Pro gun-control supporters are spreading misinformation, accusing the author of a provocative doctored video of intending to smear Ms. Gonzalez's reputation.
But was that the creator's intent? Not according to the creator! On the very tweet, he/she states: "This is obviously a parody/satire. You’re all mad because it’s believable, isn’t it? That’s the best type of satire. It’s a comedic reflection of reality."
The alteration was intended to make a political statement: By tearing into gun rights, people like Ms. Gonzalez are effectively tearing up the principles by which this country was founded upon, and thus are effectively tearing up the U.S. Constitution. The video is meant as a visual metaphor—a commentary. It's a deep statement to make, and it may be provocative, but it is not deceitful.
That is not the narrative that the mainstream media wishes to tell, though.
Instead of clearing the air and remaining factual, they chose to take advantage of the confusion and feed into it. CNN recently reported on this story of course, and put a very unironic spin on things. They quote Teen Vogue's spokesperson, (the producer of the original video), who said: "The fact that we even have to clarify this is proof of how democracy continues to be fractured by people who manipulate and fabricate the truth."
But who is really manipulating and fabricating truth?
Instead of making it absolutely clear of the author's real intent, the media is obfuscating facts and emphasizing the confusion, thus propagating a narrative which feeds into peoples' sympathy for the shooting victims. But it is base on a lie.
Think critically. Why would someone want to doctor a video to fool people into believing a shallow lie? This is the age of the Internet, where grassroots fact-checking is as fast and efficient as the swarm. The people who created the satire are most likely 4channers, Kekistanis. These are the people who INVENTED swarm fact checking. Do you really think they would be so foolish as to spread a trivial smear piece?
Unfortunately, due to this disinformation, plenty of people are now spreading misinformed memes which are swaying opinion against rationality and fact. You know.. the very thing the Russians were accused of doing during the election? Fake news? All that jazz?
The ironic thing about this is that those who are propagating this false narrative are committing the same offense of libel that they are accusing the satirist of!
Because Emma was the victim of a mass shooting, and because she's young, (and dare I say because she's a she, and a lesbian, and an ethnic minority, and a very outspoken critic), people seem to be more than willing to buy into the false narrative at face value rather than look deeper into the facts. The media is not helping. They are pulling the wool over the eyes of millions. It is a concerted effort.
Incidentally, I covered her eyes to make my own statement. Those who defend her often say she is a defenseless victim, and I'm inclined to agree. She, like the others who have decided to stand up and speak out passionately, seem to be being led into a very dark, sordid, multi-layered political game by powerful figures. They are being treated like defenseless pawns, even after having put their friends to rest, used in ways that I don't even think they fully understand. At least, this is what I'm hoping. I would hate to think these people are willing participants in such an evil undertaking.