Internet: The place where jerks run wild

Re: “2017 wasn’t a ‘yawner’ — it was the year our last norms crashed down,” (Leonard Pitts column, 1/4).

We have slowly begun illuminating our inner jerk with the advent of the internet, where one can say the most despicable things and get away with it — and as you know, suffer absolutely no repercussions.

President Trump has taken the internet’s vitriol to center stage and made it acceptable for discourse. I have to ask why our president is so cowardly and disgraceful? Where did he learn to be so hateful?

He is the bull in the china shop. Nothing pleases him more than thinking he has shattered what is beautiful and on display.

It is a lot easier to go to hateful language than to take a moment to think about the impact of our chosen words and sandwich one’s point with meritorious language.

It’s a lot simpler to use Twitter for demeaning quips than to stand in front of rolling cameras and let your vitriol fly.

The internet has given license for “freedom of expression” to every ruffian in the world. It also gives them the veil to hide behind.

I wonder how this country is going to finally rein it all in and neutralize the language of jerks?

This story was originally published January 18, 2018 at 4:18 PM with the headline "Internet: The place where jerks run wild."