Fayettenam Facebook Page Screws Up

I was a little late to the Fayettenam Facebook page party to see this unfold in real-time--or at least most of it because THEY'RE STILL GOING. A lovely commenter informed me the page screwed up huge.

Apparently, they posted a picture of a kid on a dolly at Lowe's, who they assumed "was able-bodied and just being lazy." Turns out the kid is autistic. Fortunately, when the mistake was pointed out, the page's administrators apologized and (as far as I can tell) removed the photo. Good on them for doing the right thing and declining to make fun of handicaps (that said, I'm not sure I liked their phrase "people that can't help it." So, like, if someone made a choice that led them to be disabled, does that make mockery okay? Confused).

I do make fun of a lot on this blog, mostly weird things or people doing stupid things. When it comes to individuals, I try to keep things critical rather than ridiculing. Making fun of people just isn't nice, dudes, and saying, "I'm just kidding!" doesn't justify cruelty. Let's all get along!

Except some people don't see it that way. Just venture into any comments section of anything on the internet ever.

• Number of people who said "fuck 'em" or some variation of it: 2
• People who brushed it off: 1
• People who considered it "good publicity" for the page: 1. Guess he was right.
• People who cried "bad parenting": 3, including multiple criticisms of the child's weight.
• People who cried "disabled kids belong in wheelchairs": 2. Apparently, though, Lowe's does not provide unmotorized wheelchairs.
• People who said "people can't take a joke": 1
• People who said "apologies are for the fake": 1. He shall get far in life.
• People who said "people have too much free time": 1. Y'all should try blogging, by the way.
• People who wanted Walmart pics instead: 1. People of Walmart is already a thing, ma'am.
• Angry Mama Bear who schooled everyone's asses and gets endless hugs from me and other people with souls yet still had to justify and explain everything her kid was doing in the photo: 1. "THAT WAS MY CHILD, YOU ASS! It is people like you that need to be removed from facebook. You only seem to care about making fun of people. You should not take pictures of peopl and put them on public websites without their permission. Just because my son is autistic doesn't give you or anyone else the right to bully him and make stupid inconsiderate comments. Anyone who subscribes to this facepage should take a long, hard look in the mirror before poking fun and saying ridiculous things about someone they don't even know."
• Angry Sister Bear who schooled everyone's asses: 1. "Just to let you all no that's my brother my sister was pushing in a Dolly seriously do you think he would of been in a Dolly if Lowes had a wheel chair to use he is also bow legged making it hard to walk. Tell me do you really know what atuism is to be even running your mouth as for where was my parent they were right beside him as the ass took the picture he was not on any danger it is just like a buggy with out sides and I swear come up to me in a store and I will explain it to you. Oh. I dont have friends on here that like this link a friend of mine cousin I guess is and she told me about it. And it is sad that it is adults commenting on this like child. Why do you think your child our rude and dont listen. Karma is a bitch in many ways."

And then things got kind of crazy but awesome with people defending the kid (though I'm not sure what they expected the Nam to say...) and his mom spewing all sorts of justified gems like calling the page a "cyberbully." Technically, I think she's right.

This, however, may be my favorite: "In Fayette County it's incredibly hard to tell the difference between the mentally challenged and the average native. Anyone could have made that mistake."

Or maybe, "Last time I checked Autism symptoms did not include not being able to wear shoes, not maintaining a reasonable weight, or an inability to walk..." Don't worry, she was called "uneducated" and "a total dumbass." I get the anger, but isn't that also a form of cyberbullying?

So, I HATE YOU ALL. Except Mama Bear, of course. Why did I go down this rabbit hole of suck in the first place? I must hate myself, too.