Elsewhere in the cyberworld there’s a post about how “The Media” – especially the local paper – isn’t getting it right. Too often they miss facts or they’re obviously attached the wrong name to the wrong idea or side. Because of this we’re not getting any traction. We’re not able to get the message about this group out – what is “Save Our Town” in Rindge New Hampshire and why are we against “Agenda 21.”
Here are some facts that we need to deal with and actions we have to take post-haste. We’re losing the opinion/perception war and we have to turn it around.
First, we have to come to grips with the facts that those in “the media” are not our friends. When they’re not being lazy or incompetent (IE: Getting facts wrong or backwards) they’re running interference for the local, state, and federal governments because they don’t want to lose their insider status. They like having their egos massaged by those in power and given little bits of news-kibble to make themselves feel relevant and effective at their jobs.
Second – we’re not in control of our own message. We don’t have a web presence outside of Facebook (that I know of) where our facts and commentary aren’t out there for the world to see. We need a presence where we can permanently post our stance on issues, what are our official talking points, and when/where the next meetings will be held.
Third – We have to engage our neighbors and friends in public and social media who are either misinformed or outright lying about this group and what we’re out to accomplish. There are a couple of people I’ve been engaged in debates on-line and I have a better idea of what they THINK we’re about and not what’s reality.
Fourth – We need to knock it off with some of our cowardly stances on some issues and unanswered questions. I’m really disturbed about what “The Wizard” has been doing “behind the curtain” and how we’re either shamed or shunned for asking genuinely honest questions or voicing our concerns. We let some issues go because… why? There have been some really ugly things going on in this town and we’re afraid to tackle them for reasons that are beyond me.
For example – a company cheated this town out of more than $100,000 and everyone’s idea of handling that is ignore it and hope it goes away. Even worse, some of us carry on with the attitude that it’ll be “too hard” or “too expensive” to go after the people involved. From what a lawyer friend of mine told me, these people broke Federal and State laws and we don’t want to go after them because of no good reason.
If they can do it to us, someone else can and will because we’ve proven they can get away with it.
Like I said – this is a war of opinions and perceptions and we’re not fighting it by new rules of engagement. If we’re going to win, we’re going to win by fighting on our own terms and turn their weapons of mass disinformation against them and in our favor armed with the actual truth.
