Could you dig the hole you put yourself in just a little deeper, Mr. Armitage?

Just to be clear. I’m never offended, I just want to take care of those who might be. Our mums and our little ones might be here.

— Richard Armitage (@RCArmitage) April 1, 2015

***

If this was just going to be another limited episode of annual preaching from Reverend Armitage, I had decided to keep my mouth mostly shut, insofar as I have read this stuff in the past and thought, whatever, Mr. Armitage. Also, it was April Fool’s day, and although when I read last night’s tweet it sort of killed all the humor I was feeling while writing, I didn’t want to spoil the day for others.

I’m honestly starting to wonder now, though.

First, I don’t believe you. A lot of the stuff one can read in the social media sphere is hurtful and offensive. That’s not a necessarily a reason to censor it, but you’re offended by nothing? That would be truly surprising.

Second, you joined Twitter to bring the fun back to fandom, or so you said, but did you realize that you just created another huge bat for fans to beat each other up with? Once again, any time fan A finds something fan B did offensive to the sensibilities of a hypothetical mum and some “little eyes,” your words will be used to beat fan B into the ground. Do not ask me how I know this. I was told many times not to write what I write on this blog because children or your mother could see it.

And finally — certain places are for certain people. This is why we don’t let minors into strip joints or NC-17 films. It’s why there’s an adult section of the library that is separate from the children’s section. When we do let those groups into places where their sensibilities might be challenged, we warn them. Frankly, little kids are not supposed to be on Twitter. That’s not my responsibility, that’s their parents’ responsibility. Adults who are on Twitter — whether they are someone’s mum or not — are also responsible for being aware that they might see things that displease them.

Mr. Armitage, if I ever met your mum, and I were aware that obscenities were harmful to her sensibilities, I would certainly not use them with her. But I beg your pardon if I don’t feel obliged to behave in the social mediasphere at all times as if she were looking over my shoulder.

Did you think about what your mum would think of Francis Dolarhyde before you took that role? Was that an important consideration? I can tell you, MY mum would not watch that kind of thing.

What are you going to do when people start tweeting aesthetically beautiful blood covered pictures of you all over the place?

What about the kids and the mums then?

Don’t get me wrong, I admire your work, I think you’re gorgeous, your talent is amazing, everything I’m aware of about you is inspirational. I also admire that you seem to be a moral kind of guy and that you take a stand. I wouldn’t have invested this much effort in you otherwise.

However, I know practically nothing about you. And on a scale of the virtues, having a potty mouth (or not) is minor in comparison to the criteria that I apply to people who I do take as behavioral and moral role models.

~ by Servetus on April 1, 2015.