I Don’t Need The News, I Have Facebook

An open letter to the social justice warrior on my Instagram

Names have been changed for confidentiality purposes

Dear Faith,

We met a little over a year ago and we became close friends. I told you before I never had a friend like you, with your background or as young as you are. We bonded over our mental health journey and when I guided you through more mindfulness practices and ditching medications, you were so open-minded. No judgement, no “you’re crazy, that doesn’t work”, you accepted me and my spiritual beliefs.

I understand that you’ve been out of work due to the pandemic going on outside and it’s getting stressful. It’s not easy, we need outdoors and nature, connecting with the Earth rather than our phones. Funny though, you do have space to venture in the countryside without bumping into anyone, but you’ve chosen to stay at home and you’ve found them. Or maybe they’ve found you.

You started posting up some crazy things about the pandemic, paedophile rings and Hollywood. I never really bothered to read it, until you spoke up about Black Lives Matter. You wondered why the streets of London were protesting for the justice of the Black people that lost their lives. You said, “We’re not in America, and we’re lucky! It’s not as bad here!” That’s the problem. I don’t want to be content with covert racism.

You even said without Churchill, “there would be more racism in this world” and I had to tell you that’s just absolutely false. After all, Churchill was the most racist of them all. You just were never taught about it in school apart from him saving Europe. They covered it up — you get it right, covert racism.

You had loads to say about George Floyd, nothing that I’ve never seen/heard a white person say. But after the shooting of Jacob Blake, you reposted false information about his sexual allegations against a minor. The first thing I did was check and it all came down to it being false. I wanted to tell you that it wasn’t true, I did. Shame on me for not saying anything. When I think about it, it makes me worse than you.

You even called the pandemic a “scamdemic”. I hate to break it to you, but Fabian had been admitted for the virus. He told me that when he lay in a hospital bed that was placed in a corridor (they had no space for him anywhere else), and no respirators either, he confessed to me that he thought his time may be up. He felt like a train had hit him and took all the air out his lungs. He’s alright now, but he wouldn’t be too happy with you saying it’s a scam because others weren’t so lucky. Living in the suburbs must be nice, you know, being away from everything and your neighbours far away from you.

But you’re even more passionate about Pizzagate. When you started posting about paedophiles I asked you where you got your sources from, you sent me screenshots off of Facebook. I asked you if you realise that these aren’t from reliable sources and that Pizzagate has been debunked, “No, don’t read the news. They’re lying to you, they’re hiding all this information from you.” My first thought was, who’s they?

When I, along with the rest of the world, was mourning the death of Chadwick Boseman, you called us sheep. Oogling over Hollywood stars when “they are in on it.” You called for a ban on Netflix, Hollywood films and the music industry. I hope in the serenity of your home that you pick up reading, not Facebook reading, but reading. On everything, from race, feminism and politics.

I know you believe that the Obamas and Tom Hanks are evil people too, but if we choose to believe that they’re evil, then we’re evil too. I know you’re trying to save the children and the world, but I don’t think reposting false information along with your Instagram business is going to do the trick. You’re undermining democracy, that’s what scares me most. After Brexit, we don’t need any more surprises.

I was raised not to believe everything I read on the internet, but you were raised with the internet. I hope you find some clarity soon, conspiracies have caused a lot of damage in the world since it came about. I’ve urged you before, fact-check, fact-check, fact-check. Please do.

We’re living in trying times and I feel it’s irresponsible for any of us to be spreading information that’s not true. I know you think that the people in power are not going to save us, but neither is your Facebook group.

Yours Sincerely,

Me.