In 2019, the American media acts as if every single person is on social media, specifically Twitter.
Why?
Because the media, myself included, live on Twitter. America does not. It is not the real world.
But whether we are talking about the president of the United States or the latest version of “The Little Mermaid,” Twitter is king.
People are outraged over “The Little Mermaid” being cast with a black lead? No. Some people on Twitter are.
In fact, it’s some people on Twitter with almost no followers.
https://twitter.com/HashtagGriswold/status/1148251447546580994
Some of the outraged were groups on Facebook that had their name recently changed to further the charade that people were furious about this.
https://twitter.com/HashtagGriswold/status/1148264885207351296
Media will tell you it’s a real problem, a racial problem and a societal problem. It’s not.
That doesn’t matter. You will be made to care.
Twitter matters so much that a court has actually decided that President Donald Trump is not allowed to block people on Twitter.
Why? Because he is a public figure and you would never be able to see what he tweeted if he blocked you, unless you watch the news, peruse the Internet, read a state-funded newspaper or exist in the year 2019.
With that ruling in place, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) was sued for blocking people on the platform.
Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill has been sued by former political opponents and trolls.
Eventually, people get sick of them and block them. I block people and I get blocked. I understand the process and why people do it.
But this entire exercise is asinine. The fact that we have people going to court and wasting time and money on this is absurd.
The court actually decided that this must be handled on a case by case basis, so we get more of these absurd cases for every city councilman who blocks someone on Twitter.
Let me make this simple: President Trump should unblock those he has blocked and mute them. Ocasio-Cortez should unblock those she has blocked and mute them. Merrill should unblock those he has blocked and mute them.
Let’s all grow up and if we can’t do that, just try to be slightly better people.
Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN.
