People who work in abortion clinics know what it’s like to be discriminated against. Oh, I’m not talking about discrimination in the legal sense. I’m just talking general “discrimination.”
For example, it is not unusual for a local business to refuse to serve the local abortion clinic. It may be a cleaning service that does not want to clean the clinic at night. It might take a long time for the director of the abortion clinic to find someone who would be willing to construct a website for them. In some more extreme cases, the local police might not react as quickly as they normally do when called to control an unwieldy group of protestors. It’s just all part of being in the abortion business.
Now, I am hearing of another form of possible “discrimination” against abortion providers – by Facebook.
Let me explain.
This blog is associated with the website, www.abortion.com. That site is a directory of abortion clinics across the country. The clinics pay a fee to be placed on the site, much like they pay the Yellow Pages to be listed in their books. A while ago, the manager of the website decided to create a Facebook page. As of two weeks ago, that Facebook page had over 100,000 “friends,” an incredible amount of people.
On a regular basis, the manager of the site (or one of the “friends”) would post a comment in an effort to generate a conversation. For example, he might post something like “how do you feel about late term abortions?” In response, dozens upon dozens of people would comment. Many of them were anti-abortion, which was perfectly okay because it engendered some very lively debates.
Indeed, at times it would get downright hot and heavy. Unfortunately, some people used foul language but if they did, they were immediately warned by the manager and removed if they ignored the warnings. Then, a number of anti-abortion nut balls would flood the site with inane comments, repeating them over and over again. I think the word is “trolling.” The manager spent an inordinate amount of time deleting the troll’s comments. In addition to all of this activity, the Facebook page was used to advertise for www.abortion.com in the hopes of directing women to reputable abortion clinics.
Then, suddenly, about a week ago the Facebook page disappeared.
Gone.
Just like that.
The manager and his staff immediately tried contacting Facebook to find out why the site was taken down. It was puzzling. After all, there are a number of other abortion related Facebook pages out there. Indeed, some of the anti-abortion pages are incredibly gross. So, it was very hard to figure out why they were shut down without notice.
Compounding the problem is that it is virtually impossible to talk to anyone at Facebook because they are so insulated. There may be some bullshit “contact us” button but you know that your message will wind up on the computer of some teenager in some Third World country who is getting paid $5 an hour. Go ahead, try it yourself. Try contacting Facebook.
So, where does that leave us?
I cannot imagine why Facebook took down this page. But, no matter what the reason, it is incredibly arrogant to close down a page with that many fans without even notifying the manager. Who are these anonymous people who make these decisions willy-nilly? Or sure, I understand it’s their company but, c’mon folks, where are your manners?
I can only conclude that Facebook was getting somewhat uncomfortable with the page for some reason. The cynic in me would say that the powers that be are anti-abortion and were concerned that an abortion rights page was getting so much visibility. And, if I can prove that is the case, then I am ready to lead a pro-choice revolt against this company whose owner recently named “Person of the Year” by Time Magazine.
My antennae is up – is it possible that, once again, abortion providers are being discriminated against?
December 17, 2010 at 1:19 pm
Next time you’ll know better than to say my name is splashed all over there and me being able to find hardly a word.
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December 17, 2010 at 3:13 pm
i was treated very badly by the moderators of that page.
i was subjected to ad hom attacks.
i was warned repeatedly not to make threats or use foul language when i never did.
those who made threats at me or used foul language towards me were given a free ticket to do so on the pretext that some protestors at clinics are so venomous.
i was riddled with questions and belittled because the ones in charge of the page didn’t like the answers they were given, yet flat out refused to acknowledge the questions i posed.
in the end, i was prevented from posting and falsely accused of being one of the spammers who subjected the page with endless venom.
how do i feel about that page being shut down?
it was wrong.
regardless of how i was treated there, to shut them down without reason or warning was wrong.
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December 17, 2010 at 4:50 pm
As always, Rogie, you are very reasonable. There is now a new Facebook page called “Restore Abortion.Com” Why not join?
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December 17, 2010 at 5:53 pm
i just did.
i am the only one so far, though
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December 17, 2010 at 7:21 pm
Oh well, I’ll try again.
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December 17, 2010 at 7:51 pm
for anyone who is interested, here is a link to the page.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Restore-AbortionCom/120755187990215?v=wall
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December 17, 2010 at 8:15 pm
I got there and bookmarked it, but it’s empty!.
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December 17, 2010 at 9:44 pm
The creator of the page is putting it on hold for a bit. Seems there are some behind the scenes things going on…
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December 17, 2010 at 9:56 pm
i suggested it to friends, both lifers and choicers who can understand that it is a free speech issue at hand.
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February 10, 2014 at 8:33 am
That kind of thkniing shows you’re an expert
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December 17, 2010 at 11:12 pm
john, you really should go to the page and click where it says like.
pat offers you a chance to exercise your right to free speech here in her blog.
i wish you realized that with the right comes responsibility, but you are given the chance here to exercise that right regardless.
when someone is censored, we all face the threat of censorship.
this is not a matter of agreeing with who was censored. it is a matter of free speech.
i think that we should all encourage those that we know who cherish that right, to support this group.
