But it's just an average week at Snopes, the esteemed debunker website.
Snopes is committed to neutrality, so the rightwing designation is mine. I counted any "legend" on the Snopes Top 25 list that directly attacks Obama, Democrats, liberals, etc. or enflames the culture wars. Most are false and they are often wrongly attributed to credible sources. Here are my selections, including Snopes' ranking (based on circulation):
2* Cap and Trade Energy Bill imposes regulations that could keep
you from selling your home
3* Obama cancels National Day of Prayer
7* Obama mocks Pledge of Allegiance etc. attributed to B. Hackett's widow
8* Obama (or Clinton) orders the firing of cattle guards
9* Constitutional amendment needed to make members of Congress live by
the same rules as regular US citizens
10* 17M in Stimulus funds saves the job of Michelle Obama's brother
19* Upcoming movie to portray Jesus as gay
20* Texas attorney claims that all personal health care decisions will be
made by federal bureaucrats
24* Obama directs issuance of US stamp honoring Muslim holiday
25* 60 Minutes' Andy Rooney rails against "government stooges" giving
money to "crack addicts for squirting out babies", etc.
Now that's a pretty strange world, isn't it? I'd be darn upset if I had to live in it. But lucky for all of us, reality is not created by wingnut imagination.
Just in case you have an appetite for coming attractions, check out Snopes' What's New:
Pretty much the same proportion of rightwing screeds to assorted bogus warnings/weird inventions. (NOTE: There's ONE leftwing "legend" that claims Walmart has authorized the US law enforcement to enter its stores to arrest immigrants.
Bottomline, this underworld of hate and disinformation deserves a lot more attention. Infecting personal distribution lists and FB pages, this stuff is even more extreme/outrageous than the rantings of Glenn Beck, the phony postering of the GOP, and distorted missives from the pulpits of religious cultural warriors. And it's harder to combat. As a newbie Kos diarist, I'd like to help focus some dKos brain power on this. More thoughts to come in future diaries - hope you'll join in.