I’m not on any social media

As you may know, I’m not on any social media networks on Facebook. This was a deliberate choice, made for my mental health. It’s often amusing to hear people comment or call me to say, “I saw something about you online,” and it’s refreshing to be able to reply, “I didn’t see it, so it doesn’t affect me.”

Last weekend, during the snowstorm, I couldn’t help but notice the harsh, disparaging comments being made about our public works crew on Facebook. It’s hard to hear the personal insults being thrown around, especially when people criticize without even naming anyone—just referring to a group. But let’s be real: how do you think that makes the people in that group feel?

What people forget is that when you post something negative online, it’s not just the person you’re targeting who sees it. Their family members see it too. For me, it’s been painful to watch my kids read some of the things said about me on social media. Just because I’m a public representative doesn’t mean it’s okay to trash me in writing. And I highly doubt that any of these so-called “keyboard warriors” would say these things to my face.

Now, think for a second about how a public works employee feels when their hard work is relentlessly slammed all over social media. How do you think their spouse feels reading those comments? The employees of Crowsnest Pass aren’t allowed to respond to these criticisms, even though I’m sure many of them would like to explain their side.

So, here’s my message: Instead of rushing to post negative comments on social media, take a moment to be patient. Let the public works team do their jobs. If you see something that concerns you, call the town office and report it directly. Appreciate the hard work of our public works crew, because I can guarantee you they didn’t wake up that morning looking for ways to mess up.

Finally, I have one simple request: Before you post something harsh or unkind about someone online, take a moment to stop and think. Write it out, but instead of the person’s name, put your own. Reread it, and ask yourself how you would feel if you saw that on a public site, and then think about how your loved ones would feel reading it too. Let’s all try to show more empathy and kindness.