DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE: Is political subjectivity getting in the way of the truth?
The plot continues to twist and turn in the United States.
And whatever the case may be, and there are already too many cases in 2025, it is safe to say the tragedies we are witnessing in the US are most definitely bipartisan – as in “not picking a political side.”
Overall, for those paying attention it’s clear “Earth” is changing at breakneck speed and is undergoing as much an energy shift as a physical one.
Perhaps I’ve gone down too many rabbit holes over the last two-and-a-half years writing this column.
To that end I will mention that if you’re not tracking what I’m saying it’s probably not a promising idea to continue reading, because this puzzle is a messy and convoluted one and it’s necessary to begin at the beginning.
For those keeping up, let’s begin with the airline tragedies so far in 2025.
Did you know there have already been 15 plane crashes or minor collisions this year involving commercial jets or smaller planes?
15 in 31 days is not a coincidence anymore.
I’m not sure of the specific information mainstream media is reporting on the AA flight #5342 collision with the Army Black Hawk helicopter on Jan. 29.
How many people remember the crash last week when initially reported? There were four survivors mentioned and comments of being en-route to hospital?
NBC News reported it among others, yet I never heard about the survivors again. I even saved videos from the various news stations reporting the survivors, then nothing.
The Black Hawk helicopter, according to the flight log, originated from the Saudi Arabian embassy in McClean, VA. Also pointed out was this type of Black Hawk was part of what was described as a “doomsday response unit” reportedly responsible for evacuating top US leaders during a national emergency.
I heard reports from airline pilots and military personnel that something is off with this incident.
And apparently it goes even deeper than just the helicopter’s tracking system reportedly being turned off so air traffic control could not determine its altitude or that it was flying too high.
And did you know these Black Hawks can be flown autonomously?
Look into the story of the captain (yes, the female whose name was released days later) do your due diligence there.
Puzzle pieces strewn everywhere – and lots of distractions.
I have the same question as always; WHY?
And, did you know there was another AA flight forced to redirect in DC 24 hours before the #5342 crash (nypost.com/2025/02/01/us-news/another-american-airlines-flight-was-forced-into-last-second-redirect-at-dca-24-hours-before-tragic-crash)?
Then there was the Medevac jet (www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/02/01/medevac-philadelphia-plane-crash-explosion-child/78108868007) that crashed in Philadelphia leaving seven dead and 19 injured.
One eyewitness called it a rocket.
If you get a chance, listen to the conversation between air traffic control and the person flying that plane.
At one point you can hear someone saying faintly either “you are talking to” or “f***ing with the wrong people.”
As I’m writing my column on February 2, I’m reading there was a United Airlines flight from Houston to LaGuardia aborted because a fire on the wing during takeoff (apnews.com/article/houston-airport-united-airlines-airplane-fire-fdc815c41ce744b674fd595ef551b507).
I didn’t hear Trump’s speech about the AA airline tragedy. I did hear much ado about his DEI mention and I was not clear what either side was saying on this topic, so I went down the rabbit hole as to why he made mention of DEI and the FAA being connected.
From what I was able to piece together thus far, and I will go deeper in a future column if time allows, the airline quagmire and DEA reference is a result of years of hiring practices that date back pre-Trump (45th) and Biden.
Honestly, I have flown more than two million miles during my travel writing career, and if I had known then what I know now, I might never have gotten on a plane.
People I’m friends with, acquaintances with, work beside or garner information from be it social media or real life have strong opinions.
Some of these people I agree with, some I do not.
I’ve noticed that a portion of the information I read from this menagerie described above often turns out to be half true or misinformed.
Certainly, this can be due to faulty mainstream narrative, but perhaps it could also be due to a subjective versus objective narrative.
I was discussing a cold case with a police chief friend last week having the “I am a journalist” and “I am law enforcement” conversation, and he threw the word objective at me. It reminded me nothing is black or white.
The way a person sees a situation, a political event, religion, a tragedy, or even how a person makes a decision is often made without their being privy to 95% of the information that will determine the outcome.
That fact can really skew how a person sees the world.
That’s why it’s so important to do your own digging to understand exactly what’s going on, exactly what’s half-right, and exactly what’s being parroted by mainstream media.
Are people truly being objective anymore regarding the information they so passionately attach to? Or has it become being upset by another who disagrees?
People can make an argument for “anything.” Then that same argument becomes based on how that “anything” is related to you.
There are so many scenarios that could be the reason for the upside down, tragic, unusual events happening in the world these days.
I’m going to say this – whether you hate Trump or love him – he is doing exactly what he said he was going to do when he was elected.
Whether you liked or disliked the last administration – they did exactly what they indicated they were going to do.
Imperative now is the red and blue come together and figure out how to decipher these extremely low vibrational negative occurrences that are designed to cause disruption.
Regardless of whether you love or hate Trump, the current fear and hate is also what is dividing and distracting this country.
This is not the time to be a divided country.
This is not a time to allow politicians to make money from lobbyists who have a stake in the bottom line, which does not benefit Americans.
Look beyond the script being played out on the world stage.
One more example, let us say you hate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Let’s say you don’t want him confirmed to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.
Ask yourself objectively why you dislike him so much (anything other than the Caroline Kennedy’s rant about him).
Is it because you believe big Pharma lobbyist do have a place in our government making our politician’s rich at a price?
Sure, as with most disputes this issue goes deeper, but front and center is the fact Kennedy dislikes pharmaceutical companies.
Also front and center are the politicians who do not like the proverbial apple cart kicked over by Kennedy.
During Kennedy’s confirmation hearing, we heard Bernie Sanders (D-VT) protesting Kennedy’s lack of love for big pharma – and of course Sanders would protest a report stated he has received $1,953,613 from big pharma.
And Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has reportedly received $1,224,145 from same and – the list goes on.
Caroline apparently enjoys pharmaceutical company benefits too. Her 2023 financial disclosures indicate she had ties with Johnson & Johnson and Bristol Myers Squibb.
It’s fine to have a different opinion and to stand behind it.
It’s not fine to let your opinion throw you into fear, which blocks your ability to contribute to a positive solution and to objectively see the bigger picture.
Mainstream has a narrative. You can even if you choose say I have a narrative. So do your own research.
Understand why you agree or disagree with misinformation, lack of transparency and what people might call a heavy hand from the new administration.
Decide to use mainstream or social media as merely breadcrumbs you can follow to find your own level of objectivity while seeking the truth.
Rita Cook is a freelance writer for The Ellis County Press. She can be reached at rcook13@earthlink.net.