Katdish.net

I spent a lot less time on social media than I used to. I check my Twitter and Facebook feeds every day, but I don’t spend more than a few minutes on either. More times than not, I get in on the tail end of some controversy which has erupted on Twitter. Such was the case when I began seeing tweets in my timeline from folks coming absolutely UNGLUED in the aftermath of this tweet sent out by Mark Driscoll on Inauguration Day:

You know…

It’s not like Driscoll is known for his tact. This is hardly the first time he’s offended thousands of people. I have to believe he fully expected a huge backlash because of this tweet, and that’s exactly what he got.

There’s more. Much more. If you’re interested, you can read his entire timeline. Shaun King (who has over 31,500 followers and lists “Jesus Follower” on his timeline) later apologized for his language, but stood by his outrage as a result of Driscoll’s tweet. I don’t question for a moment that Mr. King’s outrage was genuine, and I’m sure many others, regardless of their political affiliations, were offended by Mark Driscoll’s tweet.

But seriously, people…

When you go off on someone on such a public forum, you end up looking like a self-righteous attention whore. I’m not trying to single out Shaun King. I’m sure there were plenty of others going off on Driscoll. I just happened to see his tirade because @Learell is in my “Friends” column on Tweetdeck, and when I saw this exchange, it made me curious about what I had missed:

Shaun King doesn’t know Learell from Adam. As far as I know, this is the first interaction either has had with one another. Yet King assumes Learell agreed with what Driscoll said.

Twitter is not the platform for meaningful dialogue about complex issues or passionate debates about politics, religion, or…well…anything.

It’s Twitter, people!

It’s pithy comments of 140 characters or less. The odds of your words being misunderstood and/or taken out of context are pretty high. Those odds go up exponentially when you’re pissed off.

If you’re outraged about something, rather than express your anger in 140 character spurts, get a pen and a notepad, or talk to a real, non-virtual human being about it. Maybe even go so far as to send a private email to the offending party.

If none of this advice sounds reasonable; if you still think your best bet is expressing your righteous anger on social media, might I suggest you examine why that is? Why you feel it so important to share your worst moments intimately with what amounts to a bunch of complete and total strangers who have no right to judge you, but most certainly will?

And while we’re on the subject of social media, can someone please explain to me why you would follow someone you don’t like? Doesn’t living in a fallen world give us plenty to be upset about without going out and looking for reasons to be pissed off?

In the memorable words of Sergeant Hulka…

Lighten up, Francis.

(Or, the obligatory inauguration post)

I did not vote for Barack Obama, but he is my president. We the people have spoken and now President Obama is about to make history. While I take issue with those who say that he will be the first black president, he is clearly a man of color, and he is clearly the President of the United States of America. I take issue with the claim that he is the first black president because, being bi-racial myself (half white/half Asian), I cannot imagine disavowing any part of my heritage in order to fit a profile (even though many past employers have strongly encouraged me to do so), and while some of his handlers may have done this, I don’t believe Barak Obama has, nor would he do the same. But I digress…

I have prayed for, and will continue to pray for Mr. Obama, as the pressures and responsibilities that have been placed upon his shoulders are unimaginable to me. I have been encouraged by some of his cabinet selections and his willingness to bring people of different viewpoints into the fold. I will not, nor will I buy into the “cult of personality” that the mainstream media has created. I have but one Savior. Nor will I engage in the politics of personal destruction as so many pundits from the far left and right have often gleefully participated in. And while you could argue that there are few things that I would NOT make fun of, the office of the president demands and deserves respect, regardless of your personal feelings for the person who holds said office. Late night comedians and shows like Saturday Night Live make their living off of satirizing people in political office. While much of it is very funny, it has often crossed the line and become entirely too personal and down right cruel. My hope is that ALL of us, regardless of our political leanings and/or affiliations, would remember the words of Dr. King as we begin a new era in The United States of America:

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.”

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

Amen, Dr. King. We’ve come a long way, but there is still much work to be done. Having said that, I am very proud to be an American, and I am grateful for those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice while protecting the freedoms I often take for granted, including writing this silly little blog.