Friend,
We are in the midst of a voter misinformation crisis, and the mainstream media is adding fuel to a raging fire. Voters already face incredible confusion about the safest way to vote in the midst of a pandemic, and the Trump administration continues to intentionally spread disinformation in an attempt to maintain its hold on the White House.
We are calling upon the media to ensure that all election coverage is given the gravity it deserves:
- Do not repeat baseless claims of voter fraud.
- Reject coverage that fuels partisanship, hate and violence.
- Cover and confront Trump’s attempts to derail the election directly. Don’t default to “both-sides” framing.
- Support and amplify local-news reporting on voter-suppression tactics.
What is at stake is more than just the election; more even than the integrity of the democratic structures we rely upon to guide a free society. In a country where police murder Black people with impunity, and the President empowers those murders both explicitly and implicitly, our lives are on the line.
The fourth estate serves an essential function in a free society. It serves to safeguard the truth, and protect the public from the violence which springs inevitably from propaganda. 2020 is the Year of Truth, and without truth in our media we can not have truth in our government.
For future generations,
Rev Yearwood
Founder & President
Hip Hop Caucus
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