Shooting from the Hip

Over the last several weeks, we’ve had the Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage, the George Zimmerman trial and fallout, abortion issues in Texas and other controversies guaranteed to violently stir the emotions of otherwise sane people. Arguments constantly flare up on social media as friends disagree and make their opinions known in a matter of seconds. And many times it gets ugly.

Back in the day, this sort of discourse used to happen at the office water cooler, around the kitchen table or fueled by alcohol in the confines of the local bar. Today it’s easier to huddle in our cubicles, whip out our portable devices of choice and blast off 140 choice, unexpurgated words on Twitter, or post a snarky GIF on Facebook. The perceived anonymity of it all means we think we can really let loose—not a good idea in light of the recently revealed scrutiny of the NSA, not to mention all of our employers and the whole of the U.S. trial bar.