Joe Boyles Guest Columnist
A self-fulfilling prophecy begins with a false narrative that seems believable and consequently, causes others to perpetuate the original error. As such, it becomes self-fulfilling, taking on a life of its own. Con artists and politicians are famous for throwing out a false assumption and then building their narrative upon that. That's one of the reasons we must challenge assumptions for their validity. As one of my former bosses used to say, "You need to have a healthy dose of skepticism."
Here's an example of a false assumption building a self-fulfilling prophecy. A couple of weeks ago in Chicago, a struggling gay actor Jussie Smollett told authorities he had been set upon by a couple of thugs who assaulted him, hurled racial and homophobic epitaphs and hung a noose around his neck. By his description, his assaulters were white nationalists and Trump supporters.
The media ran with this narrative because it fit their stereotype and Jussie got way more than his 15 minutes of fame. Politicians like Cory Booker and Kamala Harris trumpeted the narrative because they want us to believe that they are the anecdote to this obvious hate crime.
Chicago Police department (CPD) detectives and prosecutors took a more measured approach because A) there were more holes in Jussie's story than a block of Swiss cheese, and B) because they have to deal with facts rather than assertions, evidence rather than allegations. To their credit, the local media in Chicago also took a more sober examination. Meanwhile, the national media went bonkers because they bought in from the start – it fit their narrative.
Did Jussie make this whole thing up? Apparently, he had a couple of acquaintances from Nigeria (of all places) and paid them to stage the incident, including the purchase of the rope. The two Nigerian brothers were apprehended by CPD and questioned. Their story checked out and they were released with no charges. Jussie is "no longer considered a victim" according to the police. Maybe he will be charged with a crime such as making a false report. Investigators and prosecutors move much more deliberately than opportunistic politicians and the gullible media.
This is not the first instance of such behavior on the part of the media, the so-called ‘fourth estate.' A few weeks ago, I wrote about how they piled on to a false narrative in the case of the Covington Kids. Wasn't it ten years ago that the Duke Lacrosse Case splashed across the media? There were real consequences to that false narrative.
Some are so gullible that they cannot wait to repeat and up the ante on a story that fits their narrative. Seasoned CBS journalist Lara Logan just testified to this phenomena to Breitbart News. The media is in lock step; they hate Trump beyond reason; and will jump on any story which might be used to discredit the president. If the story later proves to be untrue, as apparently is the case with Jussie Smollett, they simply move on to the next opportunity with no apology, nothing learned.
You have to wonder about the temperament of politicians who are so quick to jump on board and condemn without waiting just a moment to ask a few questions and check out the story. Smollett's first version was simply unbelievable to anyone with a discerning mind, but the mob of media and political wantabees simply ran blindly with the narrative because they saw an opportunity to discredit Trump and his supporters. Despite mounting evidence that this incident is merely a hoax, one CNN correspondent is still holding out hope that somehow the story proves true – she wants her prejudice to be confirmed … somehow, someway.
Do you see how the self-fulfilling prophecy works? The minds of those who are so quick to rush to judgment are neither unbiased nor questioning. Their prejudice is so palpable and the false allegation so fits the narrative they believe that they are perfectly willing to run over the cliff of truth.
Politicians are opportunists, here one moment and gone the next, but we must demand more from the professional media. The media is so important to a free democracy that their rights are preserved in the First Amendment of the Constitution. They must do better. If they continue to fail, as they apparently have in the case of Jussie Smollett, then they will be replaced by non-professional citizen journalists.