Long time, no see, folks! Here’s the sitch:
I read an article today on USMagazine.com saying that Scooter Braun and Yael Cohen welcomed a new baby boy into the world. I wanted to know more, so I read to find out more details. I made the mistake (which I often do) of reading the comment section. I tried posting a reply twice, but it was instantly deleted. Thinking it might’ve been the person to whom I was replying, I posted it as a general comment. That, too, was deleted.
I’m a bit taken aback, to be honest. What really is free speech if not the freedom to express a new perspective to an issue? Yikes. So, I’m going to post it here. Not simply to be snarky, like, “Well I’ll just post it here, then.” Rather, I want to open this up. If anyone reads this post, I truly want to know your thoughts. Not on Scooter, Yael, or Justin, though you’re welcome to engage in that discussion as well.
I want to know what you think about the deeper point I’m trying to get at. Have a look-see, then let me know in the comments:
“This comment was removed, likely by the person to which I was replying, but I hope to post it here as more of a group topic, anyway. It’s not an attack on anyone, but rather an attack on how easily we stereotype and categorize. I don’t know if anyone will read it, or if it will even matter, but I think truth is important, regardless.
People say Braun is a “dbag” or attack him because of Justin. When, actually, Braun has been heavily involved with what he calls “giving back” to communities. He works very hard to support various charities, especially that of his younger brother, Adam’s, which has built over 250 schools in places with little to no education. He is dedicated to creating a better world and pursuing dreams; he has mentioned he’s had a tough time helping Justin maneuver through his teenage years, but all-in-all, hopes to see him through as a good young man in the end of things. I would hardly call him a dbag. He’s done more for this world than any single person I know personally, whether by encouraging young people to follow their dreams, giving moms and kids free tickets to shows, or helping third-world communities cultivate a voice and self-empowerment via education. If you want to know more, you can go to PencilsofPromise.org to see the charity with which he’s most involved. He really is a great, great man who, I believe, is making history in a good way (which is hard to come by nowadays!).
I wish people could either be excited for this couple as they welcome a new life into the world, or simply not say anything. This is supposed to be a joyful time for two people, just as it should be for you or for me if either of us were welcoming a new life. It deeply saddens me to read the negative, hostile, and cruel comments (which would probably tear us apart if they were about us). I know, I just shouldn’t read them, then. I guess I simply want to check in once in a while to see where we are as an internet community; I usually hope to see improvement. I’m sad I didn’t find much of it here. Hopefully one day we’ll progress to a place in which we look down upon such negativity, even though it will still exist. Anyway, that’s just an opinion of a larger issue triggered from a small article, but I hope to see a day in which more internet pages exude integrity and even encouragement. We need more HONYs around here :)”
Unharnessed 