This is from one of my favorite writers and friend Nathan Tackett:
Ah yes, the internet – where spineless cowards bark with hateful intention. A terrible situation recently came to light where a fellow artist/author was berated with a vile string of ‘go kill yourself’ comments just because they used stock photos in their work. Guess what?! The individual actually DID try to take their life. Luckily, they didn’t succeed and are recovering.
Artists. We are a sensitive bunch and one can never tell what demons we may be fighting under the poetry and prose. I have seen several situations lately where artists have been trolled to horrible ends. We can do better.
Unfortunately, we live in an atmosphere were shit slinging is commonplace. Weak-minded creeps throw around words like ‘cuck’ and ‘snowflake’ and ‘nazi’ without a second thought. Somehow, this has become an accepted language of the new era. We can do better.
I fully support the first amendment, but I don’t support your right to be an asshole. Unfortunately, the school bully sits safely behind a virtual wall of anonymity. We can do better.
It’s time we start calling these slugs out. I support all of my artistic folk. Whether you’re a best-selling author, or an understood misfit. You can always sit next to me.
~ Nathan Tackett
Thank you Nathan.
Juliette aka Vampire Maman
Dear Vampire Maman Readers,
More and more I am hearing horror stories of gangs of bully trolls out of online writing groups terrorizing authors by leaving horrible reviews on Amazon and other online book dealers. They also troll blogs, and any social media outlet they can get to. They gang up and go in like blind fire ants killing anything in their way – never thinking about what they are doing.
I have seen this happen to more than one author in my circles.
Don’t get caught up in the group-think mean mind-set. Be an ADULT. Be a professional. Don’t be an asshole. Don’t be a horrible bad person. Don’t get all butt hurt over NOTHING.
DON’T BE A MONSTER.
THINK before you post.
Stand up against the trolls who troll our fellow writers and artists.
WE CAN DO BETTER.
~ Juliette aka Vampire Maman
Well said!
Thank you.
There have been recent prosecutions here in the UK for people using the likes of Twitter to send abusive messages to people, particularly death and rape threats to some of our female members of parliament.
It’s really quite saddening that we have to resort to law to try to get people to behave as decent human beings.
Yep, lots of that going on here. It reminds me of all of the stalker laws in California due to so many entertainers living here. Even their children were being stalked.
It makes me so sad that writers get stalked too. From Stephen King to a young woman writing her first indie book, to my own blogging friends, and the list goes on.
We need to continue to band together and support each other.