Surviving a social media avalanche: 'The online audience (especially Twitter) can be lightning quick to judge, instantaneous to condemn, and merciless in sentencing'
I posted the following to Facebook on Sunday, Jan. 28th, in response to a controversial post two days previous. Good day NL, all ships at sea, and Southern Shore fisherman Keith Hawkins , who’s been brutalized on social media in recent days, a pounding he didn’t expect nor deserve. I have apologized to Keith personally — what happened is my fault — an apology he’s been good enough to accept, but it’s important to provide clarity on why I’m sorry. ••• This past Thursday morning (Jan. 25th), officials with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) held a meeting in Ferryland for local inshore harvesters. It was the 16th in a series of 20 meetings DFO has organized around the province to hear directly from harvesters, which hasn’t happened in a generation. Indeed, during the Ferryland meeting an older fisherman made it a point to say he’s been fishing since 1973 (45 years), and it was the first time DFO has held direct, face-to-face consultation....