The scourge of keyboard courage
I’ve said and written some harsh things in my years. But every time, something else appears: My byline, my name, my face.
The amazing creative revolution in communication known as the Internet has also spewed poison into our lives and that did not begin or end with one President. Nor is its brutality and deep wounds a matter for national conversation only. It has sickened our communities and civics, damaged our relationships to the street level.
For a guy who has lived his whole life depending on and celebrating the First Amendment to write a paragraph like that is crazy scary. Given that I’m communicating with you via the very vehicle I’m freaked out about is also more than a little ironic.
What it really comes down to is anonymity. People retreat to their little rooms, fire up their laptops, and proceed to get a sick thrill writing hurtful things about anyone and everyone, things they would never dare say to someone’s face, many times things they would never say sober. They make no real connection except to attack, and in their wake make people scared to participate in public life.
Here’s one small, personal example:
In recent years I’ve been working with the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance. In many ways it’s like the work I’ve done all my life, as a journalist, at the State House, only this time it’s all from the point of view of the small-boat, homegrown fishing fleet. How can this historic community survive? Who controls public policy to help make that possible? How do you connect the dots to help people who otherwise might not have access and a voice in decision-making?
One way is to hold necessary fishing quota in a community trust to make it available to local fishermen rather than allowing it to consolidate in corporate, off-Cape hands. So one of the things I’ve done in recent years is manage that fisheries trust, do my best to get quota to local captains who need it.
I’m proud to try. I see the work as one more expression of a Cape Cod commitment.
Then a posting arrived. It was anonymous, pretending to be something for sale. The headline of the item “for sale” read as follows:
“Will Trade Fishing Quota for Your Children’s Virginity and Your Soul.”
The listing read as follows:
“Since the word is out that we are a bunch of money grubbing, scum bag, bootlicking, insider trading, chicken hawking, opportunistic criminals, we figured we would just come right out and offer fishing quota leases in exchange for your children or you, in body, mind, and spirit. Your share cropping experience is helpful in this endeavor. Please contact S. Rolbien (sic) to be screwed royally.”
I’m a big boy. I can deal with cowards. I know the truth about what the great people at the Alliance are trying to do, and why. I’ve spent many years in the public domain, as a journalist and public official. I’ve said and written harsh things about other people. But every time, something else appears: My byline, my name, my face.
Which brings me to another moment when the appalling impact of this anti-social, social-media venom hit home.
Walking towards me was a familiar face, who I greeted with pleasure. “They” (see how current I am, using the non-gender pronoun?) was a former town manager. After warm greetings and catching up, “they” began talking about how much town government had changed since “they” stepped out:
Used to be that every town manager could expect to have three or four ongoing interactions with local journalists. There would be interviews, public hearings or press conferences when tough questions came up. Newspapers might publish daily or weekly, reporters might get it right or wrong, letters to the editor or editorials might be tough to take, but you knew when they were coming and where they were coming from.
Now it’s 24/7 attacks and there are no standards. Tweets at midnight, Facebook posts at 2 am, everything is fair game, nothing vetted or fact-checked. At a recent meeting of the state’s select board’s association, joined by town managers, this was a dominant topic – and a main reason why many public officials, elected and appointed, are quitting and retiring. It isn’t worth the abuse.
Good caring people forced out of the public sector by this anonymous vitriol that has no bounds, respects no courtesy or lines between public and private, unhinged from facts and truth.
How do we recover from this disgusting madness?
Maybe having a civil President will help.
Maybe forcing Facebook and the like to take more responsibility for content will help, though putting those corporate entities in charge of the First Amendment doesn’t feel good or right.
Maybe forcing transparency about who is writing what, not allowing people to hide in their little rooms behind their beers, would be a great step forward.
Maybe it comes down to a basic rule that has been ignored since the beginning of gossip, lies and whispers:
If you have something to say about me, say it to my face.
NEXT: TEACHER TRUTHS — ON PUBLIC EDUCATION’S FRONTLINES IN THE YEAR OF COVID
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Well put, Seth. The invisible face of the internet has allowed and encouraged a ceaseless barrage of vitriol aimed at any and all public figures. Perhaps a new rule should be, if you want to post on FB or Twitter you have to identify with your real name and contact information.