LATE BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN

This year Valentine’s Day took on a very different meaning as we realized it was also the first anniversary of the Parkland Shooting on February 14, 2018. And of course that brings to mind our own tragedy at Santa Fe high school in August of this year.
Stories, no matter how significant or horrific, eventually fade from the headlines but the widespread massacre of our children must never be forgotten. Now that the day of celebrating our loved ones has passed, let us reflect on the importance of those gone far too soon and the loved ones they left behind.
All too often the rush to judgement is far to swift and in this age of technological communication, we have a responsibility to consider the sources of our information? Who  is saying what? Where did their information come from? And most importantly, what is their reason for sharing the information? When we read something obviously designed to make us angry or indignant, are we being manipulated into responding in a negative manner? When we instantly share that information without even attempting to determine its validity, are we playing into the hands of someone bent on causing discord and disruption?
We hear all the time about someone’s email being hacked; most of us have gotten emails from that very busy prince in  Zimbabwe or that email from our bank with an originating email address of zoe@imgonnagetyou.com. We have heard about computers being completely taken over or a Facebook friend sending things he didn’t actually send.  These hacks can be a minor irritation or a major catastrophe for the victim. These scams are everywhere.
Now, we need to start realizing that when we take a piece of information without considering its source or checking to see if it is at all accurate, we are allowing our brains, and often our reasoning to be hacked and we become a tool for an unknown entity with not so honorable intentions.  We become like sounding brass and clanging cymbals.
As a means of honoring those taken from us, make sure your sources are sound and before you share anything stop and consider these three things: Is it true and accurate? Did you check the source? What will sharing it accomplish? We were taught to think before we speak. Today we must consider before we share.