Lucille “Big Mama” Allen, the family go-to source of wisdom and faith in our family, taught us that words carry great weight. One of her most profound lessons was: “The truth ain’t in you.” She said it with conviction, meaning it’s easy to spot a lie, and once seen, it must be quashed immediately. In today’s world, her lesson is more relevant than ever, as disinformation runs rampant, and many allow lies to shape their perspective, often for personal gain.
We live in a society over-flowing with words—opinions, accusations, and speculations fly around, and it can be difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. Too often, we see people giving power to lies in order to diminish others. When we fail to confront falsehoods, we become part of the problem.
Look at our nation’s recent history. Former President Donald Trump claimed Haitians in Ohio were eating dogs—a baseless, offensive lie meant to stoke fear. Likewise, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance has made up stories to get attention for events that never happened. These examples highlight how disinformation is used to manipulate emotions and create division. People tell lies to control the emotional thermostat of others. Take the case of Gerren Keith Gaynor, the White House Correspondent for theGrio, who questioned Vice President Kamala Harris during an NABJ event about claims that Black men were abandoning her for Trump. This claim, like many others, elevates an actual minimal impact and amplifies a small, unrepresentative minority to create a false narrative of largess that is just not there! . The facts show that the overwhelming majority of Black men understand the significance of Harris’s leadership and support her role. We cannot allow a few loud voices to distort the truth.
Big Mama’s wisdom shines through. When she said, “The truth ain’t in you,” she reminded us that we must recognize lies when they’re spoken and stop them immediately. We can’t afford to let fear and falsehoods shape our reality. Instead, we must hold tight to the truth and refuse to let others diminish it.
As Big Mama always called on scripture and this time she echoed 1 John 2:4, “He that saith, ‘I know Him,’ and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” Let us live by truth, not by the lies of others. Is the truth in you? email me at terryallenpr@gmaillcom and let me know.
Terry Allen is an NABJ award- winning Journalist, DEI expert, PR professional, and founder of the charity – Vice President at FocusPR, Founder of City Men Cook, and Dallas Chapter President of NBPRS.org
