Why I Am Supporting #twittersilence

Hello.
It is indeed a glorious morning. I am going to keep this very brief. And it's probably not even very well written. But I am posting it anyway.

Today I am supporting the twitter silence. I am staying away from twitter for the day. I am doing this deliberately and consciously to bring awareness to and in support of those women who have received the most vile and appalling violence, rape and bomb threats, via twitter, from men.

The ensuing 'response' from twitter itself (headed in the UK by a man) and the 'authorities' (mostly men) has been, quite frankly, alarmingly underwhelming. And worrying. The so called debate about freedom of speech has been pathetic. Since when did freedom to speak mean allowing this kind of behaviour. How much speaking do we need until we start doing what we know to be the right thing in the first place?

What summed the whole thing up for me was when one of the women contributing to the debate said, quite rightly, that this issue was not about freedom of speech or silencing freedom of speech, it was about an attempt to silence women.

There are so many arguments about today and whether to take part or not. 'Silence solves nothing.' 'It is giving in to the online trolls.' 'We need to be part of the debate not apart from it.'
All are valid. All have their place. I am not going to start arguing with those who are on the same side. Or join a team against others. I am taking a stand in support of.  It is a positive action. Silence can be a very powerful and effective weapon. We all know this. Sadly most of us experience the negative side of it. The heavy emotional blackmailing silence.

This is, in my opinion, a positive organised one. And I have CHOSEN to take part. Just as anyone with a differing opinion can choose not too.

So for me, it's not about doing the best thing, the most effective thing, or even the right thing. It's purely and simply about doing SOMETHING.

NUFF SAID.

Have a great day folks.