Fractured History

Trouble viewing? [Click here.]( Daily Debunker 11 July 2018 Fractured history. For many of us of a certain age, when we think of history we think in terms of established facts laid down in history books we can point to for verification. “Such-and-such happened on such-and-such a date,” we are prone to say. “It’s right there in black and white.” Things have gotten a bit more complicated since the dawn of the Internet. So-called “facts” fly at us from all directions, often without even a nod toward reliable sources (or any sources at all). Instead, “facts” are shared in the form of attractive graphic packages meant to create the impression of authority (as if to say, “Why would we go to all this trouble to tell you something that isn’t true?”). There are plenty of compelling, putatively “historical” memes out there that convey only half-truths, at best: Was Abraham Lincoln an accomplished wrestler honored by the WWE? ([Mixture]() Did Lincoln say if he could save the Union without freeing any slave he would do it, while Confederate General Robert E. Lee said he would free all the slaves to avoid war? ([False]() Were there Irish slaves who endured worse treatment than black slaves in early America? ([Mixture]() Did the phrase “a shot of whiskey” originate in the Old West? ([False]() Did the crew of the USS Constitution ("Old Ironsides") consume more than 250,000 gallons of rum and no water at all during a six-month voyage in 1798? ([False]() Rumor Rundown Did congresswoman Ateesha Nubbins put an upper-age limit on voting? A meme created by a satirical Facebook page convinced some viewers that a fictional congresswoman was attempting to pass a non-existent law. ([False]() Are cars melting in Arizona due to a heat wave? Viral images showing "melted" cars in Arizona are real, but the extreme heat came from a nearby construction fire, not the sun. ([Miscaptioned]() Was a New Jersey couple killed in an explosion “set to testify” against Hillary Clinton? Conspiracy-peddlingweb sites seized on a fatal explosion as a means to push more dubious stories. ([False]() In the News A Tennessee woman is one of several residents who say the state’s voter registration web site wrongly identified them as [non-citizens](. Pancake chain IHOP has acknowledged that a name change (to “IHOb”) announced last month was just a [publicity stunt]( to promote its hamburger menu. President Trump has picked U.S. Court of Appeals Judge [Brett Kavanaugh]( as his nominee to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court. Rescuers in Thailand [saved all 12 members]( of a youth soccer team and their coach from a flooded cave in which they had been trapped for more than two weeks, capturing the attention of the world's news media. Calling their sentencing “unjust,” President Trump [pardoned two ranchers]( whose case inspired the armed occupation of a national wildlife refuge in Oregon in 2016. Actor [George Clooney]( is doing “fine” following a trip to the hospital in Sardinia after being involved in an accident while riding his motor scooter, hospital officials say. --------------------------------------------------------------- You are currently signed up to receive our daily newsletter, the “Daily Debunker.” You will only receive it on the days selected in your preferences center. View your preferences[here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- [Forward This Email]( Staff Pick Big Muddy drying up? The Mississippi River is not "going dry" as it drains into a fault line through a crack in the ground, despite claims made in a YouTube video. [Read more]( Snopes.com has long been engaged the battle against misinformation and fake news online, an effort we couldn't sustain without the support of our readers. If you'd like to learn more about how you can assist us, click [here](. If you'd like to make a monetary contribution, click the button below. [CONTRIBUTE]( The Latest Was a New Jersey Couple Killed in an Explosion ‘Set to Testify’ Against Hillary Clinton? Conspiracy-peddling web sites seized on a fatal explosion as a means to push more dubious stories. [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- George Clooney “Fine” After Motorbike Crash in Italy Actor George Clooney was taken to the hospital in Sardinia after being involved in an accident while riding his motor scooter, hospital officials said. [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Are Cars Melting in Arizona Due to a Heat Wave? Images showing "melted" cars in Arizona are real, but the extreme heat came from a nearby construction fire, not the sun. [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Did Congresswoman Ateesha Nubbins Put an Upper-Age Limit on Voting? A meme created by a satirical Facebook page convinced some viewers that a fictional congresswoman was attempting to pass a non-existent law. [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Trump Pardons Ranchers in Case That Inspired 2016 Occupation In a statement, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders called that decision to resentence the Hammonds "unjust." [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Rescue Mission Saves All 12 Boys and Soccer Coach From Thai Cave The "Wild Boars" soccer team had been trapped in the flooded cave for more than two weeks, capturing the attention of the world's news media. [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [View More]( Help us make the Daily Debunker better by providing your feedback [here](. Rumor Has It Have you seen something strange, outrageous or too good to be true, and you're not sure what to believe? [Search]( through our extensive archive to find fact checks on the latest news, viral social media posts and more. Couldn't find what you were looking for? Use our handy [contact]( form to send us the latest rumor you heard. [Submit Rumor]( [Search Site](    Â© 1994-2018 by snopes.com. This material may not be reproduced without permission. snopes and the snopes.com logo are registered service marks of snopes.com. 864 Grand Ave #256 San Diego, CA 92109  [Preferences]( | [Unsubscribe](