In politics, a lie unanswered becomes truth within 24 hours.

Hear the sharp and warning words of Willie Brown: “In politics, a lie unanswered becomes truth within 24 hours.” In this saying lies the recognition of a dangerous power—that in the realm of public life, falsehood spreads swiftly, and if it is not challenged, it takes root in the minds of the people as if it were truth. Time, though short, is enough for a lie to harden into belief, and belief, once established, is harder to uproot than the lie itself.

The ancients also knew this peril. When rumors arose in the Roman Senate, they could spark riots in the streets before the truth had a chance to rise. Julius Caesar himself was felled not only by daggers but by whispers—that he sought to make himself king, that he would enslave Rome. Whether or not these things were true mattered less than the speed of the lie, and by the time his blood stained the marble, the people had already accepted falsehood as fact.

History gives us many such lessons. In the years of the French Revolution, lies and pamphlets circulated faster than armies. Marie Antoinette was accused of saying, “Let them eat cake.” She never uttered these words, yet they became accepted truth in the minds of the people, fueling hatred and sealing her fate. One lie, unanswered, destroyed a queen and stained an age. Here we see the essence of Brown’s teaching: that in the absence of a strong voice for truth, deception becomes the master of nations.

Even in modern times, the same principle holds. Consider the era of McCarthyism in America, when accusations of communism spread like wildfire. Men and women, often innocent, were ruined because lies were spoken loudly and left unanswered. Fear amplified falsehood, and silence allowed it to thrive. Only when courageous voices began to confront these deceptions did the fever break, and the people awaken to the injustice of their frenzy.

Why is this so? Because the human heart is swift to believe what is sensational, what stirs anger or fear. Truth requires patience, reason, and courage, but lies appeal to passion and spread with ease. In politics, where power is at stake and crowds are stirred by words, silence in the face of falsehood is surrender. Thus Brown’s words are both a warning and a command: if you would preserve truth, you must defend it quickly, before the lie becomes the master.

The lesson for us is this: never let a lie stand unanswered. In public life, in private life, in your family, in your community, speak swiftly when deception arises. Do not imagine that silence will protect you, for silence is the soil in which falsehood flourishes. Answer with honesty, answer with courage, answer with clarity. Even if your voice shakes, it is better to speak than to allow darkness to masquerade as light.

So let this wisdom be written upon your heart: in every age, in every land, truth must be guarded, for lies are swift, and the people’s memory is fragile. Do not fear to confront falsehood when you see it. Act quickly, speak boldly, and defend reality with the fire of your words. For though lies move fast, the eternal strength of truth will always prevail—if only there are those brave enough to keep it alive.