Roseanne’s tweet

As I read through the backlash following Roseanne Barr’s now infamous tweet, I couldn’t help but wonder if we have become too quick to cast judgment in the advent of social media (“ABC cancels ‘Roseanne’ for star comedian’s racist tweet,” May 30)?

While this is in no way a defense of the statement that was made, it does give me pause as to how rapidly as a society we condemn and ostracize individuals without a chance for explanation or retraction. To her credit, Barr swiftly apologized, but to no avail as the vast Twitterverse had already begun to show its fury, creating a viral sensation. As has happened with a plethora of others, companies (or in this case networks) were quick to announce they were dropping Roseanne for fear they, too, could be pulled into the storm.

While a powerful tool to connect and share, platforms like Twitter have enabled ideas to spread so rapidly that we often fail to take the time to fully assess the situation before being swept up by the rapid outpouring of anger. Anyone who has watched “Roseanne” from its inception can tell you that the show, for which Barr was the driving creative force, has been a platform to speak out on many social injustices, including racism.

This all was washed away with the click of a button. Lesson being, think before you speak, or in this case tweet, as words have consequences.

Jason Dejna

Oak Creek