Social media—Facebook in particular—has vexed me from the start. It began with the simple intention to connect with friends old and new and to view the ever-increasing onslaught of family pictures. This election cycle has changed everything. What was once a window into the mundane and amusing past times of those with whom I shared pieces of my life has now become a mine field through which I pass ever more carefully.
Instead of passive enjoyment of others’ life milestones, I now have to actively decide to avoid or engage. I have been trying to seek a balance...avoiding it seems wrong because, for me, that implies agreement. Engaging...well, there are just so many things to say and I get very passionate.
My son, 23, is every bit as committed to the Democratic values as I am, but has an ability to present his case more dispassionately, and often more effectively. He came up with a straight-forward post, which follows in full with his permission. It has helped me tremendously as I seek to reengage in social media and set expectations and boundaries accordingly. Perhaps it will be of help to some of you as well.
“I'm guessing a lot of you are tired of seeing political posts about the election and Trump's administration. I completely understand that. However, I'm going to continue to share news stories about significant events and decisions that he makes, because I believe that complacency and apathy is the greatest danger we face now. We are at a crucial point in history, where the decisions and policies made in the next few years will affect the world in decades to come. As arguably the largest superpower in the world, we have an enormous influence on the geopolitical and economic future of virtually every country on earth. As such, we have a responsibility to help ensure the prosperity of other nations and their people, as we are all interconnected.
It is my fear that not only does Trump not have the best interests of American citizens (and non-citizens) at heart, but that he also fails to understand the gravitas of the solemn and demanding role of Commander in Chief, and the sacrifices required to guide the American people through these murky waters. His ignorance and lackadaisical attitude towards issues of global importance is truly astonishing, and I believe that these issues must be brought to light. To dismiss or ignore his shortcomings would be hubris of the highest order.
It is my duty as an American citizen, and as a human being, to call out examples of discrimination, abuse of power, tyranny, racism, sexism, hypocrisy, amorality, or megalomania. I hope that you will have the courage and fortitude to do so as well.”
Kids...you just never know. They often surprise you in the most unexpected ways! I am so very proud of him.
You can expect that I will be posting this on my FB page and even using pieces of it in upcoming diaries, as it may fit. Anyone interested is free to copy and paste/share all or part of his message. Please let me know if you find it helpful and I will pass it along.
Thanks for reading!
(I’ll be checking back in later after a bit of work.)