Much of what we hear and see on cable news are lies, half-truths, distortions and rarely the pure unadulterated truth.

Networks like CNN now even have "fact checks" which in and of themselves may be perpetuating a lie by coloring or neutralizing the facts with subjective opinions!!

But WHAT is a lie? A statement that is patently false?

And so what - freedom of speech rightfully cannot prevent us from lying to one another.

BUT - what about news broadcasts? - which Americans have become almost solely dependent on for the facts.

Facts can be distorted through the prism of the news to look like the truth. Mistakes can be made either on purpose or inadvertently.

What differentiates a lie from a belief - and again the question remains SO WHAT? The answer is nothing distinguishes a lie from a belief without logical proof.

What is OPINION? - we can lie to ourselves by not examining the truth - most of us believe what we want too - about ourselves and about others.

Opinion can be true or false - but remains an opinion nevertheless.

If I tell you I can fly - is that a lie if I truly believe I can fly?

I've always considered news to be the reporting of events - a plane crashing, the results of a sports event or of an election.

When it comes to opinion as opposed to events - there is no truth and there are no consequences.

Which would you prefer our children to be told by television - that health care is a privilege or a right?

That carrying a gun in public is an expression of freedom or the denial of freedom to those who don't carry?

That equal opportunity is a function of good fortune or something all American's are guaranteed from birth?

What do you think?