Every once in a while I post a comment on other forums besides Facebook. Yes, I am susceptible to click bait like everyone else. There are times when the question asked or view expressed prompts a response. I did that yesterday and I was verbally abused ! Is it verbal abuse when you read it and the only voice you hear is your own ? I suppose it is, at least the effect is close to the same thing. I was angered at times. I didn't respond in kind however, I just didn't comment further. Oh, it's nothing new but it really came to light how emboldened people are on social media yesterday. Unless those folks are armed to the teeth or all MMA fighters I'm certain they wouldn't have said those things to my face ! I wouldn't say it was shocking, as I said, I've seen all this before but it is certainly rude and crude. The action those folks suggested I do to myself are just, well, unnatural. Puzzling why they would think that would be helpful.
I have no idea who these folks are. I am not one to go check profile pages and the like. I am curious however. They feel like they know an awful lot about me. The string of descriptors was quite amazing. I'm white, that much is a fact, but as far as the rest of it goes that is open to debate. I didn't agree that Hillary should be the president so that automatically made me a Trump supporter. And of course if you are a Trump supporter I must have a KKK outfit in my closet and hate every immigrant. Yes and I don't know or understand anything ! It is my white privilege that has blinded me. All that was surmised from one statement that I made. I said, " doesn't matter if you like it or not, the fact remains, Trump is the president. " Yes, that's what I said, a simple statement of fact. Amazing how many people attempt to deny that. I didn't bother to post more as these folks were obviously unwilling to listen to even a simple fact. Obama was the president for eight years. That is a fact, undisputable. That didn't mean I supported him. Trump is president, I state that fact, and I'm automatically a Trump supporter ? Strange how that works.
I have no one to blame but myself. I post my comments and that is an invitation to respond. That is just how it works. I've never been one to keep my opinions to myself. I've always felt that is what opinions are for, sharing. The free exchange of ideas is how we get to know one another. With our very best friends we enjoy that exchange without judgement. Therein lies the problem with this social media. You start out having been judged. First it is your profile picture followed by a statement. My profile picture is a seagull. I placed that there on purpose, as a reflection of part of my personality. I've mentioned it before and I'll explain that once again. My dad used to say to me, " you are just like a gull. All you wanna do is eat, *hit and squawk. " It wasn't meant as a compliment, just an observation. I expect in his view that was what I was doing. Dad and I had many discussion concerning current events. No they weren't " historical " current events. Our discussions centered more around choices. No, you ain't wearing your hair down to your shoulders ! Those clothes from Sears and Roebuck are just as good as anything you can buy uptown. You want a car ? Get a job and pay for that yourself. That was the type of discussions we had. I listed all the reasons I should be able to do whatever it was I wanted to do at the time and he mostly said, no. Through it all I remained the " gull " and that is why it is now my profile picture.
What does any of this have to do with anything ? Well the lesson is a simple one really. If you have ever been anywhere there were gulls you know they can be an annoyance. They are relentless. They do squawk a lot ! You also know there just isn't much you can do about them. They are protected in most areas of the country because they perform a vital function. They clean up the mess people leave behind. I feel like a gull at times. I'm circling around ready to " feed " all the time. And yes sometimes I *hit on people. I'm not aiming really, it just falls where it falls. I'm doing what comes natural to me. I do try to " clean up " the mess every once in a while. Mostly I do that by offering the truth about things. Ah, but many mistake the truth for opinion, like who is the president for instance. Not much I can do about that, just circle around.
I have no idea who these folks are. I am not one to go check profile pages and the like. I am curious however. They feel like they know an awful lot about me. The string of descriptors was quite amazing. I'm white, that much is a fact, but as far as the rest of it goes that is open to debate. I didn't agree that Hillary should be the president so that automatically made me a Trump supporter. And of course if you are a Trump supporter I must have a KKK outfit in my closet and hate every immigrant. Yes and I don't know or understand anything ! It is my white privilege that has blinded me. All that was surmised from one statement that I made. I said, " doesn't matter if you like it or not, the fact remains, Trump is the president. " Yes, that's what I said, a simple statement of fact. Amazing how many people attempt to deny that. I didn't bother to post more as these folks were obviously unwilling to listen to even a simple fact. Obama was the president for eight years. That is a fact, undisputable. That didn't mean I supported him. Trump is president, I state that fact, and I'm automatically a Trump supporter ? Strange how that works.
I have no one to blame but myself. I post my comments and that is an invitation to respond. That is just how it works. I've never been one to keep my opinions to myself. I've always felt that is what opinions are for, sharing. The free exchange of ideas is how we get to know one another. With our very best friends we enjoy that exchange without judgement. Therein lies the problem with this social media. You start out having been judged. First it is your profile picture followed by a statement. My profile picture is a seagull. I placed that there on purpose, as a reflection of part of my personality. I've mentioned it before and I'll explain that once again. My dad used to say to me, " you are just like a gull. All you wanna do is eat, *hit and squawk. " It wasn't meant as a compliment, just an observation. I expect in his view that was what I was doing. Dad and I had many discussion concerning current events. No they weren't " historical " current events. Our discussions centered more around choices. No, you ain't wearing your hair down to your shoulders ! Those clothes from Sears and Roebuck are just as good as anything you can buy uptown. You want a car ? Get a job and pay for that yourself. That was the type of discussions we had. I listed all the reasons I should be able to do whatever it was I wanted to do at the time and he mostly said, no. Through it all I remained the " gull " and that is why it is now my profile picture.
What does any of this have to do with anything ? Well the lesson is a simple one really. If you have ever been anywhere there were gulls you know they can be an annoyance. They are relentless. They do squawk a lot ! You also know there just isn't much you can do about them. They are protected in most areas of the country because they perform a vital function. They clean up the mess people leave behind. I feel like a gull at times. I'm circling around ready to " feed " all the time. And yes sometimes I *hit on people. I'm not aiming really, it just falls where it falls. I'm doing what comes natural to me. I do try to " clean up " the mess every once in a while. Mostly I do that by offering the truth about things. Ah, but many mistake the truth for opinion, like who is the president for instance. Not much I can do about that, just circle around.
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