Do Your Homework. Do The Math.

     Wait!  Don't just pass that meme or link along, no matter how well it fits with what you believe, expect, or even with what you think you know.

     Check it out.  Read the fine print.  Evaluate the source. (Here's some help.) Follow the links and get back to the primary source, if you can.

     Most reputable news providers cover who, what, where, when and how pretty accurately.  Where they fall down is on "why," and in how much of the story they choose to tell.  You must provide context -- and you don't do that by passing along a few lines that resonated with your own notions; you don't do that by uncritically sharing some commentator's opinion as though it were fact.  You don't do that by blind loyalty to any politician or party.

     People like to bluster that "their opinion is just as good as anybody else's," but in fact, your opinion is valueless when you don't have the facts.  Look that stuff up!  Don't assume you already know, especially those things that "everybody knows."  Make sure!  Double-check!  When there are reasonable doubts, share the doubt!

     You have at your fingertips the most amazing system for finding things out ever seen in the entire span of human history.  When you use it to spread unsubstantiated, alarmist rumor and utter nonsense, you let down all those who came before you and shortchange your future descendants.  You lend aid and comfort to the enemies of Western Civilization.

     There are barbarians at the gate -- and they're carrying memes.