It can be dizzying stuff trying to parse through the misinformation, smears, and attacks that sweep in on cue each election, especially as the attacks become more vicious and more outrageous with each passing presidential election cycle.
And if you can’t even understand or refute the lies and the spin that is out there, how can you attempt to push back or have an honest conversation with friends and peers?
When it comes to Israel politics, the Middle East conflict, and American Jewish opinion, an unprecedented tens of millions of dollars will be spent this cycle to skew the pro-Israel narrative and push out an array of falsehoods, myths, and smears when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the situation with Iran, the two-state solution, and American Jewish values and votes.
In previous years, those of us who have wanted to push back and respond to these attacks have had no place to do so. Instead, we have watched somewhat helplessly as email forwards, videos and online ads, and hawkish bloggers have pulled the Israel story far to the right.
This time, we’re doing something different. This time, we’re going to fight back and respond.
To do this, J Street’s Future of Pro-Israel campaign recently launched the Rapid Response Network, a social media tool for people committed to pushing back and taking action against misinformation, smears, and attacks when it comes to Israel, the two-state solution, and diplomacy in the Middle East.
The RR Network includes a website where folks can find the latest talking points, facts, and figures about a range of issues relating to Israel this election cycle.
People who sign up for this group will also be sent emails and SMS messages when we hear of a new smear spreading with the accurate information needed to respond.
This is the first time pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy Americans have a way to stand up and say no more to the lies and misinformation that have dominated inboxes and social media chatter in years past.
We can change the pro-Israel narrative this election. We can make sure we get out the real facts when it comes to American Jewish values and votes. But we can only do this with your help.
Watch the video below, and sign up for the Rapid Response Network here.
Carinne Luck is the J Street VP of Field & Campaigns