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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsInside The Mueller Report, This Man Found A Photo Of His Dad Being Used By Russians
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"When a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 election was released to the public and Congress this week, the effects of Russian influence efforts through social media became clearer.
Part of the information included in the report were examples of material that Russian trolls used, and one particular image stuck out to Ronnie Hipshire, a retired coal miner in West Virginia.
On Page 31 of the Mueller report, Hipshire saw a photo of his father, Lee, another coal miner who died of complications from black lung disease, on a poster for a "Miners for Trump" rally in Pennsylvania. The Russian troll farm called the Internet Research Agency had used the photo, without the family's permission, for a pro-Trump poster."
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"What I didn't like about seeing this on the Mueller report is them stealing my dad's picture and putting it on a Trump campaign rally," Hipshire said in an interview with NPR's All Things Considered. "My dad was one of the most staunch Democrats that you'll ever see in your life, and he never would have even thought about putting his face on something like that. It just was beyond me to see it."
https://www.npr.org/2019/04/21/715765240/inside-the-mueller-report-this-man-found-a-photo-of-his-dad-being-used-by-russia
Blue Owl
(50,513 posts)Hope that family sues Red Don and his Russian goons...
mopinko
(70,238 posts)nini
(16,672 posts)If someone did that with an image of my dad I'd lose my stinking mind. My dad was like this guy's dad - hardcore Democrat on the right side of history.
Cracklin Charlie
(12,904 posts)And its an official Trump/Pence rally poster?
How much evidence is needed?
TwilightZone
(25,485 posts)From what I understand, official campaign docs have to have the "paid for by x" info on them, and it doesn't appear that this does.
I think they just made it look official with a hashtag and info on an actual campaign event, which would have been public info.
It's things like this that make me scoff at people (mostly right-wingers) who say that the Russian propaganda was obvious and everyone should have been able to tell what was Russian propaganda and what wasn't. Unless one knows the specifics (and I could be wrong about the disclaimer), it's not patently obvious.
hughee99
(16,113 posts)That made voting decisions based on internet memes and propaganda. How do you protect the lowest of the low information voters from themselves?
TwilightZone
(25,485 posts)Some of my acquaintances who I thought were intelligent and who are trained professionals (doctors, etc.) were sharing clearly-false memes on social media. It's a bit perplexing how they don't see through even obvious propaganda.
At least with this particular example, it looks reasonably legitimate. Not so with a lot of the stuff people I thought knew better were sharing.
Gidney N Cloyd
(19,847 posts)If you point something out and suggest that we should hold ourselves to higher standards you stand a 50/50 chance of being called a nitpicker or something. Whether they go on to repeat the bad info elsewhere, I don't know. I've always been amazed at the lengths some really bright and accomplished people will go to avoid admitting they messed up or were fooled.
TwilightZone
(25,485 posts)I see that often here as well. The ability to see what we want to see doesn't apply only to the right, of course. It's human nature, but we really sure try to hold ourselves to better standards.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,368 posts)TwilightZone
(25,485 posts)Thanks for the info. I just assumed (oops) that it was an actual event to make it seem legit.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,368 posts)The rally in Pittsburgh was supposed to be held at Steel Plaza. Other rallies were scheduled in Philadelphia, Erie, Scranton and Harrisburg, but none ever took place.
The report says Russia created the ads and was behind the push to get people to attend.
https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2019/04/18/special-counsel-robert-mueller-report-released/
https://www.witf.org/news/2019/04/mueller-report-mentions-miners-for-trump-rally-in-pittsburgh.php
Whether anyone turned up at the time and places, and said "what's going on?" I've no idea. But the main purpose was just to get the target audience (and the point of these was they were targeted - so the people most likely to be able to debunk them probably never saw them - see https://www.democraticunderground.com/100212036627 ) to think there's a big "white working man's vote" for Trump. Whether Cambridge Analytica or other non-Russian groups were involved, I'd love to know.
SMC22307
(8,090 posts)But that man had a rough career and died as a result of it and I have zero patience with Democrats/Liberals who trash miners to score political points.
SunSeeker
(51,726 posts)Corgigal
(9,291 posts)the family is a victim but republicans never care. Well, until it's them.
Generic Other
(28,979 posts)I think it is safe to call this guy's dad a victim as well. I will see if I can "fix" the poster with some hard photoshop truth. Be back.
Generic Other
(28,979 posts)"I am sounding so much the American now," types Ivan from his cubicle in St. Petersburg.
Generic Other
(28,979 posts)I helped Mr. Trump "fix-it." Whaddya think?
Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)grantcart
(53,061 posts)muriel_volestrangler
(101,368 posts)https://www.npr.org/sections/pictureshow/2012/07/06/156386882/documenting-dirty-jobs-miners-at-work
I'm hoping that "at age 36, he had worked 26 years underground" is a mistake - were 10 year kids really working underground in 1950?
geardaddy
(24,931 posts)Definitely not legally. They probably worked "off the books."