Truth Over Tribalism: Why Misinformation Hurts Us All

 

I’m a self-proclaimed redneck. I own guns. I hunt. I shoot for sport. I believe in the Second Amendment and the right to defend oneself and one’s family. I also believe in truth. And lately, I’ve seen too many people on all sides of the political spectrum abandon it in favor of something far more dangerous: fear, outrage, and grievance. What I call FOG.

Recently, I came across a meme circulating online that listed a bunch of mass shooters and labeled them all as “trans.” No sources. No context. Just a black background, white text, and a whole lot of insinuation. The message was clear—blame a marginalized group for a societal crisis. As someone who values truth and civil discourse, I find this kind of garbage not just unhelpful. It’s corrosive.

Let me be blunt. If you care about gun rights, public safety, or the health of our republic, spreading false narratives like this does nothing to support your cause. It damages the epistemology of truth, the very foundation of how we know what we know. And when truth erodes, so does trust. Without trust, we can’t build bridges. We can’t solve problems. We can’t even talk to each other.

The Cost of FOG

Fear, outrage, and grievance are powerful tools. Politicians use them. Media outlets use them. Activists use them. (Outrage Entrepreneurs & Grievance Grifters).  But when we let FOG guide our thinking, we stop asking questions. We stop checking facts. We stop seeing people as people and start seeing them as threats.

That meme didn’t just misrepresent reality. It weaponized identity. It took a handful of cases—some of which were outright hoaxes—and tried to paint an entire community with a brush soaked in suspicion. That’s not truth. That’s propaganda.

And here’s the kicker. Even if every name on that list were accurate—which they’re not—it still wouldn’t justify the implication that being trans or gender-fluid is somehow linked to violence. That’s not how data works. That’s not how logic works. That’s not how decency works.

Truth Is a Bridge, Not a Bludgeon

I host a podcast called Derate the Hate, where I talk to people from all walks of life—left, right, center, and everything in between. What I’ve learned is that most folks, regardless of their politics, want the same things: safety, dignity, opportunity, and a sense of belonging. But we won’t get there by demonizing each other. We get there by telling the truth, even when it’s inconvenient.

Truth doesn’t mean agreeing on everything. It means agreeing on the facts. It means being willing to say, “I got that wrong,” or “I need to learn more,” or “Let’s look at the data together.” That’s how we build trust. That’s how we build community. That’s how we build a country worth defending.

The Role of Responsible Advocacy

As someone who STRONGLY supports gun rights, I want our movement to be rooted in integrity. That means calling out misinformation, even when it comes from “our side.” It means refusing to scapegoat vulnerable groups just to score political points. It means recognizing that the fight for liberty is also a fight for truth.

If we want to be taken seriously—by lawmakers, by the public, by future generations—we have to hold ourselves to a higher standard. That starts with rejecting memes that mislead, misrepresent, and misinform. It starts with asking, “Is this true?” before we hit share. It starts with remembering that every person, no matter their identity, deserves to be seen as a human being first.

A Call to Clarity—and Courage

We live in a time when information is abundant but clarity is scarce. That’s why it’s more important than ever to be intentional about what we say, what we share, and what we stand for. Whether you’re a gun owner, a trans advocate, a political independent, or just someone trying to make sense of the noise—truth is your ally. FOG is your enemy.

So let’s clear the air. Let’s commit to truth, even when it challenges our assumptions. Let’s reject the easy outrage and choose the harder path of understanding. Because in the end, the only way we move forward is together—and the only way we come together is through truth.

If you’re ready to be part of that journey, subscribe to the Derate the Hate podcast wherever you get your podcasts. We’re having conversations that matter, with people who care about dignity, empathy, and real solutions.

And if you believe in courageous connections across societal divides, check out Braver Angels. Join the movement that’s rebuilding civic trust through structured and meaningful conversations. We’re not in the business of winning arguments—we’re in the business of healing a nation.

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