Soapbox Moment

I'm going to pull out my soapbox here for a moment because there were a few things that occurred last week over on a social media site that need addressing.  I'll understand if you don't want to read something that isn't sunshine and light this morning - no hard feelings, have some coffee and I'll see you tomorrow - I hope you have a great day.
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For those who have stuck around, here we go...

Bookface (yeah, you know the one I'm talking about) is a place for people to connect and share with others.  My page is my space, just as your page is your space.  I will post what I want just as I hope that you post what you want... and that we do this without fear of ridicule, persecution or all 'you-know-what' breaking loose all over our page.  Now before you scamper off to go look on my page, the events didn't deal with me - they dealt with two people who are very dear to me.

One posted a photo reminder/announcement about an event that she was jazzed about... something I'm glad she posted so that I could participate.  Others felt it was alright to belittle, insult and degrade the event, the organization and my friend.  I drew the line when focus was moved onto my friend and had to say something.  I replied calmly, succinctly and in a kind manner - the other person did not... even backed my friend up against a wall with a threatening comment - almost a "triple dog dare ya" kind of moment.

My other friend has found it impossible to use her page for what it was designed for because no matter what she posts, someone gets up in arms over it and becomes extremely ugly.  I know what you're going to say "why doesn't she delete them"... well, it's kinda hard when it's family, isn't it... or at least it should be though I know for some it isn't but that's a different soapbox issue.  She felt like her only option was to leave the social site all together.

Why does this even happen?  Where do people get off thinking that they have the right to treat other people's pages like an open forum?  It's not, it's a personal space for people to visit... kind of like their online home.  There are family photos on the wall, notes up on the fridge and when you go and visit, you say hello and have a little chat to catch up.  You certainly wouldn't walk into their home and start insulting them, would you?  So if you wouldn't be that ugly in person, because you know it is thirty kinds of wrong, what makes you think that it is alright to do it simply because it's online?

I would like for people to stop being colossal poopy-faces simply because they are sitting in front of a computer in their bunny slippers and pajamas.  The bottom line is this ~ My page is about me.  Your page is about you.  We may not agree with all that each other has to say, but we should agree that we each have the right to say it... without the involvement of poopy-faces.