S
ocial media giant Facebook has been in the news a lot lately with stories about how user information has been mined for political and commercial purposes.
That's given Facebook a black eye, so much so that thousands have already left Facebook entirely and many others have vowed to deactivate their Facebook accounts.
But that may be easier said than done. There is a reason Facebook has become so popular and the site might be too addictive for some to quit.
We want to know what you think. Are you considering giving up or reducing time spent on Facebook? Or do you find the the social media platform's benefits outweigh possible negatives?
Send your response (50 words maximum) to [email protected] by Wednesday, March 28. You can also mail your response to the Texarkana Gazette Friday Poll, at P.O. Box 621, Texarkana, TX 75504 or drop it off at our office, 101 E. Broad St, Texarkana, Ark. Be sure to include your name, address and phone number. We will print as many responses as we can in next Friday's paper.
Last Week: Student Walkout?
Last week about 200 Arkansas High School students joined thousands of others across the country in walking out of class for 17 minutes to commemorate those killed last month in Parkland, Fla. Do you support the students who left class for several minutes Wednesday to take part in the event? Or do you think they were wrong and possibly should face punishment?
The death of 17 of their classmates as well as 16 injured was the last straw for the teenagers who have since 2012 known through news of 239 school shootings injuring 438 and killing 138. The discipline should be the Congress, that works 133-138 days a year for $174,000-House speaker $223,500, majority and minority leaders of Senate $193,400 and House $193,900. They have had six years to address background checks and remove military guns from being purchased.-J.B., Texarkana, Ark.
Yes, I completely agree with the student's 17 minute walk out. Personally, I think the students should do it on the 14th of each month until something gets done about the current gun laws. The Congress and president were talking about it right after the tragic shooting at Parkland, but what has been done.-J.B., Texarkana, Ark.
I was proud of the students joining in the "Nationwide Leaving Class" for 17 minutes. Why not? They had their right to honor the 17 killed in the Florida school, and they have their right to march in front of the White House, in DC these are kids, think about how they feel, witnessing friends and teachers mowed down. They are not adults, they are kids, they want something done about so many school shootings. They think like kids and they cant understand why adults haven't done something about it.-B.J., Texarkana, Texas
From www.facebook.com/texarkanagazette
- I am very proud of them!
- It sets a precedence that school is the place for midday, walkout protests. What future protests will be allowed in the middle of a school day? School is supposed to be a place of unbiased education-not a center for indoctrination.
- As a very mad and upset parent, our students were told by school officials that they would go outside at 10:00 to "pray" for the students who lost their lives. They were not educated of the protest that was also happening at this exact time and day. Parents of students were not notified that our school district would be participating in this protest. The school officials/district mislead our students in what was really happening.
- I'm not voicing an opinion here except to say to the Gazette, quit stirring up things and stick to reporting the news. Questions like this only cause more divisiveness!
- I think they were right, and they should face some arbitrary disciplinary action- assuming there's a policy already in place.
- The discipline is half, or more, of the legitimacy of their resolve.
- They went outside to pray for the kids and families that lost lives. They were not protesting!
- I support the students 100% if they walked out for the intended reason, if they were out there lollygagging that's another story.
- Yay for the students! THEY MUST speak up for themselves because the adults are sure as hell aren't-Go young people! The leaders of tomorrow and TODAY!!!
- I support them 100%.
- These kids are being used by the media and other forces in our society to try and take the second amendment away from us. The kids should be punished because they have no say about policy till they are 18 just like every one of us before them and they need to be taught that there are consequences to one's actions.
- School is not the place for a protest on political views. It is a place for learning. Not indoctrination on political views or agendas. If you are going to do this then protest for all of the bullied kids that have taken their lives. When you stop the bullying that goes on in schools you'll stop the deaths.
- I was given 1 week of detention for walking out of class. So yeah make sense for them not to be punished.
- I think it was less protest than it was being supportive.
- If they where honestly honoring the students that where killed, then great. But if they where doing it just to protest guns and the 2nd amendment then no. The media turned it into a witch hunt trying to do away with the rights of millions of law abiding citizens who have never killed anyone or used their firearms to comment a crime.
- Well, I hope their employer of the future "understands" every time they want to "walk out" and demonstrate on the job every time they disagree with something. Those type of actions accomplish nothing substantial.
- Nothing new. We did this back in the '70s at Ark High. It was called Senior Skip Day!
- If they walked out in support of the Second Amendment then they would be in trouble so this ain't nothing but a bunch of troublemakers that need a zero for the day
- It's a win-win for them. They get told they are making a difference and they get to skip classes. If they want to protest or pay their respects they need to do it before or after school. They should not be allowed to disrupt classes to do it. They need to all write a report on why, what is their reason for the walk out..
- I support the students
- They eat Tide pods and don't even know what bathroom to go to. Wonder how many students actually know the full 2nd amendment?
- I support the 2nd Amendment but I support the 1st Amendment as much or more!
- They should be in the history class learning what happened to every country in the past who had their guns taken away from the citizens. And for all you who don't know the answer to that they are now dictatorships and the people have to do what the government tells them to do where to work what to eat where to go to church and everything else they do.
- More teens are killed each year from texting and driving but no one will protest that. If we could put the blame back on the person pulling the trigger then maybe this could be talked about more. The way I see it, if a gun kills then so does a cell phone and so does automobiles. Ban those two items and life will be so peaceful.
- How sad that some people are more outraged at kids walking out of school than they are at kids being carried out in body bags. I support these kids. It's their lives, their future, and their country. People who grew up without having to fear they'd be shot in school are the ones who really have no valid opinion on this. Not the kids.
- I support the children's they are the ones being killed
- I am very proud of these students who are honoring their fellow students. What an awesome teaching moment.
- Support students 100%-parents sure aren't doing anything to protect them.
- I support the children
- Good for them. In proud that the youth of this country are standing up to the NRA owned politicians. They are doing what the adults in this country should have done years ago.
- They should be punished. This was no moment of silence across the nation, it was open rebellion. A protest in ignorance of the very laws they are protesting. It was "encouraged" by activists teachers, media, and politicians to bolster their own control of the population. To disarm any who might resist. To promote taking away one of the few remaining rights of the individual.
- As long as it was peaceful, I have no issue with it. However I hope they show friendship to those who feel like outcasts.
- Absolutely support the kids! Fully support 2nd amendment as a gun owner. I along with my children understand that nobody is trying to take away our guns. There should be stricter laws and the laws on the books should be enforced. It's just common sense really
- I am going to support them standing up for something in general. Sure there are exceptions to every rule but we don't alway have to point them out. If the children want to be heard I am listening. I genuinely care for their safety whether that means they want the gun sellers to do background checks, change the age to 21. Have metal detectors in schools, hire vets as security. Be heard when they have seen something and have said something. I will focus on these issues and believe the children when they say they have been frightened by these shootings.
- Is there a way to interview the children from the local schools? Focus on them in a meeting to where they are heard by our leaders here?