L&T Publisher Earl Watt

Politics is a contact sport, that’s for sure.

But the abuse of social media, and the hateful and offensive language being allowed on local social media pages is not only disgusting, it is showing why standards are necessary.

I won’t name the pages because that would bring attention to them, much like a streaker at a baseball game. Ignoring them is the best way to end them.

Seward County itself was part of the problem when it allowed anonymous comments at the end of its meetings to verbally assault members of the public and political rivals. To their credit, the commission passed a new policy, unfortunately, that new policy is being used as a shield to prevent criticism of the commission or administration. The first time anyone is silenced publicly for exercising their constitutional rights, a civil lawsuit will result in a huge payout and a requirement to amend the policy. These have happened across the country, and it would have been wise for the county to have consulted with the Kansas Association of Counties before passing an unconstitutional policy.

But, addressing anonymous comments was necessary even if the correction was misguided and will eventually be corrected by a million dollar lawsuit for a civil rights violation when the first person is silenced or threatened with legal action for exercising their First Amendment right to redress the government for grievances.

That’s not the only place where people have abused public discourse.

Multiple fake accounts have been created to post hateful language online, and some of the social media pages being created are to simply push hate and discontent by some of the same people who have been accusing others of doing the same.

I was challenged to bring the community together, for example, because some believed questioning the commission’s actions on overtaxation, not following statutes, and providing false information to the public were attacks.

The information I provide is factual. Some do not like where the facts lead, but they are facts nonetheless.

These same people are creating hateful posts online or liking them if they are attacks on their political rivals.

Some are hiding behind these fake accounts, and others aren’t.

But it just shows the cesspool social media has become and why we have standards on our site.

We can’t catch it all, but we don’t allow foul language. You can make your point without the F-word or a very select few other expletives.

We also don’t allow the use of racially charged language including the N-word or calling people racists. Both are used to cause harm and short-circuit healthy public discourse and debate.

There is clearly an effort to go beyond political differences and attack people personally. Trying to get people fired, boycotting business, injecting other family members — all of these used to be considered low blows and rejected outright.

But social media gives people the opportunity to hide behind fake accounts and push hate.

I implore those who are running their own pages to set some standards on the type of language they allow on their sites. I know it seems to be the same people posting the hate and vitriol disguised under claims of the betterment of the community, and I protect free speech like no one else. But there is a difference between public discourse and hate. There’s a difference between political differences and personal destruction.

I know many of you avoid social media for this very reason. Governor candidate Ty Masterson said during a recent visit to Liberal that he doesn’t read social media comments. And he is probably a lot happier for not doing it. It seems to be the goal of some to try to destroy people through public assassination rather than defend their own positions on issues.

I avoid personality and focus on policy, and I encourage others to do the same. What I see happening in our community isn’t division over ideas. Some may want wind, for examples, and others may not. But those differences should not mean we try to cancel those who disagree.

We may have disagreements on political parties, but that doesn’t mean those who are not in my party are automatically evil.

Once you devalue someone based on an ethical conviction, you feel justified in attacking in any way, shape or form based on your misguided concept of being on a higher moral ground. And that’s how society devolves.

I’ve never seen those who seek to silence people by  denying them a public vote or trying to assassinate their character end up on the right side of history.

We should expect better than what we are doing to ourselves.