The response to the Jennifer Kim/Violinist tweet is totally out of proportion and inappropriate [View all]

[CreekDog]

We aren't talking about a major public figure who did something dumb.

We aren't talking about a public or private citizen who said something that was racist, sexist, homophobic, advocated for the harm of any person or animal.

We are just talking about someone who, by all accounts, is otherwise a regular, if significantly accomplished person, who after being in a train derailment, said something dumb and insensitive.

(here is her blog, I don't see any deep seated evil here, do you:
https://violinistjennifer.wordpress.com/blog-2/page/2/)

Now I don't know about you, but I am betting that you have said something dumb that was actually a harmless statement.

But I'm also betting that you've never had countless news stories written about it and thousands and thousands of people saying horrible things about you for it.

And I'd also bet that other people that share your name were not likewise harassed for it too (as other musicians named Jennifer Kim have reported experiencing).

This is over the top, it is out of proportion and it's just wrong. And the only way to stop this excess is to push back hard against it.

Because while what she said was insensitive, but not actually offensive, if you participate in a wildly out of proportion punishment by shaming, then you also are wrong for that action.

For background here's a story about it:

http://www.theviolinchannel.com/amtrak-philadelphia-crash-twitter-tweat-jennifer-kim-insensitive-social-media/

also, one DUer posted this:

markpkessinger (6,100 posts)
189. An ex of mine -- also a classical violinist -- knows Jennifer Kim . . .

. . . and here is what he had to say on Facebook:

Jennifer used to be a member of the American Symphony Orchestra, until she moved down to DC. She is such a sweet, gentle person - and a wonderful violinist and colleague. The only things callous on her are the fingertips of her left hand! Our violins are not only our voice, they are irreplaceable works of art as well. If my 315 year baby was on that train, I'm sure I would have reacted similarly. Jennifer certainly doesn't need social media shaming for her reaction.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=6669890