TOPSTORIES

5Helpfulpostelectionrulesforusing
socialmedia
Whereveryoustandontheelectionanditsresults,removingafewbricksfromyour
echochambermightbegoodformindandsoul

JUSTINMCCLAIN
NOVEMBER10,2016
FindingmyselfunabletovoteingoodconscienceforeitherHillaryClintonorDonaldTrump,Iwroteinthe
nameofmybrotherJaris,oneofthemostfairandlikemindedpeopleoffaithwhomIamblessedtoknow.
Sincehejustturned35lastMarch,hewasqualifiedtorun.
Asthepossessoroftwovotes,total(100%ofprecinctsreporting),Jarisdidnotwininthiselectioncyclehe
wasfurtherdismayedtolearnthatHarambe,thedeceasedgorilla,receivedapproximately5,500timesas
manyvotesashedid.
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Ifyouareanythinglikeme,asyouwatchedtheresultscominginfromTuesdaynightintoWednesday

morning,youheardvariouspunditsofdifferingpoliticalstripesdeclarethattheyneversawtheTrumpvictory
coming.Incredibly,theysaidtheywerenowawarethatmanyAmericansweresendingamessagethatgot
missed.
Colormealittleincredulousandalotunimpressedtofindthatsupposedlywellinformedmediafolkseemed
nottohaveseenthesortofincessantpoststhatcrowdedmyTwitterandFacebookfeedsduringthecampaign.
Thesewerefullofpeople,frombothsides,soundingoffeverydayaboutwhattheyloved,orhated,or
feared,aboutthewaythingsweregoing,orwhatthefuturewouldhold.Hadthemembersofthepresssimply
unfriendedorblockedmindsandthoughtsthatdidnotechotheirown?
Withthevotescounted,andthewinnercalled,alloftheangstsoreadilyviewableonmyownfeedsgotme
wonderingabouttheroleoftheChristianintermsofrestoringunitywithourfellowcitizens.Wouldthisnot,
ofcourse,includelisteningtothosewhoaretryingtogetourattention,whetherornotweagreewiththem,
especiallyonsocialmedia?Shouldntweallmakeapointofatleasttryingtolistentoeachother?Ifthis
electionteachesusnothingelse,shouldnttheexpressedsurpriseattheelectionsoutcometeachusthat
echochambersareselflimitingandsterile?
Nomatterwhomyousupportedinthiselectioncycle,orwillsupportinfutureelectioncycles,hereareafew
waysthatweasbelieverscanandmustfollowtheLordscommandtodotoothersasyouwouldhave
themdotoyou(Luke6:31),especiallywhenusingsocialmedia.
1)Donotgloat.Thisisuncharitable,undignified,andultimatelyunChristian.
2)Considernotrespondingtoapostwithwhichyouvehementlydisagree.Instead,readthepost
carefully,trytounderstandwhereheorsheiscomingfrom,andprayforthepersonwhowrotethepost.
3)Donotreadilyunfriendorunfollowsomeone.Thisinvitesdiscordandgivestheperceptionthat
disagreementwithapositionmeansintoleranceoftheperson.
4)Postmoreupliftingthings.No,notacutekittenoracommandtosendthisto20people,ortheInfant
Jesuswillcry,buttrulyupliftingthings.Scripturalexcerpts.Quotesfromthesaints.ThedaysGospel
reading.Anythingthatsupplantsvitriol.
5)Ifyouaretemptedtopostsomethingsensitive,waitareasonableamountoftimeinorder
todeeplyreflectonitbeforehand.Whetheritisanhouroraday,donothitthatpostbuttonuntilyou

wouldbewillingtodisplaywhatyouhavewrittenonabillboard.
ItisvitalfortheChristiantoexercisecharitywhenitcomestosteppingoutsideofhisorhercomfortzone,
perhapsmorethanever,now,onsocialmedia.Itispossibletoremaincivilinthemidstofdiscord,
maintainingcharityasthefoundationofouriterationsofnationaldialogue.
Whenconsideringthelifeofadisciple,andtheLordscalltoseekfirstthekingdomofGodandhis
righteousness(Matthew6:33),allowyourselftogaininspirationfromwhatyoumighthearwhenyouinvite
othervoicestohelpyoudismantlethewallsofyourechochamber.
Readmore:10Tips:Ismyonlinebehaviorinvitingotherstothechurch?
JustinMcClain
liveswithhiswifeBernadetteandtheirthreechildren(JohnPaul,MaryChristine,
andThrse),in Bowie, Maryland. Justin has taught theology and Spanish at Bishop
McNamara High School in Forestville, Maryland, since 2006. He studied undergrad at the
University of Maryland College Park, and has an M.A. from the Universidad de Salamanca (Spain) and
an M.A. from Staffordshire University (England). Along with Aleteia, Justin has written for Ave Maria
Press,OurSundayVisitor, Catholic365,the journalChurch Life(published by the University of Notre
Dame's Institute for Church Life),and various other publications. You can follow him on Twitter
(@McClainJustin).
COOKIEPOLICYWeusecookiestoimproveourwebsiteandyourexperiencewhenusingit.Bycontinuingtonavigatethissite,youagreetothecookie
policy.Tofindoutmoreaboutthecookiesweuseandhowtodeletethem,seeourcookiepolicy.