Column: Eight Days in the Life of a Social Media Enthusiast

Hi friends! 

Over the past three years I've fallen head over heels in love with social media (namely Twitter, but Facebook's still okay in my book). In the past week, I'm involved myself with these things on a very big topic in the media/conservative world. Ever since I heard about it, something within (I'm pinning it on the Holy Spirit) said 'do something about it'. 

And I have.

With the talent of writing that's been God-given, I'm using my platform as a lowly, local journalist to speak my peace on this issue. You may agree, you can disagree, but when it's all said and done...that's the point of my column.

I hope you get something out of it--enjoy.

(To be published in the Sunday, July 29, 2012 edition of the Sweetwater Reporter 'Viewpoints' section)

Eight Days in the Life of a Social Media Enthusiast
By Belinda Serrano

It all started on Tuesday.
 

I logged into Facebook to check up on everything like I usually do and my notifications told me I had an event invitation. I usually cringe when I see it's an event; they're usually something random that I'd never go to or my schedule won't allow. But in order to get rid of the red number, I clicked on it and read it...and instantly I was interested and hooked.
 

For once, I actually said "yes" to a Facebook event invitation.
 

It was something I wanted to share to a fellow "tweeter", so I sent her the link. She said she couldn't see it because she wasn't on Facebook, so I proceeded to tell her about it. Though admittedly I've never met my Twitter-bud, her posts tell me that we are quite similar in our beliefs system.

I found an article about it, so I tweeted it to her too, in which she later read and jumped on the bandwagon. But when I went to check up on the event on my Facebook, it was gone. It wasn't on my Events page, the post on my wall saying that I was attending had vanished--it was nowhere to be found.
 

I actually thought I was going a bit crazy. I'd seen it and I approved it, so what happened? My suspicions grew that maybe it had been deleted or the plan fell through. I was a little bit disappointed...
 

But fast-forward to that afternoon. The event creator posted on his page that the event caught some sort of "12-hour bug" but that the plan was still in tact and the page would be back. Phew.
 

There it was, the next morning, full of members eager for the next week when the event was to take place. Other posts came in regarding the event all throughout my News Feed, and I'd read them and 'like' them. Later on, the event creator posted another update--had Facebook purposefully deleted the event? Who knows or will ever know, but we were back in business. Since that time, I've utilized my social media sites to learn all about this--on both sides of the issue.
 

I think you might already know what I'm talking about...do you? National Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day. August 1st.
 

In light of the recent comments made by the company's leader, Dan Cathy, on family and marriage, the business with the bovine mascots has since received major flack and has been under intense scrutiny. Sadly, celebrities have boycotted the restaurant, companies have parted ways with sponsorships and--in the sickest twist of all--politicians of some cities are making efforts to ban the restaurant from ever crossing their city limit lines.
 

What happened to freedom of speech? Or, further, EQUAL freedom of speech? This one man says he stands by the biblical standard of marriage, and some on the far left are throwing (what's being called) "vile hate speech" at him and going to extremes. I think former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee said it best in his explanation for starting the Facebook event:
 

"Let's affirm a business that operates on Christian principles and whose executives are willing to take a stand for the Godly values we espouse...Too often, those on the left make corporate statements to show support for same sex marriage, abortion, or profanity, but if Christians affirm traditional values, we're considered homophobic, fundamentalists, hate-mongers, and intolerant."
 

Huckabee also takes it a step further--don't be hateful while showing your support. The premise is to support free speech, not opposition at any level. Sadly, some on the extreme right will probably be rude and ugly while doing so; if they do, it completely eliminates the spirit of Godliness in which we strive to promote on this day.
 

Already, thousands of Facebookers have joined and numerous conservative groups and politicians are standing behind this cause, and it's still being pushed as I write this.
 

"We're simply asking people to eat chicken and not to be one," posted Huckabee, "when it's time to take a stand[.] Our appreciation is not only for the views of Dan Cathy, but for his right to have them and express them freely."
 

Obviously, I think you know where I stand on this. I might not be able to make it to Abilene this Wednesday, but the event also says you can show support online via Facebook messages or tweets of support--so that's where I'll be.
 

...See you on Wednesday.