One of the lessons I have learned the hard way, in recent years especially, is that things are not always what they seem. Two stories in my news feed today brought this home and because of repeated lying in the past I do not trust mainstream media (MSM), nor our leaders, and am not inclined to accept their version of events.

Ironically, one story that was posted on my Facebook feed was done separately by two friends, who I will call Billy and Bobby, who have entirely different motives for posting and takes as to what was going on: “US agents fire tear gas at migrants in start of border clashes with Mexico”. The story concerns one of the migrant caravans seeking to cross the US Mexico border to the US and were repelled by the Americans using tear gas. The image that went round the world is of a distraught mother leading her children away from the tear gas. Without wanting to misrepresent Billie and Bobby and using some (I hope justified) license, these are (I think) their views.

As far as Billy is concerned this is yet one more example of how callous Trump and his administration is and he couldn’t go much lower than to attack innocent children. The people seeking entry into the US are NOT an invasion army but are desperately seeking sanctuary in a safe place and the US should allow it to happen rather than put obstacles in the way. The migrant columns are a grassroots movement with little outside interference. As far as Bobby is concerned the would be entrants ARE an invasion army, seeking to enter the country illegally and all the US authorities are doing is use reasonable force against the invaders, some of who are violent. Their number includes known criminals and a majority of military aged men. They are backed by an assortment of Democrat operatives and globalists, as well as the UN and the likes of George Soros, whose motivation is political rather than humanitarian, not helped by liberal judges etc., for once in the US those entering know they can stay. I suspect, besides already making up their minds, Billy will likely take heed of what MSM says; Bobby will defer to other media.

On balance, I am more inclined to Bobby’s take on what is happening and what needs to happen. I do not doubt that most seeking entry into the US want a better life for their families although whether that is enough justification for granting asylum I doubt it in most cases. Besides wanting due process to be followed (and from my own experience in the UK I suspect this could well be more torturous than it ought to be) it is perfectly right to stop criminal elements and to resist the “fifth column” wishing to destablise the country (and Trump) and promote globalism and open borders. Just as Billy and Bobby have come to a view based on their understanding of the facts and their worldviews, that is what I am doing and what we all should be doing, while recognize none of us has the full big picture. I have seen enough though to know things aren’t what they seem and even if invasion army may seem a rather harsh description of a migrant column of desperate sanctuary seekers, I suspect there is much behind the scenes mischief afoot.

I suspect the previous story has awakened interest in the UK mainly because of Trump, for my next story has been less well covered even though Trump’s Russian counterpart, Putin, is also a controversial figure who raises many emotions, typically negative. The story: “Ukraine introduces martial law, citing threat of Russian invasion”, is almost certainly true, although whether Ukraine, or rather its President, Petro Poroshenko, is justified in taking this action, is an arguable one. From what I can make out, the MSM that people in the UK/US are typically exposed to tend to depict Russia as the bad guys. In this case it is for seizing Ukraine ships that encroached illegally (according to the Russians) into Russian waters. Some have suggested that Poroshenko is a bad man and had contrived the incident to consolidate his own power, by imposing marshal law, and divert attention away from him to the Russians. This is potentially another hot spot that not so long ago could have resulted in full blown hostilities, and still may. Whatever the true story is and I will be surprised if most people reading will know more than I do, what we see and what is claimed by the various sides, is illustrative that things are not always what they seem.

My point in writing this is not so much to give my opinion concerning what is going on, but rather to suggest before coming to a view, not only do we need to be cognizant of the salient facts but we need to be circumspect when it comes to venturing forth an opinion. Out there, there are many pundits offering different viewpoints, which we do well to weigh, and do so with trepidation given the attack on dissenting free speech. The need of the hour is for seekers after the truth, not afraid to speak it, recognizing the sources we go to may not always be spot on and we all have that tendency to gravitate to those that reinforce our own prejudices. I believe what we are seeing is not just what we physically see but is also a product of what we can’t see because there is a spiritual war going on. But as far as this new stake in the ground goes, I offer two examples that demonstrate things are not always what they seem.