Think before you post

By: 
Chuck Kajer, The New Prague Times

Social media has become an important tool for many, but there is a disturbing trend that turns a lot of people off about it, and that is the anonymity and immediacy of the medium.

People sometimes put whatever unfiltered thoughts enter their mind immediately onto social media, without thinking. A motorcycle crash that happened Saturday evening in New Prague is a prime example.

Shortly after the crash, people were talking about it on the Facebook page “New Prague Happenings.” It is helpful to know if there is a crash in the area, so people will understand why traffic is being delayed or rerouted, to help people avoid the area. But within a few minutes, someone was asking who it was involved in the crash. That is not the best place to post that information. Let the police inform family members first, rather than getting the name out on social media so family members can see it along with the general public.

But even more disturbing are some of the heartless comments people put out there. Upon seeing a news story that the motorcycle driver, who suffered serious injuries, was a police officer in another community, and that alcohol may have been a factor, several people posted comments saying that the officer should lose his job, should have known better, used poor judgement etc. These instant judgements were being made on a man who had been taken by helicopter to a trauma hospital with life-threatening injuries. One person made a comment about not setting a good example, and followed it with the term “LOL.” For anyone who doesn’t know, LOL is a social media abbreviation for “Laugh Out Loud.”

There are many appropriate responses, but the hours after a crash when a person is fighting for their life are not the time to judge, to condemn and especially, not to “Laugh out Loud.” I’m guessing even the person who posted that comment thought better of it because a short time later, that comment appeared to have been edited to remove that phrase.

This was the time for offering prayers, good wishes and support to the driver, who may or may not have made a mistake, and to his family and friends.

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