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AMERICAN VIEWS 2020: TRUST, MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY

For the 2020 American Views survey, Gallup and Knight polled more than 20,000 U.S. adults and found deepening pessimism and further partisan entrenchment about how the news media delivers on its democratic mandate for factual, trustworthy information. Many Americans feel the media’s critical role of informing and holding those in power accountable is compromised by increasing bias. As such, Americans have not only lost confidence in the ideal of an objective media, they believe news organizations actively support the partisan divide. At the same time, Americans have not lost sight of the value of news — strong majorities uphold the ideal that the news media is fundamental to a healthy democracy.

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Sweden’s Top Epidemiologist: ‘We See No Point In Wearing Masks’

Sweden’s top epidemiologist says he sees “no point” in mandating masks in public across the country, which has seen its COVID-19 numbers plunge in recent months.

“With numbers diminishing very quickly in Sweden, we see no point in wearing a face mask in Sweden, not even on public transport,” Anders Tegnell said, according to Fortune.

Newsweek reports that as of Sunday, “the latest death rate in Sweden (deaths per 100,000 people) was reported to be 56.40. The figure is lower than that reported in the U.K. (69.60), Spain (60.88) and Italy (58.16), according to the latest report Sunday by Johns Hopkins University.”

“That Sweden has come down to these levels is very promising,” Tegnell told reporters in Stockholm on Tuesday. “The curves are going down and the curves for the seriously ill are beginning to approach zero.”

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“V For Vendetta” – Was V’s 2005 “Sermon” Warning Us Of COVID-19(84) Tyranny?

The movie V for Vendetta  is set in an alternative reality where a neo-fascist totalitarian regime has subjugated the United Kingdom under the guise of protecting the people from war, terror and disease. Yes, disease. Indeed, the following clip from this 15-year-old dystopian film looks awfully like the world we now live in today, does it not?

At the film’s catalyst, a freedom fighter (codenamed “V”) hijacks the feed for a major TV network in London and broadcasts a “sermon” to the nation wearing a Guy Fawkes mask. See how his words apply to the governments’ reaction to COVID-19:

“And the truth is, there is something terribly wrong with this country, isn’t there? Cruelty and injustice, intolerance and oppression,” says V as his masked face appears across television sets around the nation.

“And where once you had the freedom to object, to think and speak as you saw fit, you now have censors and systems of surveillance coercing your conformity and soliciting your submission.

“How did this happen? Who’s to blame? Well, certainly, there are those who are more responsible than others, and they will be held accountable. But again, truth be told, if you’re looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror.”

“I know why you did it. I know you were afraid. Who wouldn’t be? War, terror, disease.”