Read on Twitter
seriously, the way we handle the aftermath of a callout in this community (and tbh, twitter as a whole) is a huge issue for me. I do think that callouts are important tools to be used when you have exhausted any other options you have -- and I've used it, obviously
my callout got....huge, way bigger than I expected, and it did everything I was terrified of it doing. I know *mine* in particular was a specific case because, instead of even trying to deny or reason with us or apologize, he just absolutely self-destructed in anger, but I still
felt deeply conflicted about writing and posting it once the information was already out, and it's not because I wanted to defend him (I sure didn't) it's because once that info was out of my hands, people that weren't even his victims were going to twist it into things I
explicitly asked them not to. I asked people not to tag others and demand they unfollow him immediately, they did. I asked people not to harass, demean, and send death threats and, guess what ? they did. I'm acutely aware what he did was HORRIBLE, I lived it, but he is also a
mentally ill person who deserves to live and have space to get better, and I was so concerned the harassment campaign would cause him to hurt himself. fwiw, I still feel like I did the right thing by calling him out I mean, obviously, look how he responded. but, I waffled on
posting it for over a year because I KNEW it would be bad. bad for me, bad for him. it scares me when people take joy in going over to people's profiles and being cruel to them, it scares me how much people seem to enjoy that. NO part of me had fun during that time period and i
still am so traumatized by the mere sight of callouts that I can't open them. I just, really wish people quietly blocked, unfollowed, and left people alone after callouts if they choose not to forgive. including the one I wrote, perhaps ESPECIALLY the one I wrote
I'm a leftist who believes in restorative justice, and I believe most of the people who follow me do too. if the person my callout is about eventually chooses to get help and becomes a better person, THATS the ideal outcome. it should be every person's ideal outcome when posting
a callout. minus specific, horrible people (people who have abused animals & children basically) we should be....taking a step back and leaving room for people to grow, and learn, and get help
I'm not saying you should personally forgive things that someone has done to you or others, but as a society we should *if* they are seeking to be better. isolation doesn't help. punishment in the form of insults and death threats doesn't help
and before anyone comes at me and says "well how would you feel if you knew people who still talked to the person you called out ?" I do. and theyre very aware of what he did and they're not excusing it, but they are people I trust to be capable to both hold him accountable
AND hold a line out for him if he needs help. and there is NOTHING wrong with that. NOTHING !!! if someone is holding their friend accountable but still being their friend and pushing them to be better.....good? which is why I don't like the name and shame tagging
anyway this is long so thank you for following me til the end, but the absolutely terrifying way I see callouts handled here makes me feel. really conflicted. bc I think there are definitely people who NEED to be warned about, obviously. my beef is less with callouts themselves
and, much more how we as a group handle the information, disperse it, force isolation and abuse the people in them, and leave ZERO path to rehabilitation
