Reporters: Before you report unconfirmed information—wait.
Bloggers: Before you assume motive in a senseless act—wait.
Tweeters: Before you retweet information or jump into a political debate—wait.
Believe me. I was right there believing every report that came in, right there feeling pissed at Sarah Palin for her crosshairs, right there considering a nasty blog post about the Tea Party. And while I still think those crosshairs are completely irresponsible, I’m glad I waited long enough to cool down, get a few more facts, and gain some perspective before venting online.
Yesterday’s events were tragic, and it will take a long time for us to sort out what happened and what it means for us going forward. But that’s how it’s supposed to be. Grief is supposed to be processed over time, not in an instant.
So how did social media affect how you received and processed yesterday’s news? Was it fair or unfair for tweeters to point to Sarah Palin’s image of crosshairs over Gabrielle Giffords’ district? Did you learn anything about waiting?
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