General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe response to the Jennifer Kim/Violinist tweet is totally out of proportion and inappropriate
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.
http://www.theviolinchannel.com/amtrak-philadelphia-crash-twitter-tweat-jennifer-kim-insensitive-social-media/
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
Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)I feel bad for her.
Coventina
(26,874 posts)A professional musician in an orchestra can't just go down to the violin store and pick up a new violin.
Also, as has been pointed out, it was just after she survived an horrific accident, and I'm sure she was extremely rattled.
Having been in a pretty bad auto accident once, I can relate to what I imagine her state of mind was at the time.
Her violin is the most important thing, it would be the first possession she would grab in a fire. Her desire to secure it immediately after the accident is naturally what her brain would focus on.
People need to get a life and be thankful that they have never stood in Ms. Kim's shoes.
ann---
(1,933 posts)I couldn't find anything about the derailment on her blog - what did I miss?
Coventina
(26,874 posts)train, and could she please have her violin back?
It was interpreted as a selfish disregard for the lives that were lost.
Which she probably didn't even know about at the time.
It was a dumb move on her part, but the public "outcry" against her is simply ridiculous.
ann---
(1,933 posts)have helped if the original poster had said that or supplied
a link to the story. I never heard of it before. And, I don't
have, nor will I ever have, a Twitter account.
Coventina
(26,874 posts)ITA with you on Twitter.
Twitter is for Twits.
zappaman
(20,605 posts)stevenleser
(32,886 posts)This kind of thing exposes a very ugly side of some people, namely that they love to pile on and bully people.
haele
(12,581 posts)Just to decompress after going through a terrifying experience. It wasn't mean, it wasn't mocking to other victims, it was directly related to what she went through and was a way of making a personal inventory of the situation for her.
Whenever I've been in an accident or serious situation, I'm not a weeper, I'm not a "Thank God" type of person - I'll tend to make a sardonic observation to lower the intensity of my personal terrors and pain - and then I go on with what needs to be done. I'm not mean. I believe in trying to make situations better, or at least not make them worse.
If however, if not having "the proper timing" when being sardonic or sarcastic is such a bad thing and such a personality weakness that outweighs everything else about me - my strengths, my talents, and any of the good I've done throughout my life, than I'm a evil person and should be hounded out of existence.
Like Ms. Kim. Just stone her already. Indulge in that 10 minute hate, because such righteous indignation over a trivial comment purifies the haters so much.
Haele
TheManInTheMac
(985 posts)stevenleser
(32,886 posts)CreekDog
(46,192 posts)TheManInTheMac
(985 posts)She will get batted around til the Internet gets tired of her and moves on to the next shiny thing to come along.
blm
(112,920 posts)Nothing you say or do for the next 24 hours will come out perfectly. People shouldn't be quick to judge.
catrose
(5,050 posts)She has a concert today, a piano trio. I hope it goes well. Heck, I hope she has a violin to play. If I were in Gaithersburg, I'd go.
A train wreck & Internet thrashing are not recommended concert preparations.
Avalux
(35,015 posts)People need to understand that musicians can be very attached to their instruments, and I'm sure having it back would have comforted her and given her peace of mind. It's as if a part of her is missing.
I feel bad people were so insensitive.
jtuck004
(15,882 posts)while the train settled, and after? She's a selfish clod.
The harassment was over the top, but so was her insensitive manner. I suspect she was a snotty ass clown before the whack on the head, but after all this I could care less.
Avalux
(35,015 posts)Comparing her experience to that of the dead is idiotic, and yes, offensive. Everyone on that train suffered, and none of us are in a position to say she should have acted one way or another in the midst of all that horror because WE WEREN'T THERE.
jtuck004
(15,882 posts)I don't appreciate it, and having dealt with hundreds of victims, I can tell you the majority are not so into themselves during a tragedy they say stupid shit like that.
Ymmv. Bye.
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)There are always going to be a handful of idiots who pretend to know how everyone else should respond to trauma and shock, and criticize those reactions should it not precisely meet the high standards or civility they themselves illustrate everyday on DU.
ProfessorGAC
(64,425 posts)I don't grasp how anybody forgets that she was a victim of the crash too. It's not like they were transporting the violin and the crash inconvenienced her. She was on the train too!
dembotoz
(16,739 posts)leftyladyfrommo
(18,816 posts)Classical musicians have incredibly expensive instruments that hey guard with their lives. I'm sure she didn't mean to insult the other passengers. Probably any classical musician would have reacted the same.
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)poutrage.
libdem4life
(13,877 posts)nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)and women are fair objects of derision on line. That is partly what is going on here.
If she were a HE, you would not have seen it get even half as bad.
bullwinkle428
(20,627 posts)randome
(34,845 posts)[hr][font color="blue"][center]"If you're bored then you're boring." -Harvey Danger[/center][/font][hr]