Who are these people?

Who are these people that enjoy posting fibs on the internet? I know who signs their name and pretends to quote Billy Graham or Mr. Rogers or Bill Cosby or Andy Rooney. You may think they are actual quotes, except they never said such mean, untrue, and offensive things. Someone, perhaps many someones, sits in a smelly dark room and makes them up. 

If you checked with any one of the many fact-checker services, you would know there is not a grain of truth there, or maybe enough of a grain to hook you. Maybe you want to believe it is true, that “The Newtown shootings would never have happened if we had prayer in our schools.” Maybe “Obama has a secret agenda to come to your house and break down the doors and take all your guns, or ammunition.” Maybe you want to believe that “Hitler rose to power by restricting gun ownership,” when the opposite is true. Maybe you know these statements are not true, but that if they are spread far and wide they will become true.

One thing is true. When you pass these quotes on, you are telling me and others that you think they are true. You are also telling us that you agree with them. You are also telling us that you’re too lazy to find out whether they are true or false. And that makes us lose respect for you.