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For some, history has a way of repeating itself. For others, history has an inopportune time of resurfacing.
Just ask Josh Hader, Sean Newcomb and Trea Turner – three Major League Baseball stars enjoying standout seasons with their respective teams.
All three recently had their Twitter accounts excavated for some offensive content of the racial and homophobic nature. The tweets were posted years ago when all three were teenagers, but they came to the forefront over the past couple of weeks as all three were a part of the news cycle.
Hader, Newcomb and Turner have since apologized for their language. Each has said that’s not who he is, and points out that the tweets are years old, were just jokes and do not represent his attitude now.
Regardless if you accept the apology, one thing is abundantly clear – don’t type stupid thoughts and opinions on social media. Internet content is eternal.
* It doesn’t take much of an effort to do the digging into a Twitter user’s history. Twitter makes it very easy to search for specific words.
For evolved humans, tweeting the n-word and using slurs for gay men is not good for one’s public image, nor is it a positive look for their employers or the sport. Chances are, though, this won’t be the last time a professional athlete or some celebrity type will come under fire for offensive language he/she used in the past.
But this isn’t solely a lesson for celebrities. Anyone in the public spotlight – a CEO, a manager of a business, a teacher, etc. – can have their reputation soiled because of one bad move. And everyone, regardless their bank account or job title, should be held accountable for his/her actions.
Some have suggested that those in the public spotlight should scrub their social media accounts to prevent future incidents and subsequent public shaming and humiliation. This is a valid point, especially if the person in question is, in fact, embarrassed by immature or offensive comments they made in their past.
Also, one would hope that with maturity and broadening one’s life experiences would enlighten a person’s attitude. Hopefully that’s the case with the three ball players.
Keep in mind, Twitter is not to blame for these players’ indiscretions. It’s not Twitter’s fault if you tweet something offensive or stupid.
But perhaps the most ideal method of prevention: Refrain from typing bigoted and offensive comments for public forum.
