Letters submitted by BDN readers are verified by BDN Opinion Page staff. Send your letters to letters@bangordailynews.com
An online environment for everyone
In a recent article on the BDN website titled, “Facebook suspends Trump accounts through 2023,” the threat to public safety is addressed. Many people are probably confused as to why an issue about social media is one that pertains to public safety. Some may view posts as just words, but when some individuals take it too far and act out violently, that is when it becomes a public safety issue.
The internet and social media have cemented themselves in today’s culture, with massive amounts of influence given to creators, influencers, and politicians. This form of media has its advantages, quick and up-to-date news being one of them, but it also has its disadvantages.
The influence given to prominent figures has created a disconnect between media consumers and reality. When a politician says, “Jump,” their supporters say, “How high?” This is creating an unhealthy environment online and leading to events such as Jan. 6.
This article also seems to focus on the obligation Facebook has to make sure nothing like this ever happens again. In turn, this raises the same questions to all other social media platforms. Companies should have a responsibility, like the social responsibility of journalists, to present political information fairly and evenly but also maintain a space where hatred and incitement isn’t tolerated. Creating stricter and clearer guidelines on what is considered to be violent, hateful, bullying, etc. will help social media platforms avoid criticism and scandals, while also fostering an online environment for everyone.
Madison Humphrey
Winterport
Police need more training, not blame
We live at a time when castigating the police has become commonplace. It is simple to blame the men and women in blue when incidents turn violent particularly when a child is involved.
The incident in the Auburn Middle School cafeteria seems to have been elevated to a dangerous level before the school resource officer was on the scene. It was prudent for school officials to call for additional support before anyone was injured.
Children with special needs are entitled to a public school education, yet their actions cannot inflict harm on other students. While this child’s mother was understandably horrified to see a photograph of her son in handcuffs, the paramount responsibility of school officials is to keep all students safe.
More extensive training of police at all levels is vital. Recognition and management of mental health issues are commonly beyond the scope of today’s officers who are often asked to make split-second decisions without adequate preparation. Police departments throughout the nation must expand and improve the education of officers to reduce or (hopefully) eliminate extreme reactions as they face potentially dangerous incidents.
Let us move beyond blatant criticism to implementation of solutions to achieve better law enforcement.
Judith Kunkel
Camden
Public power and public boards
The column in the June 17 BDN against the Pine Tree Power Company was quite uninformative, except for one important item: The apparent deep distrust of the author of public boards.
His experience reminds me of the old argument that the public cannot be trusted, one used often and most often filled with innuendo and outright lies about the democracies (old and new) that trusted the people to control their societies. Maine people will produce policies in the best interest, their own self interest and not those of large foreign corporations.
Robert Rowe
Lewiston