Damn it all.
Folks, before you reblog or tweet any number of things... CHECK FOR THE FACTS!
I try very hard not to spread rumors, myths, and bullshit, but in the last 24 hours I've seen numerous bullshit posts that look real but aren't. Snopes, and other fact checking sites, are your friends. Before popping off that repost, check them. And when you find out something is bullshit tell the people posting it to delete the crap.
E.g. from the last 24 hours:
Myth 1: Little kid with address luring women to gang rapes.
Reality: Yeah this is an oldie, and it keeps going around like a game of telephone. Changes a little every couple years, but after more than 8 years of checking Snopes still can't find a single shred of evidence on it. It is, however, the plot of an episode of Criminal Minds. And the response of "it could save a life" or "it couldn't hurt" is very much bullshit. Look it does hurt. It creates fear, paranoia, and denies people the ability to function in society. If you see a lost kid, yeah you should alert the authorities and get the kid help. You're not a taxi, but you shouldn't see everyone in the world out to get you. That kind of paranoia ruins your life.
Myth 2: Zimmerman seen pointing gun at black folks in Ferguson.
Reality: Nope, he wasn't there. Don't trump up shit on people even if you do think they're scum and probably guilty of murder. That isn't cool, and frankly it's unethical. Regardless of what someone has done, do not charge them with things they haven't done. We live in a society that's supposed to be evidence based justice (yeah humor me, I know how much that sounds like bullshit right now). You need to take a moment and think about things before you go "oh yeah it sounds like he'd do that" rather than asking the question of "is this legit?". Fake shit muddies the waters, and frankly it makes it harder to seek real and substantive justice for those who really are wronged.
I try very hard not to spread rumors, myths, and bullshit, but in the last 24 hours I've seen numerous bullshit posts that look real but aren't. Snopes, and other fact checking sites, are your friends. Before popping off that repost, check them. And when you find out something is bullshit tell the people posting it to delete the crap.
E.g. from the last 24 hours:
Myth 1: Little kid with address luring women to gang rapes.
Reality: Yeah this is an oldie, and it keeps going around like a game of telephone. Changes a little every couple years, but after more than 8 years of checking Snopes still can't find a single shred of evidence on it. It is, however, the plot of an episode of Criminal Minds. And the response of "it could save a life" or "it couldn't hurt" is very much bullshit. Look it does hurt. It creates fear, paranoia, and denies people the ability to function in society. If you see a lost kid, yeah you should alert the authorities and get the kid help. You're not a taxi, but you shouldn't see everyone in the world out to get you. That kind of paranoia ruins your life.
Myth 2: Zimmerman seen pointing gun at black folks in Ferguson.
Reality: Nope, he wasn't there. Don't trump up shit on people even if you do think they're scum and probably guilty of murder. That isn't cool, and frankly it's unethical. Regardless of what someone has done, do not charge them with things they haven't done. We live in a society that's supposed to be evidence based justice (yeah humor me, I know how much that sounds like bullshit right now). You need to take a moment and think about things before you go "oh yeah it sounds like he'd do that" rather than asking the question of "is this legit?". Fake shit muddies the waters, and frankly it makes it harder to seek real and substantive justice for those who really are wronged.