No, I will not share your post!

When I see “Bet you want repost this,” or Let’s see who isn’t ashamed to repost this,” my first thought is, “Kiss my ass!” Here are a few recent offenders.

This statement about violating the First Amendment in our Bill of Rights is easy to reject, but I’m repulsed by the subtle repost dare regardless of the content and suspect some Russian operative is the author, trying to gain an audience and influence our electoral system.

Here’s another top offender and like most of these messages, it makes a false statement followed by a subtle threat. The pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence are required in all schools in my home state. This post doesn’t specify where the pledge is no longer being said. Then follows the challenge, “Let’s see how many Americans will re-post and not care about offending someone!” I won’t repost because the message offends me due to it’s inaccuracy.

My all time most offensive post is one that continues the false narrative that prayer is banned from schools. Prayer is actually protected in schools, not dictated or led by adults in the schools, but that’s as it should be. The subtle threat? “If you are 1 of the few, re-post.” No thanks.

Another one that’s making the rounds associates gutter language with the reelection of our current president. I won’t share the photo, but it says, “You don’t have the balls to share.” In the graphic was a Twitter handle, so I checked its Twitter feed and determined it’s a social bot pushing an agenda and trying to gain followers and shares. I’m not sure what is intended by the use of “balls” in this context, maybe “bravery or manliness.” I don’t think it takes any bravery to share a post, nor do I believe sharing a post in response to an empty threat has anything to do with manliness, whatever your perception of that quality might  be. No, I will not share your post!

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From here, I’ll collect more of these posts that use a subtle threat to convince folks to re-post.

Added 06/07/19 I decided to add this since “balls” is a recurring theme in many of these types of posts, I’m not sure why. This one says it takes balls to share, but I disagree. Maybe I won’t share because it’s pretty obvious that the guy being pointed at by the arrow is the current president.

 

 

Added 06/09/19 This next one uses an old advertising strategy I first learned about in Civics during the 9th grade, Social Appeal. It appeals to people’s desire to be part of a group or not to be left out. At least there’s no reference to “balls.”

Anyone have more of these they’d like to share with me? I’m sure this is just scratching the surface.

Added 06/17/19 Here’s another Facebook message asking that I re-post. While I believe in the 2nd Amendment, I wonder if the founding fathers envisioned how efficient we’d become in killing people. A few folks at both extremes either want to take peoples’ guns or put rocket launchers in everybody’s home. No one’s trying to take our guns, so chill out just a little bit! I love that statement, “if you’re not afraid to show it, repost this!!!.” No thanks. I will not repost this message that already clutters social media with restatements of the obvious.

Added June 20, 2019: This post focuses on fear of a particular religion. What should probably be feared is extreme and fanatical elements that can raise their ugly heads from any religion. For the record, I don’t think the ACLU cares about this post or this valuable and questionable claim.

This one is just ridiculous (and poorly written). “Hit and share if you’re proud of all of your children.” I’m proud of all of my children but I will not “hit like and share.”