Fact Check Assessment on American Politics

Introduction to American Government
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Introduction to American Government
Spencer, S. H., & McDonald, J. (2023, February 22). Commentators Push Unfounded Claims About Ohio Train Derailment. /2023/02/commentators-push-unfounded-claims-about-ohio-train-derailment/
The article was written and researched by Saranac Hale Spencer and Jessica McDonald on 21st February 2023 and updated a month later. The authors seek to allay fears sparked by unfounded claims attributed to conservative commentators following the derailment of a train cargo in Ohio. The ill-fated train was transporting a consignment of toxic chemicals, among other goods. The commentators raised concerns regarding the lethal chemicals, but the authors, in their opening paragraph, intimate that no indications show the incident would rise to catastrophic levels (Spencer & McDonald, 2023). According to them, state and federal agencies are monitoring air and water quality, besides trying to establish the impact levels of the incident on people and animals.
The incident, which has generated enormous concerns about public health and safety, happened near the village of East Palestine, Ohio, on February 3, 2023. Apparently, the train, which was transporting 20 cars of hazardous substances, derailed due to a mechanical issue. In a frantic effort to avoid a potential explosion, officials burned off the chemicals, causing a cloud of dark smoke to hover over the village. Images of the smoke on social media platforms sparked off a spate of alarming claims and concerns about the environment and health fanned the fire. The authors highlight the sentiments of some conservative commentators that have amplified fears among the populace. One of them is Charlie Kirk, who compared the incident to the explosion of a Soviet nuclear reactor in 1986 (Spencer & McDonald, 2023). To emphasize how disastrous Kirk’s claims could prove, the authors let slip that he has 2.6 million Facebook followers. Another commentator, Tucker Carlson, who works as a host at Fox News, sensationally stated that no one was accurately monitoring the level of deadly chemicals in the air, ground, and water around East Palestine.
The authors undertake to discredit these claims by terming them baseless and explaining why. For instance, remarks that the impact of the incident could rise to the levels of the Soviet one hold no water for several reasons. First, the train in Ohio did not have nuclear materials in its consignment. Second, the aftermath of the incident compares dismally to the Chernobyl one since there have been no reports of any casualties so far (Spencer & McDonald, 2023). In addition, the authors contend that local and national media outlets have provided steady coverage of the incident, which contradicts claims that the incident has received insufficient coverage.
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