The Challenge of Determining Credibility and Trustworthy Information

On this episode of Fault Lines, hosts Garland Nixon and Lee Stranahan discuss several stories which highlight why it can be difficult for the public to know what sources of information to trust. The media and politicians are known to act in a deceptive manner, but even a source such as Wikipedia can manipulate reality and public perception.

Guests:

Patrick Henningsen — Journalist & Founder of: 21stCenturyWire.com | The White Helmets in Syria, Saudi Arabian Beheadings, and Julian Assange's Legal Battle

Elbert Guillory — Former State Senator from Louisiana | What is Driving Political & Religious Violence?

Kit Klarenberg — Investigative Journalist w/ Sputnik News | Wikipedia and the Distortion of Truth

Carmine Sabia — Writer & Managing Editor at TheFederalistPapers.org | Is Joe Biden the Biggest Threat to President Trump in 2020?

Yesterday, 'Fault Lines' host Lee Stranahan attended a presentation at the Russian Embassy in Washington DC about the "White Helmets" and their activities in Syria. Patrick Henningsen, Journalist & Founder of: 21stCenturyWire.com, has covered the "White Helmets" on his website in great detail, and he joins today's show to discuss the nature of this group and how they have forged relationships with certain US politicians. Additionally, Patrick and the hosts talk about recent beheadings in Saudi Arabia, the US relationship with the Saudi government, and the current legal situations facing both Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning.

There has been a growing trend of political and religious violence in recent years both in the US and around the globe. Elbert Guillory, a former State Senator from Louisiana, returns to the program to discuss some of the potential causes for these recent acts of violence, the history of violence in the United States, and the effectiveness of the modern US Criminal Justice System.

Many people automatically accept what they read on Wikipedia as truth without researching topics beyond this point. Kit Klarenberg, an Investigative Journalist w/ Sputnik News, joins Garland and Lee for a conversation about the editing process on Wikipedia and how powerful individuals/groups can use this as a strategy to manipulate information.

Joe Biden appears to be one of the frontrunners to win the Democratic nomination for President in 2020, but he will need to navigate through an extremely crowded field of candidates to get his chance at defeating President Trump in the General Election. Carmine Sabia, Writer & Managing Editor at TheFederalistPapers.org, returns to the show to discuss the likelihood that Biden secures the Democratic nomination, if Biden is the Democrat who has the best chance to defeat President Trump, and if Trump could face any serious challenge in the Republican Primary.

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