{"id":1001,"date":"2020-09-19T23:01:17","date_gmt":"2020-09-20T06:01:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/loopcntr.net\/wordpress\/?p=1001"},"modified":"2020-09-19T23:01:17","modified_gmt":"2020-09-20T06:01:17","slug":"are-positive-political-discussions-possible-on-facebook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loopcntr.net\/musings\/are-positive-political-discussions-possible-on-facebook\/","title":{"rendered":"Are positive political discussions possible on Facebook?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Sometimes I wonder whether it’s possible to do anything good on social media, especially Facebook. So many discussions rapidly deteriorate into either name calling or reinforcing one’s own bias. Today I had a Facebook interchange I feel pretty good about. I’ll share it with you and I’d like to hear what you think.<\/p>\n

The interaction started when I came across this post on my Newsfeed. It originated in the Science, Technology, and Society Discussion Group (Public) which I follow.<\/p>\n

Here’s the post<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Other 98%<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

3h<\/p>\n

Happening NOW:<\/p>\n

Today is early voting in Virginia and Trump supporters are physically blocking the entrance to the polling site in Fairfax. Earlier this week, Trump’s HHS official told Trump supporters to arm themselves, stockpile ammo, and be ready to take the streets to terrorize Democrats. Apparently they heard the call. What’s your impression?<\/p>\n

Photo Anthony Tilghman<\/p>\n

Visit the Voting Information Center for election resources and official updates.<\/a><\/p>\n

Get Voting Information<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Note that the picture with the post is a still, not a video. It shows the crowd but not the entrance to the polling place. It was posted 3 hours before I saw it at about 6 pm Pacific Time. So back up 3 hours to when the post was made, that would be 3 pm Pacific and forward another 3 hours to be Virginia time. That means “Happening NOW:” would have been going on in Virginia at about 6 pm Virginia time. Did I get that right? I wasn’t worried about the actual time of the event until later in the story. Let’s go on with the Facebook posts.<\/p>\n

As is my usual process, I checked the comments:<\/p>\n

Heather Hulett<\/b>
\n<\/b><\/a>That’s illegal. Arrest them.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Yup, I would agree. My impression is: I wonder if I have the whole story. Next comment:<\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0Reply<\/b>\u00a0\u00b7<\/p>\n

1h<\/a><\/p>\n

Lisa Maas Martin<\/b>
\n<\/b><\/a>Blocking someone from.voting is against the law. The police need to get involved.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Hmmm. Sounds bad. Next Comment:<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00b7\u00a0Reply<\/b>\u00a0\u00b7<\/p>\n

58m<\/a><\/p>\n

James Morales<\/b>
\n<\/b><\/a>This is increasingly looking like its going to be a bloody next few months<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This certainly could get a liberal all riled up. I’m basically a pacifist and not looking forward to armed clashes over voting. \u00a0So I posted the next comment:<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00b7\u00a0Reply<\/b>\u00a0\u00b7<\/p>\n

52m<\/a><\/p>\n

Liza Loop<\/b>
\n<\/b><\/a>Has anyone fact-checked this post? Crowds obstructing voting is a real problem if it is true.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This seemed a reasonable question to me. There’s a lot of fake news on Facebook all across the political spectrum. Here’s the response on my newsfeed:<\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0Reply<\/b>\u00a0\u00b7<\/p>\n

25m<\/a><\/p>\n

Cathy Fuller B Cat<\/b>
\n<\/b><\/a>Author<\/b>
\n<\/b>Liza Loop<\/b><\/a> I understand you don’t know me. If you did you would know not to question anything I post. All of it has been verified! Look it up yourself!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Oh, snippy! Don’t mind if I do look it up. Next reply:<\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0Reply<\/b><\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a022m<\/a><\/p>\n

Cathy Fuller B Cat<\/b>
\n<\/b><\/a>Author<\/b>
\n<\/b>Liza Loop<\/b><\/a> https:\/\/www.fox5dc.com\/…\/trump-supporters-protest…<\/a><\/p>\n

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