Guest post by Joy Thayer, Speropictures Executive Producer:
The fake news media did it again…
A recent ad on TRUTH Social has caused quite the holiday stir. So much so that an anti-conservative website decided to make it the subject of an article blasting MAGA TRUMP FANS as having a meltdown over a Christmas movie ad. Ironically, the article commits the same sin – and worse. Let me explain.
The post in question was about the new independent movie BRINGING BACK CHRISTMAS starring Leigh-Allyn Baker previously of Disney channel’s hit series “Good Luck Charlie” and Mark Christopher Lawrence of the popular TV show “Chuck”. In the film Lawrence plays Daniel, a caring father, who is laid off from his 17-year job two weeks before Christmas. A spirited angel, played by Baker, takes him on an offbeat trip back in time – a la “It’s a Wonderful Life” – to observe Mary & Joseph and the difficulties surrounding the birth of Jesus & the “First Christmas”. Daniel learns to face his momentary troubles by trusting that God does indeed have a plan.
One of BRINGING BACK CHRISTMAS movie’s sponsored ads on TRUTH Social features Lawrence wearing a Santa hat, garlanded with a string of Christmas lights. Baker is featured as a glowing angel with a playful smile standing next to him. Both of them loom over a small depiction of the Nativity.
While many on the platform actually looked up the film, watched it, and left positive feedback thanking TRUTH for advertising the inspiring movie BRINGING BACK CHRISTMAS; several users jumped to conclusions. The self-proclaimed “independent journalism” site took only the ignorant comments and ran with them, using it as an opportunity to decry TRUTH Social at large and alluding to the platform’s users as bigoted “MAGA Trump Supporters”.
It is a major concern when those with the power of influence use it for ill intent. The agenda-driven website swept an entire platform under the “racist” rug, intentionally creating propaganda. How in the world have we gotten to this point? Just because I use an iPhone doesn’t mean I ascribe to the belief system of other iPhone users. Or if I order something on Amazon, do I think the same way as all of their customers? This line of thought is asinine.
What the article’s author did by highlighting only the negative comments is actually detrimental. Ignorantly jumping to conclusions is one thing. Purposefully slanting and manipulating information to suit your end is entirely another. This is exactly why people are sick and tired of what is being called “Fake News.” In their article, they didn’t include the full story. Many TRUTH users obviously looked up the film, watched it, and left positive comments saying they enjoyed it. But, instead of including any affirming reviews as a part of their “expose”, cherry-picked comments were used to support biases and comments ignored that didn’t. Ultimately what this demonstrates is a sad lack of journalistic integrity.
This situation also highlighted a few other issues in our current society:
Snap opinions and judgments made without even a cursory understanding of a subject
Oversimplification and categorization based on our biases or the perceived biases of others
As to the first point, a few platform “users,” if they were indeed real people and not bots or paid operatives on TRUTH, did make snap decisions based on an IMAGE. (WOW! Stop the presses. This has never happened before!?!) They saw the “holiday hat-wearing” man and made some egregious leaps in their conclusions. The article’s author used a few of the TRUTH user comments, making ALL Trump supporters appear to be having a meltdown. It’s almost as hilarious as Media Matters decrying Elon Musk and X for anti-semitism while they highlight articles supporting Hamas.
Secondly, some of the “users” didn’t even take the time to click on the image to watch the trailer or visit the website to see if BRINGING BACK CHRISTMAS was, in fact, about a “black Santa”. In all honesty, the time they took looking up derogatory memes could have been spent verifying their confirmation bias assumptions rather than running with them.
Now more than ever, the ability to research, learn, and grow as people is literally at our fingertips. With information so readily available, it is important to think twice before jumping to conclusions. Which – ironically – is the message of the film BRINGING BACK CHRISTMAS. Daniel ends up gaining a new perspective, and so will you by seeing a side of the Christmas Story in a delightful new way.
Check out BRINGING BACK CHRISTMAS for yourself at www.bringingbackchristmas.com, and remember Jesus is the Reason for the Season.
May we seek new perspectives this Christmas season that bring Americans closer together rather than further divide us.
United, we stand… for truth; Jesus’ last prayer was that we may all be one.
Joy and her husband, Matt Thayer, are the directors and producers of the new “State of Denial: Arizona” film, which can be found here.
Watch the trailer for Bringing Back Christmas below:
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