Dear ANR,
A Word of Caution to Social Media “Activists”
There are many issues amiss here in Antigua & Barbuda and the citizenry has rightfully become more and more concerned. In the digital age,
a post on social media showing advocacy, hurt, and outrage at the perceived wrongs is deemed the end all and be all of our concern.
However,
while we let our digital cries be heard, I ask that we take a step back, and remember our humanity before we rush online and type what could potentially harm the very people who need our help most.
We as a country have been left in a place of shock, disbelief, and mourning after the brutal abduction and murder of Chantel Crump. Many would have become personally invested in the case but I don’t think that anyone could be feeling the hurt and pain that Chantel’s family is feeling.
I have heard a person who seemingly did not even know Chantel before her abduction say, “No one wanted to see that baby girl home more than me.” While I too felt personally connected and wept on our collective loss of Chantel, I think that it would be worthwhile if some of us looked accurately at where we sit in this situation. I’ve heard some who never even borne a child make it seem like they are in a position to speak on what Chantel’s parents should or should not be doing. I think this is incredibly myopic, self- centered and quite frankly, evil.
This case is a rare event in our country and so the pain that the parents are going through cannot be easily understood. To say we “know how they feel” would be nothing short of foolish. Any mental health expert would say that people deal with grief differently, it is therefore necessary that people be given the space to do so. We’ve oftentimes seen notices of the death of a public figure and the family would close the note by requesting privacy as they grieve. Along with privacy, it is important that a grieving person have their feelings validated as they come to grips with the loss of a loved one. The last thing Chantel’s family needs is strangers saying, “They’re too quiet” and they should be doing, x, y, or z. Not because they aren’t typing away on social media that means they aren’t heavily invested and productively following up on their child’s case.
A social media activist has also posted quite a bit online about the case which could effectively prejudice its outcome. There were MULTIPLE occasions when this individual would have made erroneous comments. They did so once and the police came out and refuted the initial statement, that was not enough for the person to be cautious of what they said.
They continued to make comments about the state of the child’s body, claimed a source told them who confessed, only to have their claims AGAIN be denied. Can someone tell me how this furthers the course of justice for the child?
Like anyone else, I was frustrated hearing the “inconclusive” outcome of Chantel’s autopsy. A toxicology has since been ordered. A young lady on social media commented quite graciously on a post that toxicology reports can take 4-6 weeks or even longer. Instead of duly acknowledging the SCIENTIFIC facts, people were in a haste to respond that things would happen sooner like the case in Guyana regarding Adrianna Younge, if people made more noise. With Chantel’s initial autopsy coming back as inconclusive, a toxicology report may be more complex and the report is already known to take some time. Is this honestly something we want to rush? People are not even willing to wait to see if the toxicology report is going to fall within the 4-6 week range even though it could still LEGITIMATELY take longer. People are already saying it will be protracted. Not giving science and due process a fair chance benefits NO ONE.
Further, people stating that the family of Chantel should take a page out of the book of Adrianna Younge’s family are missing out a key fact. In the heat of anger, much evidence surrounding her case could have been compromised and destroyed. I literally saw a man walk over Adrianna’s body, she was clearly touched, people were up and through the site, set the hotel on fire and essentially tampered with evidence. While I commend the government of Guyana for quickly summoning three prestigious doctors to perform Adrianna’s autopsy, the terms are different. We have someone charged with Chantel’s murder who led authorities to her body. The government probably did not anticipate that there would have been a challenge regarding the autopsy. Regarding Adrianna, we don’t have someone arrested, some don’t even think she was murdered and her reappearance on the compound at the resort made some think it could have been a coverup. This is a distinct difference. What I will say though, is that if a country is serious about getting outside help, they will, as Guyana moved expeditiously with Adrianna’s autopsy, but that’s a topic for another day.
Last month, Chantel’s family denied sanctioning a fundraiser organized in the child’s name. When people who thought they were innocently sharing the poster learnt of this, they started sharing it had been canceled as per the family’s wishes. Again, an activist said, they will not judge, but went on to judge Chantel’s family by saying the poster has been around for some time, so why is the family now speaking out? Well, I’m going to hold your hand and tell you this, but not everyone lives on social media like you. I remember telling a friend the family said they did not sanction the event and he said he did not even see the initial flyer and he’s always on social media. Chantel’s parents are clearly older people who may not be tech savvy and going through the most difficult time of their lives. You really think they’re going to constantly be on social media? This activist has been vocal on social media for years but they shouldn’t lack the emotional intelligence, maturity, compassion and regular common sense to think that not everyone else is that way. While this person has been using social media, a tool they are familiar with to deal with Chantel’s case, Chantel’s family and others in the country may be using other mechanisms that they are familiar with. Some people cope with hard times by talking to friends, religion, crying, sex, going for walks, throwing themselves into work, missing work, using substances, overeating, undereating and the list of possibilities goes on because people are different.
While social media can be a good tool and used to benefit us as a society, let us not use it to harm and walk on others when they could most use our support.
Just Saying
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I fully agree. In the words of Iron Mike Tyson, “Social media made y’all way too comfortable with disrespecting people and not getting punched in the face for it.”
This is so on point its not funny. People are not aware on the multiple implications that linger around. We have a woman in jail whom I already predicted will walk because of either a lack of or screw up of police or personal evidence.
There’s livestream video footage showing that the protesters weren’t the ones who started the fire at that hotel. Smoke was coming from the 2nd floor of the smaller building while villagers were on the ground by the pool shocked at seeing a dead girl who was missing at that hotel 20 hours prior.
Guyanese have little confidence in the government and police force, thus, the almost authoritarian clamp down on protests and social media posts discussing the mysterious death of Adrianna Younge.
There isn’t an autopsy report available for the family’s lawyer either, thus, the piecemeal reports from the Guyana government and GPF appear to be more of propagandist speeches than a neutral reporter.
Yes writer we understand your plea..but isn’t it the same thing you’re doing in your post, over reacting to one or two commenters, and ignoring the other alarming mishaps in this case?
Apart from the emotions about the Parents and how no one can feel the pain of Chantels lost better than them, the rest of your diatribe is written with pure speculations as well,and do nothing to get to the bottom of this case. In fact what you have done here,is to give further excuses to the investigators in this case to botch the entire thing.
You are over looking the urge to get to the bottom of this case, both for the Moral of the country,and the impending danger that looms if this case is botched.
So given the gravity of this case, and even though some outlandish things have been spoken from some observers, it is all the more reasons for this case to be solved.
So yes, the concerns are merited by all, and the public outs cry should send the proper message to the authorities to get this right.
And one more thing..The news about the autopsy on Chantel is not good one bit. I do not care how long they take. From a PR perspective, they should have never revealed the news of an inconclusive autopsy, never. So there is where your anger should be placed, on the authorities who are in control of the case.
They need to get this right, so there you have it..Simple.