Fake news

by Kenyon Bennett

Fake news appears to be more easily disseminated today, especially when people post online. With the upcoming presidential and additional elections being held November 5, unreliable information could surface. How can a citizen determine if information is factual? Look at the source. Is the source reliable? Can the information be verified? Use your common sense when reading or hearing news, opinions, or political advertisements. Determine who might benefit from the content. 

Misinformation was published in the Milwaukee News Nov. 19, 1862. Two Iowa County Civil War soldiers in the 31st Wisconsin Infantry, Company C, took issue and responded to a fake “Letter to the Editor,” which had been signed with their names.

The fake letter said, “Wyoming, Nov. 11, 1862. Mr. Editor: The soldiers at Prairie du Chien were not allowed to vote the Democratic ticket – The tickets were burned up, and the officers threatened to hang those who voted for Democratic candidates. The following persons are witnesses to the above facis:  Lyman Minor, Joseph Dochnahl.” 

The real Lyman Minor and Joseph Dochnahl reacted angrily when notified of the letter’s existence. Their response was published in the Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, Dec. 3, 1862: “Editors Journal: The above infamous lie (for we can call it nothing else) appeared in the Milwaukee News of the 19th. It was not written by us, nor did we know anything of it, until our attention was called to it in the News. It must have been written by some miserable, lying politician for effect among the ignorant classes, for no reasonable man would believe a word of it. Neither our regimental or our company officers used the first word of command about voting either one way or the other, but allowed the men to use their own judgment about who they voted for, and the man who wrote the above, whoever he may be, we denounce him a miserable, lying poltroon. Lyman Minor, Joseph Dochnahl.”

A poltroon is defined as “an utter coward.”

Keep your wits about you as our elections draw near.