December 8, 2024

‘Free Palestine’ Supporter Shoots Two Kindergarteners at CA Christian School – Where’s Newsom’s Outrage?

Why Troubling News:

This article very sadly redirects the focus of the shooting of two kindergarteners to a politicians wording by attributing absent words to adhering to a woke agenda. The author presumes that the shooter targeted the school because it was christian and because he wanted to exact a vendetta against the us for its lack of action in the genocide of palestinians. The author then expresses disdain and accuses Newsom of not sympathizing with the victims because he did not use the same wording as with another victim of guns. The kind of tying loose threads in order to support an idea or simply cause disdain for a politician is quite polarising and very unproductive.

December 6, 2024

Trump’s Senate Backers Must Tell Him to Dump Kash Patel and Pete Hegseth

Why Troubling News:

This piece from The Daily Beast while sprinkling facts about the choices for Trump's cabniet makes comments that makes it obvious the writer's distain for Trump and his choices. The article likens Trump's choices and the possible confirmation of them to letting a friend drive drunk or being surrounded by mad dogs. As well as telling democrats to not back down on the confirmation process. The article makes it obvious that they think Trump will have his choices confirmed because republicans do not want to rock the boat and fully support Trump. This piece also acts as confirmation bias for people who do not like Trump or the people he is picking instead of just focusing on the picks backgrounds and histories.

December 3, 2024

Paranoid style of American politics should be Europe’s wake-up call

Why Troubling News:

The article expresses concern over the paranoid style of politics in the U.S. and its potential impact on Europe. It emphasizes how divisive rhetoric can lead to real-world violence and societal instability, using examples like the Capitol riot. However, there are biases in the framing of Trump’s influence, particularly in attributing a singular cause to the political turmoil in the U.S., and the comparison between U.S. and European political situations may oversimplify the complexities of both regions. While the article is a legitimate critique of contemporary political climates, it could benefit from more balanced perspectives and a deeper exploration of counterarguments.

December 2, 2024

Lebanon Ceasefire Near Collapse After Biden’s Intervention; Hezbollah Fires, IDF Vows Response

Why Troubling News:

While the article accurately reports the firing of rockets into Israel by Hezbollah, the way it portrays this as one-sided aggression on the part of Hezbollah is inaccurate to the volatile situation on the ground. The fact is that, after the ceasefire went into effect, the IDF has launched attacks and airstrikes on Lebanese territory multiple terms well before the Hezbollah attacks. This seems pretty important to mention as context to the event, but this article leaves it out, in order to claim that Hezbollah has indisputably violated the ceasefire first, when the reality is murkier and more complicated than that. This article presents an incomplete view of the situation, creating a narrative that is biased and unreflective of the truth.

December 2, 2024

WW3 fears grow as Russians visit North Korea declaring ‘we’re longtime friends’

Why Troubling News:

This article is spreading a claim without elaborating on a very heavy matter. The title and content suggest that the world is seeing an unprecedented threat to world war III - a very serious matter - and ascribing the threat to eastern powers meeting together. The article reads, "This move deepens the ties between the two nations as fears of World War III escalate globally". This quote does not explain or provide examples as to this rising global fear and instead just leaves it as a superficial claim.

November 30, 2024

Trump’s picks don’t look like America. They look exactly like Fox News

Why Troubling News:

This article does not have deliberate misinformation, per-say, but its framing, selective focus, and use of language can lead readers to form biased or incomplete conclusions. For example, while the article accurately describes the nominees’ professional backgrounds and associations with media and entertainment as well as the specific controversies that nominees were entangled in, the heavy focus on nominees’ media backgrounds without equally addressing their professional credentials may present an incomplete picture, potentially misleading readers about their qualifications. Furthermore, the article emphasizes controversies and perceived weaknesses but does not fully explore or contextualize the nominees' policy perspectives, previous achievements, or professional credentials. This imbalance could mislead by omission, leaving out key information that might present a more nuanced view. Finally, phrases like “made-for-TV Cabinet” or references to physical attributes (e.g., “great physique and hair”) might be perceived as diminishing the seriousness of the appointments. While not misinformation, this rhetorical approach could influence reader perception without directly misrepresenting facts.

