Twitter Wars

As an independent author, I followed the advice of my fellow writers and joined Twitter a few years ago. Currently, I maintain a modest presence and follow many people, mostly other authors, regardless of their political views. I have quite a few followers, again, mostly other writers.

In all honesty, I am occasionally offended by tweets, but since I am an adult, I scroll on and get over it! I feel no compulsion to engage in fruitless arguments with strangers. Because, again, I am an adult.

Mostly, I am amused by many of the opinions expressed by those who see the world differently than I, and at times, I marvel at their hypocrisy and lack of common sense. Often, I am amused by the tweets of Conservatives, as well. I do not respond or comment on political posts. To each their own when it comes to opinions.

Now that Elon Musk has taken control of Twitter, I’ve seen very little change in the app. I guess most of us writers don’t really have the time to get into all the political mess, even the ones who frequently tweet about politics. Then again, we’re just the regular folks of social media. You know, the ones without the blue checks.

On the other hand, the celebrities are going nuts! I keep reading, with hilarity, the comments from the growing list of celebs who are proclaiming loudly their intention to leave Twitter. (Mainly in response to a certain former President being allowed to return.) Apparently, they aren’t big fans of free speech.

My opinion? Go ahead and leave! Who cares? Just like in 2016 when they were all going to leave the country if Donald Trump ever became President. Of course, they didn’t and most probably won’t leave Twitter either. Maybe they’ll refuse to pay for their blue checks or stop tweeting, but many will hang around, mostly (I think) just to see what’s going on. And to complain about any and all changes.

And their complaints? Mostly about censorship. And in reality, they were perfectly okay before when Conservatives were routinely censored and a definite Liberal bias was obvious. In that regard, Twitter (or Facebook or the rest of social media) was no different from Mainstream Media.

And don’t you just love the way the Left views censorship? It’s fine with them, as long as the ones being censored are the ones with whom they disagree. I especially love the way any political opinion in opposition to their own view is immediately labelled “hate speech.” Or else “fact” checked and blocked/deleted as “misinformation.”

Anyway, Twitter may become a little more fair and balanced (or maybe not. I’ll believe it when I see it.) And if that offends you? Well, don’t let the door smack you on the behind on the way out! LOL!

My Reactions to the Midterms

I guess now, it’s all over but the crying (and the vote counting in the bizarrely slow states of Arizona, Nevada, and Georgia! LOL.) Anyway, I thought I’d share my thoughts, even though I find the whole mess painful.

My first reaction was a bit of shock and amazement. I didn’t completely trust the “red wave” thing, but I did believe that at least a few of the important/close races in key states would be won by Republicans. Instead, the red wave turned out to be a trickle and most of those races went blue, despite polling that had suggested otherwise. And despite some severely flawed candidates. On both sides.

My initial shock and amazement gave way to depression and anger, and then eventually settled into a strong sense of sadness. I just find it incredibly sad that so many (Democrats and Independents) would vote to continue in the direction this country is heading, led by people who don’t seem to care about inflation or gas prices or the wide open border. If ever there was a time for change, this should have been it. So, I’m sad for my country and the people all across our nation who are suffering. We can do better. We should do better. Instead, we’ll get more of the same, with a little dose of government gridlock.

Here are my other random thoughts and questions. Forgive the sarcasm, but if we can’t laugh at our mistakes, we truly have lost all hope.

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How much is Donald Trump to blame for some of the Republican candidates who failed to win? Or should we blame all the sneaky Democrats who voted in Republican primaries to help themselves face weaker opponents in the general elections?

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So, is Stacey Abrams still the governor of Georgia?

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At least, Texas voters were once again able to hand Beto a loss. I guess now, he can begin working on his next Presidential campaign.

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I find it truly sad that so many voted to continue supporting policies that are killing our country.

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So, Arizona elected a Governor who refused to even debate her opponent! I guess she successfully followed the Joe Biden “hide in your basement” strategy.

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On a serious note, it still disturbs me that the Democratic Party has once again gamed the system and used the mail-in ballot as their primary weapon. For all their rhetoric about voter suppression, the reality is that they have made voting easier than ever. Too easy in fact.

Maybe not the most popular opinion, but I for one do not think voting should be easy. At least not as easy as it has become in many states.

Once upon a time, absentee or mail-in ballots served a very important function. They allowed people who were unable to vote in person to cast their ballots and participate in elections. Of course, they had to provide a reason for their inability to get to the polls on Election Day. Now, it’s become just an easy and convenient way to vote without ever leaving the comfort of home.

Shouldn’t it be just a bit harder than that? Shouldn’t voters have to make at least a minimal effort? It’s important! It matters! People who really care about the outcomes should be willing to invest just a tiny bit of time and effort. At least, some of us think so.