I (Devries) recently reached out to someone important in my life whose politics have been slipping further toward harmful, far-right politics. Our conversations had become increasingly strained because of our shared commitment to opposing politics. This person’s unshakable evangelicalism functions in tandem with their faith in Donald Trump’s political and moral virtue, reflective of Trump’s strong support among white evangelicals. Still, in my growing desperation to counter the “fake news” surrounding this person, I sent them an article about how evangelicals could now step back and think about whether Trump’s character still truly embodied their values, four years into his presidency. I thought this article might provide a safe space for this person not to debate, but to pause in their unquestioned support for Trump, since the article was written by an evangelical, and the author expressed support for some Republican policies. In short, I saw this piece of media as a way in—a means of accessing this person in a way that might afford a political rewiring.
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Source: Processes of Authentication and “Fake” News: On Gaining System Access | Items