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Why I Continue Scheduled Tweets During Tragedy

November 14, 2017 by Kenna Griffin

I learned about the 9/11 terror attacks on my way to my job as a full-time journalist. I wondered why I was stuck in traffic during my typically smooth commute to the newsroom. I heard it on the radio.

When I got to work, I wrote a story about a library.

I don’t remember which Oklahoma town the library was in or what the story was about—grant, fundraising, renovation, expansion—it makes no difference.

What I remember feeling was useless. In the immediate aftermath of an event that changed America, I was on deadline and writing about a library. Who cares?

I had plenty of opportunities later to write about the attacks. Unfortunately, we all did as we explored Oklahoma angles to the story.

I got more from writing about the library.

We all need a little sense of normalcy in times of trauma. We cannot wallow in the hate, anger, sadness, and despair.

My memory of writing about that library is the reason I don’t stop my regularly scheduled tweets when a tragedy occurs.

digital first

I have been criticized in the past for not pausing my scheduled tweets when a traumatic event occurs. I’ll take the criticism.

I’m not insensitive to others’ suffering. Rather, I chose to tweet regularly to create a sense of normalcy in an otherwise abnormal time.

To put it in more hopeless terms, when is there not a tragedy happening?

If we only released and consumed information about tragedies—domestic and international—when they occurred, that’s all we’d ever see.

We could read about death and destruction all day, every day. In fact, that’s some of what is turning some of us away from mainstream news and social media right now. It seems everywhere you look there is another report of sexual assault or another shooting.

Business as usual isn’t a lack of respect for these tragic happenings.

It’s the understanding that sometimes we just need to read about a library.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above (typically those to books) may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I promise that I only recommend products or services I use personally and think will provide you value. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Prof KRG

Prof KRG aims to create an ongoing educational dialogue among media professionals, students and educators.

Please let me know what resources you need or topics you wish you better understood. If I don't know the information, I'm happy to seek out someone who does.

Contact me via email at kennagriffin@gmail.com.

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About Kenna Griffin

I am a mass communications professor, journalist and collegiate media adviser. I teach classes including those on writing, reporting, media law, media ethics, social media marketing, and public relations. I am married, have two children and live in Oklahoma. More about this site's purpose

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