Ignorance kills. It is the reason unvaccinated people are dying from COVID-19 and other diseases whose worst effects could be avoided. It is why people ignoring the consequences of climate change are wreaking havoc rather than being addressed. It is why people are victims of hate crimes and why teaching our children real history — not some whitewashed version that portrays our nation as perfect and not built on the backs of slaves — matters.

People are entitled to different opinions. I can readily engage in a debate with someone on why we should or should not improve our infrastructure and increase corporate taxes and make the rich pay their fair share.

It is much harder to debate when people cling to falsehoods and lies. And it is why the Big Lie that the election wasn’t fair and we had massive voter fraud that needs to be addressed is so problematic — because it builds on a false narrative. It seeks to limit people from free engagement in differing opinions by preventing people from voting. It stifles democracy.

Facts still matter. And right now, the failure to deal with facts are resulting in needless deaths and could end in the death of democracy in the United States if people don’t arm themselves with accurate information and stand up for the truth.