When facts are ignored and lies are believed civilization crumbles into a barbaric culture
run by power mongers promoting their dogma. In the current political climate, the popular and
widespread use of social media has changed how journalists present topics and information. It is
no longer important to fact check and verify sources because the motivation for journalists or
citizen reporters is the number of views and likes an article receives. As social media has become
a dominant source for gathering and sharing information, disinformation has become more
powerful and influential. The widespread conspiracy theory alleging that the 2020 election was
stolen, was based on the spread of misinformation through the internet, unsubstantiated evidence
of voting machine manipulation, and the absence of any scientific data analysis has been proven
to be a false claim.
Internet information is often not verified and anyone can be an influencer.
Misinformation spreads rapidly and is reposted exponentially which, after so many times, can
make it seem believable. A frightening example of this spread of misinformation is what Mike
Lindell has been doing for the past three and a half years. Lindell is the founder of the “My
Pillow” company and a staunch conservative right wing Trump advocate. He has been pushing
his conspiracy theory that “the 2020 election was stolen” (Lindell). According to Rick Weible, a
guest on Lindell’s podcast, “Championing Election Integrity: Mike Lindell and Rick Weible
Tackle Voting Security,” Weibel believes that currently “somebody is manipulating and rigging
the primary election which would make them guilty of a federal offense.” Weibel explains that in
his opinion, these election officials would then be blackmailed in order to “rig” the upcoming
general election. This conspiracy theory is still being repeated even now, after many recounts and
court hearings have proved their claim to be false.
Voting machine manipulation has been unsubstantiated and yet many believe it to be true.
Although the 2020 election has been proven to be the most secure and accurate election on
record, conspiracy theorists are still trying to claim that the voting machines were programmed
to change the election results. According to the online article “Explainer: Voting Systems
Reliable Despite Conspiracies,” by Christina Cassidy it was “the most secure in American
history.” Cassidy explains that a coalition of election officials, both state and federal,
representatives from the voting machine companies including cybersecurity personnel concurred.
Cassidy reports that it was possible to check the accuracy of the voting machines because there
were paper ballots that proved that the count between the machine and ballots matched. The
group went on record stating that, “no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes,
changed votes, or was in any way compromised” (Cassidy). The conspiracy theorists remained
undeterred and unstoppable in their endless pursuit of this stolen election lie. Finally, they were
taken to court and agreed to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to the Dominion voting machine
company.
Pushing the dogma and repeating the conspiracy theory is convincing many people even
in the face of scientific data to the contrary. According to Naomi Orsekes, confirmed theories are
backed by evidence that has been scrutinized by experts. Oreskes’ TEDTalk “Why we should
trust scientists,” discusses the process by which “scientists judge evidence collectively and focus
on a consensus.” The only scientific data that exists for this conspiracy theory proves it to be
false. The facts are there. The votes were recounted and confirmed. Voting machines were
checked and paper ballots used to corroborate the results. Formal election challenges were made
in the courts and it was repeatedly found to be an accurate and fair election, thus confirming that
the election was not stolen. However, if facts are not convincing, or even acknowledged, a
civilized and democratic system may fail.
The 2024 presidential election is only six months away. The conspiracy theory of the
stolen election has been disproved but has not gone away. The fragility of democracy can be seen
with the results of this election. If the voting American public plays by the rules and accepts the
election results then the idea of democracy will continue until it is challenged again. If the truth
is upheld and the lies are discounted and not believed, then everyone can win in the next
presidential election.
Thesis: The widespread conspiracy theory alleging that the 2020 election was stolen, based on
the spread of misinformation through social media and the internet, unsubstantiated evidence of
voting machine manipulation, and the absence of scientific data analysis, has been proven to be a
false claim.
BP 1: The spread of misinformation through social media and the internet is rampant.
Source 1: For the past three and one half years Mike Lindell, founder of the “My Pillow”
company and staunch conservative right wing Trump advocate, has been spouting his conspiracy
theory that “the 2020 election was stolen” (Lindell). According to Rick Weible, a guest on
Lindells podcast, “Championing Election Integrity: Mike Lindell and Rick Weible Tackle Voting
Security,” Weible believes that currently “somebody is manipulating and rigging the election”
which would make them guilty of a “federal offense” which said “somebody” would then use to
blackmail those same election officials in order to “rig” the upcoming general election. This
conspiracy theory
Source 2: According the online article “How Search Engines Boost Misinformation,” by Lauren
Leffer
BP 2: Facts are Voting machine manipulation is unsubstantiated but believed by many.
Source 1: Mike Lindell vehemently claims that the voting machines used during the 2020
elections were rigged to change votes from Donald Trump over to votes for Joe Biden on his
podcast “The Lindell Report” (Lindell).
Source 2: Christina Cassidy “Explainer: Voting Systems Reliable Despite Conspiracies”
BP 3: The is no scientific data to
Source : Without any scientific data to support Lindell’s conspiracy theory that the “2020
election was stolen” it is impossible to confirm this theory as fact. Confirmed theories are backed
by evidence that has been scrutinized according to Naomi Orsekes. Oreskes’ TEDTalk “Why we
should trust scientists,” discusses the process by which “scientists judge evidence collectively
and focus on a consensus.”
Source 2:
Conclusion:
