Free Speech Run Amok – OffBeat Magazine

If you dont know about the current and impending removal of Confederate-related monuments in New Orleans, including Robert E. Lee, P.G.T. Beauregard, Jefferson Davis and the Liberty monument (already removed under cover of darkness last week), you must be under a rock, because it has made the national news.

This weekend, The Holy Ground bar on the corner of South Jeff Davis Parkway and Canal Street had a run-in with some pro-monument protestors, who, according to the Mid-CityMessenger, say that the bar refused them service and trash talked them while liquoring up the enemy. The owners deny the charges; but Facebook came to the pro-monument protestors rescue.

The protestors apparently barraged the bars Facebook page with negative reviews and the bar owner shut down the bars Facebook page on Sunday due to the negativity.

I agree that both sides should have the ability to express themselves vis a vis the removal of the monuments. However, no protestor should not have the right to damage abusinesss reputation by creating negative posts. Its nasty and its dirty pool. Heres the problem with Facebook and social media: they areliterally being used to intimidate people, patrons and viewers of the media. Its impact is incredible, be it for good or evildepending on your POV. Social media is being used as a weapon of mass destruction.

Let me draw an analogy here: social media is being abused. Its become a cannonthat shoots or threatens to destroyothers anonymously. And damage occurs on both sides, becausetrust methe real story can never be determined by reading Facebook or Twitter posts. Its so sad that people buy whatever is shoved in their face by internet users, with no credibility, no research,limited perspective, and out of pure emotion.

This is why its important to have objectivity in reportage. This is why credible media journalistic reporting is so crucial to a viable democracy. As far as Im concerned, everything on Facebook and Twitter is twisted and spun by their posters, who, as you should be aware, are only trying to influence the mob and have no credibility. Stop paying attention to this baloney!

Is social media actually killing free speech? When is the backlash going to come?

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Free Speech Run Amok - OffBeat Magazine