I hope I wasn’t the only reader to note the irony in the Sunday opinion piece “6 ways to think like a CIA analyst to beat fake news.”
Historically, one of the functions of the CIA has been to create and disseminate fake or at least slanted news to support military interventions and American foreign policy in general. As just one example of many, the Iraq War could not have happened without CIA connivance in creating a false public impression of Iraqi “weapons of mass destruction” aimed at the United States. And for decades the CIA maintained paid assets at major media outlets throughout the world – including the U.S. media, which was liberally seeded with CIA plants.
So when a “veteran former CIA analyst” offers lessons in detecting disinformation, consider her Rule #4: “Don’t blindly trust sources, assess them.”
Hugh Iglarsh, Skokie
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Parents knew best for Alfie Evans
It is amazing to me that the British government’s decision to kill an infant despite the wishes of his parents was not on the front page news around the world. Alfie Evans, who died on Saturday, had a serious disease that required life support to keep him alive. Because Britain had no known cure for this disease, the government decided to take the child off life support. This happened even though Italy offered to pay for experimental treatment to save the boy’s life. Pope Francis begged Britain to allow Italy to try and save the boy’s life.
Alfie’s parents desperately wanted to try this option, but the arrogant British government decided it knew best. If ever there were an outrageous attack on personal freedom, this is it. Yet there were no massive protests in Britain or Europe over this outrage because they are used to the “state” controlling their lives.
Let’s hope that Americans can remember why our Republic is so special and why we must fight to retain our individual freedom, no matter the cost.
Randy Rossi, Grayslake
Alfie Evans and government health care
The underlying principle behind the judicial decision in Britain to allow Alfie Evans to die is universal: A government that pays for your health care eventually acts as if it owns your body and your children’s.
Richard E. Ralston
Executive Director
Americans for Free Choice in Medicine
A Nobel for Trump? Seriously?
That anybody would tout President Donald Trump for a Nobel Prize is stunning. Trump has done nothing but vilify and insult anyone who is different from him, from American citizens to immigrants to world leaders. Where is his concern for all people living in the United States. Where are his proposals for healing this nation, rather than dividing it? Where is our peace?
Until Trump learns to act like a leader, he should not even be considered for such an honor, regardless of results concerning the Korean Peninsula.
Barb Minarik, Logan Square
