facts are facts

I was getting change in a local supermarket this morning, when this note appeared. I don't know whether or not it is legal tender any more, but that wasn't the thing that first hit me. It was the graffiti.  Someone felt strongly enough about Churchill to indelibly mark the £5 note with his or her political viewpoint.
The blip today is not about whether or not I, you agree or disagree with the sentiment. It is about realising that opinions are not always factually correct statements which can be empirically proved, even when they are strongly felt and passionately expressed. They remain opinions.
Today opinions are often expressed as facts, which cannot be debated, disputed or even disproved. The "fake news" exchanges are but one example of this narrative.
So today, when you express yourself, be careful that your opinion is stated as such, that it is a personal viewpoint, and that however well founded it may be, there is likely to be a contrary viewpoint - one with which it is healthy to engage.
Otherwise we lack generosity and are in danger of becoming deaf to new knowledge!