, you know the problem, apparently none of these problems occur in Red cities (which you don’t substantiate or prove either), and then you give the root cause of it all being the Democrats when you know that state law trumps city law, and federal law trumps state law, but somehow, magically, within that power structure it’s the guys who manage the operations at the city level that matter and turn all the levers.
Third, I clearly stated these were not all white-on-black, but usually white-on-minority so bugger off. Still should work, right? All minorities are Democratic, right?
You claim, this time: “Hate crimes are not necessarily institutional racism. That are acts of individuals. They can happen anywhere. But it remains true that the greatest suffering , segregation and oppression of blacks is Democrat institutional racism.” Fuck, you said the root symptom was riots, race riots too. You then tasked me to find hate crimes, similar yes, exact no, but that’s what you asked. It’s easy to keep the upper hand when you constantly change the rules of the game. You said every single riot was in Democratic controlled cities, now you finally backpedal saying it can happen anywhere but mostly by Democrats. Weasel word alert — he’s waffling.
Tough shit, I did what you asked for. And you said “all, as in every single riot, always in a Democratic city.” These may be hate crimes, but they sure look like riots too. Mobs, violence, looting, burning, what else do you need? All I need is one example to prove YOUR statement wrong and show that race riots DO exist in RED lands, specifically the micro-organism known as the city where you STATE all power resides to control these things, not the State, not the Fed. Well, again, you are BUSTED, double-busted for not accepting the truth the first time and calling it a lie.
1898, Wilmington NC massacre: Silas P. Wright was the REPUBLICAN mayor until this massacre in 1898 when he was replaced, at gunpoint, by a Democrat. The White Supremacists, overthrew the government, burned the town, and killed about 60.
BUSTED
1910, Slocum Massacre in Texas: Slocum is unincorporated and therefore controlled by Anderson County — firmly RED in 1910.
BUSTED
1918, Porvenir Massacre TX: these are Mexicans slaughtered by Texas Rangers and ranchers. Porvenir went ghost town post 1918; it was Democratic, but the Rangers and ranchers probably were not, so I guess you can call this a win although……
QUESTIONABLE
1919, Elaine Massacre AR: Democratic Mayor……but……it’s the KKK South and he probably turns Republican later. Over 200 dead, Democratic Gov. calls in Feds to qualm. Once again, killing blacks who dare to ask for equal, therefore more, pay.
1973: UpStairs Lounge Massacre LO: You’re right, not only Democratic, but really Democratic, many with the same last names….creepy Democratic.
Since you are already BUSTED, a number of times over, I will stop there.
Again, you have not proven that all riots occur only in Democratic controlled cities: I have proven that is not true.
You have not proven that Republican cities are without riot, again I showed that’s not true
You have not brought one Democratic law, policy, practice, or management process to the table that causes this that is NOT also used in Republican Cities.
You have not proven that State laws, Federal Laws, that trump all city laws, do not matter or provide safeguards against racism in the city.
I do agree that, under today’s woke definition, segregation still exists and is seen a lot in cities in the Northeast. Much of this is informal process like where Donald J. Trump turned Black renters away from his property causing him to be penalized for his behavior — that kind of stuff, he too was a Democrat who turned Republican grifter in the end. Again, I am glad Larry got woke, amazing how his hatred of anything Democratic can help him become woke.
BUSTED, numerous times. We can make more.
If you weren’t such a stubborn ass wipe, this might have been an interesting discussion: I did change my mind re Democrats and segregation for example. But you are such a jerk with your win-lose mindset, a lack of research skills, and a great difficulty staying on topic, which I have in spades too. But, if you stay calm, treat me with respect, I would love hashing through some of this stuff more —- you might even have something, like the segregation aspect, but you have to prove your stuff, and this time you have not, yet.
I contend the cities are fraught with systemic racism, as are rural areas, but it is NOT the province of one party or another, it’s white people doing it and black people accepting it, and you attempting to whitewash your own party and lay it on the opposition without factual support. Your support consists of “well, everyone knows it,” which means you are basically just speaking to your choir.
Frank Stetson. Good God. Your latest comment is an amalgam of misinformation, totally wrong information, invalid assumptions and feeble attempts to spread bs propaganda — and prima facie irrationality. I have neither the time or the interest in responding to you bullshit. Maybe responding to me is your only life … but the challenge to continuing to respond to your tons of bad information is too much. Later this year, my book will be out and there will be hundreds of pages that will give you all the information you need. Because you indicated in a previous comment that you are dealing with mental issues, I promised not to respond in kind to your childish ad hominin attacks — although I think that may be what you hope to achieve. Maybe you just crave my attention. I think I should no further serve as you enabler. Ciao.
The Porvinor thing would be great for border security. I’d like that
Having loss the battle, Larry decided to lie after calling the other guy some names.
Sure, give up, blame me, run.
BUSTED based on lack of evidence and contradicting evidence provided.