Reports of Oprah Winfrey’s execution are greatly exaggerated
A recent article, shared on Facebook more than 100 times over five days, claims former talk show host Oprah Winfrey was charged and convicted by the military’s Judge Advocate General Corps., or JAG, and she was given a death sentence.
“The case of JAG vs. Oprah Winfrey reached a theatrical conclusion Monday morning when Winfrey was executed at Guantanamo Bay for having aided and abetted the enemy, FEMA, in depriving Hawaii residents and tourists of life and property during last summer’s Maui inferno,” the Feb. 23 article reads.
The story went on to say that before she was hanged, “Winfrey reportedly cried out for Obama, saying a single phone call with either him or Michelle would compel JAG to reverse its decision to execute her.”
But this article is “nonsense,” according to USA Today. There are no credible reports this happened and the story shared on social media came from Real Raw News, a website known for posting fake content.
Winfrey, not surprisingly, has been seen since Feb. 19, the purported date of her execution. On Feb. 21, she made an unexpected appearance to introduce “Covenant of Water” author Abraham Verghese at the Arlington Theatre in California, and three days later she attended the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
The fake story ends with Real Raw News questioning a Guantanamo Bay source about the authority to prosecute and execute citizens.
“When President Trump gave us provisional control, it gave us the authority,” the anonymous source supposedly said. “The moment Oprah Winfrey aided the Deep State, she became indistinguishable from it. The two were inextricably linked.”
Vaccinated people can donate blood
A Feb. 21 post on X appears to contain news for blood donors.
“The American Red Cross is now asking blood donors if they ever received the Covid vaccine,” the post reads. “If you answer Yes, they want you to call ahead to see if you’re still eligible. I thought the vax was ‘safe and effective’? What info are they hiding from us?”
But this claim is missing context, according to Reuters. People who have received the COVID-19 vaccine can donate blood to the American Red Cross.
The organization took to X to respond to that post, stating, “The Red Cross, like all blood collectors in the U.S., follows FDA regulations and protocols.”
The Red Cross post went on to explain that blood donors who have received the COVID-19 vaccine are asked the name of the manufacturer, to ensure it is an immunization approved by the FDA. Those who don’t know the manufacturer are asked to wait two weeks after the vaccination in order to donate blood.
“It’s important to point out donations from those who have been vaccinated for COVID-19 are safe for transfusion,” American Red Cross spokesperson Daniel Parra told Reuters.
Undocumented immigrants not receiving gift cards
Several social media posts claim President Joe Biden signed Executive Order 9066 to provide a $5,000 Visa gift card to immigrants who enter the U.S. illegally.
“Biden’s Executive Order 9066 gives illegals a $5,000 VISA card to use as they wish. Is Biden buying votes?” reads one post on X.
But this claim is way off, according to the Associated Press. Executive Order 9066, issued the year Biden was born, has nothing to do with the current president or modern immigration.
Executive Order 9066 was signed by President Franklin Roosevelt on Feb. 19, 1942, shortly after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. It allowed anyone considered to be a national security threat to be forcibly moved. Nearly 120,000 Japanese immigrants and Japanese Americans were relocated to desolate camps.
President Gerald Ford formally terminated the executive order on Feb. 19, 1976, the 34th anniversary of when it was signed. In 1988, a law was passed to give remaining survivors of the camps $20,000 in restitution, along with a formal apology.
People who enter the country illegally don’t receive a gift card or any cash assistance from the federal government, officials told the AP.
Disney World not changing restrooms
A recent Instagram post includes a video with claims that Disney World is making its restrooms more inclusive.
“Disney World is adding urinals to the women’s restrooms,” a narrator says at the beginning of the video. “This is an effort by Disney to be more inclusive.” The video shows various clips of restrooms, inside and out, along with people walking around the theme park.
But this story doesn’t pass the smell test, according to PolitiFact. The video is satire.
The footage was provided by the site Mouse Trap News, which writes “fake stories” about Disney and is self-described as “the world’s best satire and parody site.”
The fake story is “not accurate,” Walt Disney Co. spokesperson Melissa Britt told PolitiFact.
• Bob Oswald is a veteran Chicago-area journalist and former news editor of the Elgin Courier-News. Contact him at boboswald33@gmail.com.