Don't Be Surprised

Users on the World Wide Web have the freedom to comment on anything they choose. Yet, one should not be surprised when they receive a response.

For anyone who’s been ‘called out’ on social media, I salute you. It’s been over a decade, but I kept this interesting trophy:

“@chatwrites

F___ YOU”

I believe this was from a young woman who was a witness in a well-known volatile case where the motive was racial and the subject, a young man she knew, was murdered. It was covered nationwide, every cable news featured it on their programs. Out of the millions of users on the web stating their opinions and thoughts, I was somehow singled out by this young lady (if this, assuming it was, her). I remember not calling this person out by name, I didn’t say anything out of disrespect, maybe I asked a question she took offense to. Whatever the reason, it’s a fact of life here on the World Wide Web, you will encounter a user who may be featured on the news. Don’t be surprised when they are quick to respond in not-so-kind.

This online avenue affords us the opportunity to speak to anyone in the entertainment industry, sports realm, or individuals who are in the news for a particular reason. You can reach out to the star of a movie franchise, share your displeasure at a politician, even display your disdain for a famous athlete or sportscaster you dislike. On the other hand, there is a chance in this boundless space of words and algorithms, there is the chance you will meet someone in the news who disliked your post for their own reasons and will gladly comment on why they hated it. (see a former president’s post for reference).

I remember sharing this post with my wife that was made on a now defunct website, and she was shocked. She couldn’t believe as I had, that this young woman would come after me in this manner. All we could do was shake our heads and wonder why I was the target of this young lady’s ire? For the millions of examples where that celebrity, sports star or famous person were agitated by an unknown user’s posts, it makes no sense why anyone would go out of their way to curse someone out online, unless a friend of theirs was murdered and national television replays the details of that racially motivated attack again and again. I can’t tell what type of day or night this young lady had, but it’s obvious when crews of television cameras and reporters descend upon your town, the last thing you want to be bothered with is a post from an unknown user on a social media site om the West coast.

Maybe this experience serves as a cautionary tale for all of us who comment on the heated story of the hour, that one news feature that boils the blood, words from a person you thought you can trust turn out to be anything but positive. Perhaps the one lesson I and every user on the internet should learn; don’t be surprised when the subject bites back.