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December 19, 2010 at 7:28 am
OK, Rog, I did that. I even commented. But as far as I can see it’s all sound bites, like abortion.com. You have to go here or to thenotsodailyherald if you want to read something or to Keats Street Chronicles, or to skyp1.blogspot.com
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December 19, 2010 at 3:43 pm
the page is new and is there to support the restoration of the abortion.com FB page, john.
i suppose that if the admin chooses to begin posting information or topics that were on the old page, it might be done.
but until that point, the page is more for the support of the free speech of the over 100,000 who were affected by the deletion of the page.
i want the right to free speech for myself, so i have to support it for others as well.
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December 19, 2010 at 1:58 am
patty, can you see my profile on that page?
if so, would you shoot me a message to my profile?
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December 19, 2010 at 2:39 pm
Rogie, I can see your profile. If I send a message to your profile, then you will know more about me. NO offense, but no thanks
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December 19, 2010 at 3:39 pm
jajajajaja
that’s fine. i was going to offer you a way outside of your blog to contact me, but no offense taken. 🙂
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December 19, 2010 at 5:10 pm
ya know…. upon further reflection, i shouldn’t have asked you to do that patty.
sometimes i forget that some of my choicer buddies need to maintain a low profile for their safety and that of their families.
i just wasn’t thinking.
i’m so sorry. please forgive me.
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December 19, 2010 at 11:51 am
It’s great that this FB is up–lots of the same folks posting. Kate
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December 19, 2010 at 5:11 pm
and it is troll free thus far! 🙂
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December 20, 2010 at 7:38 am
No t’aint. I’m there.
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February 7, 2014 at 11:42 pm
Such a wonderful young lady, taken to soon. You will be msiesd by all who knew and loved you. May the Grace of God bless your children and your family. Rest in Peace
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December 19, 2010 at 5:55 pm
the admin of the page suggested that people could help by writing a letter to the editor of time magazine where the founder was delcared man of the year.
here is a link to write a letter to the editor.
http://www.time.com/time/letters/email_letter.html
it states that letters might be published so it is important that those who send letters be polite and remember that the goal is to restore the page, and hence, the free speech back to those who enjoyed the page, and not to attempt to discredit anyone.
this is what i wrote:
>>>i am an active member of facebook and use the site for various aspects of social interaction.
i am an ardent pro-life man who is very active in the movement.
however over a week ago, the page abortion.com was shut down with no reason and no warning.
the page was a directory of resources for the pro-choice community.
on the page of every group, there is a button in which people can “report” a group to facebook.
within the abortion debate, there are rabid members on both side of the fence who will resort to anything to silence those who oppose them.
i read the page frequently and there was nothing that broke the TOS of facebook.
yet the admin of the group cannot get in contact with anyone who can either give them a reason for the deletion of the page, or help them to restore it.
despite my own opposition to abortion, it is apparent to me that the page was unjustly shut down with no reason or warning because either facebook did not like the content or because of an element with a gang mentality who did not like the content.
i may be pro-life, but that does not negate the fact that freedom of speech should not be limited to only what i wish to hear.
in the meantime, the page and its over 100,000 fans are without the source of social interaction that was unjustly taken from them.
the founder of facebook is indeed an incredible young man, but i have to wonder if he knows that over 100,000 of his users were unjustly stripped of their page ( one of the largest, if not THE largest ) that was within the TOS.
i know i would be upset if one of the pro-life pages that i am on was deleted without reason or warning.
i don’t want that for someone else, even if we hold opposing views.
i don’t support their views on abortion, but i certainly support their right to free speech.
if one entity is censored or silenced, we are all in jeopardy of the same fate.<<<
remember to be polite, but be certain as to being unhappy with the page being shut down.
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December 22, 2010 at 10:01 am
Oh, so that’s what happened. I tried to visit that page recently and found it… not findable.
This is just tragic.
I’m putting together a report on my blog. Can you tell me the exact date that this happened and if there are plans to start a new FB page?
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December 22, 2010 at 10:13 am
Never-mind on that last bit, I saw Restore Abortion.com in the comments and joined.
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January 6, 2011 at 6:25 am
For anyone that does not know….Ab.com is back up and “limping along”….So glad to see it back up!! This morning I think something like 115 “likes”….However you can only post comments under post made by Ab. you can’t start one on your own!!! At least NOT yet…but I am sure the “creator” will SOON have all the kinks worked out!! It is a real shame that they had to start back at “0” but I know it will climb rapidly …it is a great site!! See you there
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January 6, 2011 at 11:38 am
[…] Abortion.com’s fanpage of over 100,000 “likes” was suddenly removed by FaceBook wi… Abortion.com has been unable to reach FaceBook to remedy the issue. There is now a FaceBook page […]
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January 7, 2011 at 9:31 am
Thanks Golden….Hope you can chime in in the future.
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November 26, 2012 at 12:47 pm
It’s called freedom of choice. The people of facebook can take down the page if they want because they don’t like it. They created it. That’s like saying people shouldn’t be able to refuse services because someone is rude to them at a grocery store or something, or a DR. refusing to perform abortions cause’ its his/her preference. You can’t force your beliefs on someone else on their own turf.
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November 29, 2012 at 8:04 pm
MURDER
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November 29, 2012 at 8:05 pm
ALL
OF
YOU
ARE
GOING
TO
HELL.
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November 30, 2012 at 11:57 am
Wow, DDD, that is such a nice Christian message. I wonder if your Jesus and/or God would approve of your vile attitude.
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