November 29, 2024

Trump Jokes About Running for Third Term — Dems Freak Out

Why Troubling News:

This Opinion article from TownHall is troubling because it raises concerns about the undermining of democratic norms and the constitutional limits on presidential terms. Joking about a third term can be perceived as trivializing the rule of law and could contribute to political polarization. Such remarks might also fuel distrust among the electorate regarding the adherence to established democratic processes. In the article the author stated, "But Democrats should not be so shortsighted. If Trump pulls this off, then Obama, who is 15 years younger than Trump, could run again. Bill Clinton, two months younger than Trump, could, too. Clinton's probably itching to get the band back together and hit the campaign trail one more time. Besides, what's the Democratic alternative? Kamala Harris?" This kind of rhetoric can exacerbate tensions between the two major political parties, making it even more difficult to find common ground. By framing the discussion in terms of a potential power grab, it may push Democrats and Republicans further apart, fostering an environment of suspicion and hostility.

November 29, 2024

Get Ready for Total Chaos as House GOP Wins Historically Puny Majority

Why Troubling News:

The article starts off with a title that is obviously against the GOP or Republicans. The article goes on to discuss how the slim majority in the House will pose a problem for the GOP. Also, that in the end with Trump choosing a few people from the House for his Cabniet it will mean they only have one vote. The article states facts however it is obviously showing a bias against Republicans as it finishes off by saying that the Republicans and Trump did not have a landslide victory in the 2024 elections. The few lines of text from the article show that the author likes that issues will arise for House Republicans with such a slim majority.

November 27, 2024

Make America Safe Again: Deport Criminal Aliens

Why Troubling News:

This opinion article by Congressman Tony Gonzales I found incredibly troubling as it seems to promotes a narrative that unfairly associates immigrants with criminal behavior. The rhetoric used in the article can contribute to harmful stereotypes and overlook the complex factors that contribute to crime. In his article, Gonzales claimed "Terrorists are streaming across our borders, and the cartels are having a field day". This statement can incite fear and panic among the public, leading to increased xenophobia and discrimination against immigrants. It oversimplifies the issue by suggesting that all immigrants pose a threat, ignoring the reality that the majority of immigrants are law-abiding individuals seeking better opportunities. Furthermore, such rhetoric can hinder productive discussions on comprehensive immigration reform and border security.

November 24, 2024

These Democratic Senators Could Sure Be in Trouble After Voting for Sanders’ Anti-Israel Resolutions

Why Troubling News:

This article is about the votes for Sanders' bills to limit or halt weapons shipments to Israel. The article takes a negative stance towards any votes for the proposal, and shows bias in how it characterizes any pushback against Israel's conduct as pro-terrorist or pro-Hamas. It also shows bias, in that it only shows the negative reactions to voting for the bills, omitting any positive comments about them. While the article correctly calls out Hamas' terror attack, it fails to directly mention the reasoning for these bills, even putting Sander's accusation of Netanyahu's government of committing war crimes in quotes, despite all the evidence that it is true. Nothing of the violence inflicted upon Gaza by Israel is mentioned either, which it should when discussing the conflict. Overall, this article fails to provide a balanced viewpoint, missing a pro-Palestine voice.

November 23, 2024

Breitbart Business Digest: The Trump Economic Boom Is Already Beginning

Why Troubling News:

The headline is misleading, because it's implying that the economy is already improving because of Trump, despite not yet being President. Really, the article talks about consumer sentiments and optimism most prominently, while also writing about how Trump's proposed policies would benefit the economy. The economy has yet to actually improve in reality on the ground, and it is premature to declare that such is happening. It's simply too early. Also, the article fails to provide opposing viewpoints, such as from an economist who might be more critical of Trump's economic policies to contrast one that is supportive of them.

November 22, 2024

How President Trump can save women’s sports on Day 1

Why Troubling News:

This article immediately used very speculative and far-reaching language to generalise an issue that is only fractionally or partially true. For example, "Children should be able to learn without worrying about whether they will be denied access to the restroom, the locker room, or school sports," he said, which, translated into regular English, means "Boys, including 18-year-old seniors, must access girls’ locker rooms and sports, if it agrees with their internal sense of self." This quote, rephrased by Fox News, demonstrates the use of straw manning an original quote and oversimplifying it into more nuanced and also more vague terms to be more eye-catching.