GOSSIP, LIES & HALF-TRUTHS

Our community is a giving one, and people really do care about each other – that is why I love living in Baja…however…

Many people, such as Baja elected officials, Baja business representatives, and citizens - both national and expat - have made a considerable effort to stop the media from regurgitating negative news stories.  It has been working, and the Union Tribune for one has made considerable changes in this regard.

In the space of a few misplaced words, all this work can quickly become undone.

Recently I was told a gruesome (partly true) story about an incident that happened nine months ago, being purported to have taken place a couple of weeks ago.  The culprits in this case were not the media, but rather a few individuals who take some sort of perverse delight at being “in the know”.  Checking out a story for authenticity is apparently not an option for some.

This sort of thing counteracts everything many Baja supporters have been working for these past few years.  These kinds of stories, because they are coming from locals, don’t help, but rather tend to give them legitimacy.

This is not an isolated case.  Rumors are always rampant in a unique community such as ours.  Some are very hurtful half-truths, some are outright lies, and some are just titillating stories repeated for their shock value.

Please stop and think of the harm you may be causing before passing on rumors, whether it be specifics about your friends and neighbors, or just plain old everyday general gossip.  No gossip is ever harmless.  It always hurts someone, and in some cases is just plain mean spirited.

I have been criticized by some for publishing the Reagan quote “Trust, but Verify” in my newsletter, which has nothing to do with politics and everything to do with being responsible for your words.  I have exchanged it for the Jewish Proverb “What you don't see with your eyes, don't witness with your mouth”, but they both essentially say the same thing.

Anne Hines, Editor

Rosarito Town Crier