The following was written by Keith Bessette, Social Media Warrior for COS Florida.
I recently volunteered as a Social Media Warrior for Convention of States Florida. This directly followed my learning about the project during a Facebook debate with MoveOn.org readers, about an article vilifying any possible COS.
I learned from the MoveOn followers that I’m capable of writing a single Facebook
comment about the Constitution, states
rights, and a COS that results in hundreds of interactions, teaching me 50 new facts.
I knew nothing of the COS Project at the time, though I am a long term student of the Constitution.
I found the MoveOn article was packed with disingenuous statements and blatantly false information. I saw it as willfully misleading. I pointed out a few errors, and defended a COS as being a just method to rein in the overreaching federal government.
I pointed out the states' duty to control their creation - the federal government. I noted the need to block federal usurpation of authority not authorized by an expressly delegated power in the Constitution. I noted the clear historical evidence that the federal government will not sufficiently limit its own power, as its trend has always been steady expansion.
For this I was personally attacked from every angle by many MoveOn followers.
Over the course of the interaction, in order to respond with facts, I did some online research about a potential Article V convention. I learned of the COS project and proposed topics for amendments. As I see the need and agree with the utility of every topic proposed, I defended the moral and practical reasons this could be good for America.
I was flabbergasted at the ignorance of most of those who responded to my original comment, my subsequent defense of state sovereignty and a potential COS.
My rational, factual responses to some truly ridiculous arguments seemed confusing to some, evil to many. Their worship of an all powerful federal oligarchy and their ignorance of the Constitution was nothing short of ludicrous. It appeared as if most people in the thread had never encountered these concepts, and reacted by the top of their head exploding.
I wondered, is this the typical MoveOn audience? Are these the typical citizens our government schools are producing, or does MoveOn’s platform collect them?
But then I noticed I received 95% positive Facebook reaction emojis of the 168 reactions on my initial comment. Evidently the MoveOn audience who agreed with me are nearly all silent, and those who disagreed are nearly all ignorant and vocal. There were a few intelligent responses, and a few questions, so I continued to comment.
Here are the 50 funny comments I received for posting facts, for your entertainment.
1. I’m a troll.
2. I’m a Russian agent.
3. I’m an automated bot.
4. I’m a right-wing bagger.
5. I’m ignorant of reality.
6. I’ve never read the Constitution.
7. I’m a know-it-all.
8. I’m a liar.
9. I’m ignorant on the Constitution.
10. I’m stupid.
11. I have a limited vocabulary.
12. I was well-trained in English as a second language by the Russian intelligence agency FSB.
13. I live in Moscow.
14. I should get out more.
15. I’m ignorant in general.
16. I’m a Nazi.
17. I’m naive.
18. Everyone should know who the Dominionists are.
19. I’m a re-thug.
20. I should be ignored.
21. I’m an Internet Nobody.
22. The solution to all DC issues is a more balanced, more Democratic government.
23. A balanced Federal budget will eliminate all taxes, taking out all the power of the
people and destroying the government. Corporations would then make all laws.
24. I only write bullsh**.
25. I am a Toadie for a couple Rats (aka the Kochs).
26. I’m a bootlicker for tyrants.
27. I’m a tool for subversives.
28. I should be prepared to die for stating a political viewpoint in a public forum.
29. I am an employee of the Koch brothers, paid to sell out our democracy.
30. I am a scumbag.
31. Everyone who listens to me is crazy.
32. I am subverting freedom by selling a bag of goods.
33. I want America to be ruled by the one percent.
34. A convention is illegal, because it was voted down recently and we have to wait 20
years before voting again (per the Constitution).
35. I’m a good dancer (presumably rhetorically).
36. All facts are wrong.
37. The Kochs want to replace our capitalist democracy with a feudal system, where they
get all money.
38. Germany is using me as revenge for the war.
39. I am an Alpha Male.
40. I am trying to impress everyone with the fishing trawler I had my FB profile
background pic in front of, to make my arguments valid.
42. I am disingenuous.
43. Smelling roses would fix my logic.
44. I am asleep.
45. My lithium prescription ran out.
46. The American Taliban plans to make a constitutional amendment to enact their version of Sharia Law, therefore we should allow no more amendments ever again.
47. I have lost all objective concept.
48. Lizard people control the world.
49. I know nothing about history.
50. I’m capable of writing a single Facebook comment about the Constitution and a potential COS that results in hundreds of replies teaching me 50 new facts. And that a single comment I write can receive 168 reactions.
