Speak freely, just not stupidly

I read an article on the internet today about an elephant that had killed its handler; it was a small story, no more than 10 lines, not many details since the family hadn’t been notified. The article itself made me a little sad since I know that most of the animals kept in captivity have had horrendous lives and occasionally they turn on well meaning people trying to take care of them. What really got to me though were the comments listed below by others that had read the story. Tell me what does the species of the elephant have anything to do with the political climate of today? In another story recently where a police officer had been shot, a person had wrote that we should be celebrating the day because a “pig had been sent to slaughter”; or another where a young woman was brutally beaten and raped by an older family friend, and again there were comments celebrating the act and pushing for more acts of the same kind.

I know the internet is for the most part a nameless faceless place for people to voice their opinions from the comfort of their desks; it can be empowering to know that your “message” is out there for all to read if they want to (me included in that). So here’s my two cents for all the idiotic people that think that just because they’re nameless and faceless on the internet, that your message is still wrong. Your argument is flawed, and just because you were smart enough to find a computer and type the words out on the screen does not mean that you have an informed opinion on the matter.

I actually appreciate more the people that are trying to sell things in the comments, like you can get 50% off if you go to this website, or I got a message about a family member that was trapped in a foreign country, please help me send money; because they at least are upfront about their sale – they’re like the sleazy car salesmen of the internet. But why for goodness sake would you comment about anything you don’t know the whole story on, twist the message around to whatever convoluted point you want to make, basically drop a word bomb then casually slink away back under your rock to strike out again at something later.

Don’t get me wrong, I have read some of the most heartfelt comments under the articles, people who genuinely care about the story and the people in it. I have seen debates back and forth from the readers arguing both sides of the message and thought they were brave and informed on both sides of the matter – something that I applaud and think is so very wonderful about the digital age. And I know there are people out there that tell me to not read the comments and then I won’t be upset, but that’s just turning a blind eye to the matter in general.

So where does that leave me? Well in the same spot I was before I started writing this morning, this afternoon I’ll be back out to check the news and weather, I’ll scroll to the bottom of the page to catch the first few comments and will either be astounded at the stupidity and cruelness of the world at large, or renewed in hope by the love and support poured out in some ones words. Free speech and our right to it abounds in the digital age, but as my grandmother always said, if you don’t have something nice to say, at least sound smart while you’re saying it.