Never type angry

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A business owner, husband and father in Indiana visited a liberal Facebook page yesterday, and posted the following angry comment:

Are there any high school graduates in your bleeding heart, liberal hippy, pillow biting movement???

As expected, the administrators of this page were not pleased, but they were gleeful when the business owner neglected to remove the name of his business before posting. Mr. Smith, the owner of the business’s Facebook page was quickly awash in negative comments.

I had the opportunity to speak to Mr. Smith this afternoon. He is a proud conservative who typed angry. We’ve all done it-in the heat of the moment, we type something and slap ourselves on the forehead, saying “Oh God, did I really just do that?” And by the time we get around to (in my case) figuring out how to delete it, it’s too late. In Mr. Smith’s case, one of the administrators of the page took a screen shot of the comment, and it was off to the races.

Mr. Smith told me that he has a brother who is Korean, and friends of every race, creed and ethnicity. His reason for the “pillow biting” comment was written out of anger at a person, not a group. He does have issues with the LGBT community and what he sees are examples of hypocrisy, as do many conservatives. I am not here to defend Mr. Smith, nor does he want me to. He does not wish to apologize for anything, and that is his right.

I am writing this because of something Mr. Smith told me regarding feedback he has been receiving at his business. For the most part, he has been getting phone calls of support, his business has not been affected negatively by this and his friends and family stand by him. Which is what one would expect from friends and family. Mr. Smith has, however, received a few calls that were not supportive; he has received phone calls threatening him, and his family.

Mr. Smith is a husband and father to two children, ages 8 and 12. I know that if someone, anyone, threatened my family over a stupid Facebook posting, I would be livid. I was livid when I received a death threat over Facebook, from a conservative, and I was scared when I picked up a liberal online stalker, angry at an article I wrote for another site last year. I would never, NEVER threaten another person’s life, or their family, over a comment on an article, mine or someone else’s, a Facebook post, or even a comment made to me in person. That is crossing the line.

I told Mr. Smith that the odds of he and I ever agreeing on anything politically are zero, and he laughingly said he knew. But he also told me that the great thing about America is that we don’t have to agree. Everyone has a right to their own opinion, and everyone is entitled to make a mistake. Mr. Smith struck me as a good person, a father who is reeling a bit today after having his family threatened, and a man with whom I have nothing in common politically. But so what? How would you feel if you typed angry and suddenly, people were calling your business, threatening your family, your children?

Mr. Smith made a mistake, and typed angry. Thanks to the screen shot, and to Mr. Smith neglecting to remove his business from his profile information, Mr. Smith is being threatened and his children are being threatened. No. Argue his opinions, argue his choice of words, disagree vehemently with him. But unless you want the political discourse in America to truly become a gladiator sport, leave families out of it. We don’t threaten. We’re supposed to be better than that.

Mr. Smith, if you read this, remember, I warned you I was a liberal. I also promised you I would be fair. You and I will never agree on anything except the color of the sky, and that’s okay. You were polite, even after learning I am a liberal, you were eloquent and I appreciate that. I hope this stops, and I hope you remember to never type angry again.

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About Post Author

Erin Nanasi

Erin Nanasi is an avid underwater basket weaver, with a penchant for satire and the odd wombat reference.
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Jess
12 years ago

Double edged sword right here for me, the turd in the punch bowl. When you go about demeaning that “pillow biter” because you have taken issue with the LGBT community and keep on keeping on with your own baggage towards a whole group of people for the actions of maybe one, ye kinda deserve what is coming to you. I don’t agree with the family being all involved now, but he brought that on himself when he made that choice to type angry and regret it afterwards. Far as hypocrites, don’t get me started on the right wing hypocrites, I would be here all damn day and I have a physical therapy appt. Sorry, you don’t get to have it both ways Mr Smith. Freedom to speak your mind works both ways.

12 years ago

I want to post this comment, from Mr. Smith. This is on his business’s Facebook page this morning.

[I would feel horrible truth be told. I tell my children constantly to stick up for those being picked on or bullied.

My intention was not to hurt anyone and if I have I am sorry. That being said, I do not apologize to those who spewed hate and violence at me and those trying to protect me.

In my opinion, they have done worse. They perpetuated the hate you all say you rally against.]

He has had his mother called a “whore”, his wife and children threatened, people have reported him to the Better Business Bureau and his personal information has been posted all over the Web. And, he did not post his original comment from his business page; allegedly he posted a response to a thread that popped up on his personal page and the admin of the liberal page found his business info.

Really? THIS is intelligent discussion? I’m ashamed of those people, and I hope they never get angry with me.

Admin
12 years ago

I’ve found myself becoming very, very angry over FB stuff, especially if someone important doesn’t like something, or if a friend attacks me for no apparent reason. I would NEVER have thought I would have such a response to FB dynamics.

Reply to  Professor Mike
12 years ago

Mike-exactly. I’ve done the same thing; you feel that flush hit your face and you clench your fists. Usually I realize that I need to calm down, but sometimes, you just respond from the gut, not really realizing what you’re typing. People have to remember, once it’s online, it’s pretty much forever.

Peggy Roche
12 years ago

I agree…no threats, ever. I also feel every adult with access to the web needs to make a promise to not post a darn thing they wouldn’t want to have to see twenty years hence. The interwebs never go away…never, never type angry and hit send! 🙂

Reply to  Peggy Roche
12 years ago

You both, as usual, nailed it. Arguing is expected, threats are not. And Peggy-AMEN!

Jackie D
Reply to  Peggy Roche
12 years ago

I agree with you, Peggy, it is never appropriate to threaten people over posts made online. My personal filter is, “Would I want my mom to see this?” 9 times out of 10 that keeps me from posting something I wouldn’t want to see 20 years down the road. 🙂

Rue
12 years ago

Threatening someone’s family, or even the person themselves, over a comment is going way too far. Go ahead, be annoyed. Be frustrated. But threatening someone and/or their family is way, way low.
I hope the calls to Mr. Smith stop soon.
‘Never type angry’…hmm, seem like some pretty dang good advice.

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