The Internet and the "Anon"

Apparently at my old high school there is a person who has created two facebook groups titled "Key Book." It is named after the infamous "Burn Book" from the movie Mean Girls, and serves the same purpose. They take a picture of someone and write a mean comment underneath about students at the school. Only, except for a book, it's on the internet.

Most people would agree this is wrong, but isn't this what is expected when people can hide behind the anonymity that the internet offers. Over the internet, people who say irrelevant, ignorant and untrue things are often seen referred to as "Trolls" or "Anons." These are the people who like to thrown false information out into cyberspace just to create drama.

As of right now, at least if it were to happen at my university, what this Key School Kid is doing on face book is considered "Freedom of Speech."

The internet has given people the freedom to speak there mind without any identification, which in many cases can be a good thing. There are many situations where a persons identity should be protected. At the same time, with great freedom comes great responsibility.

My question is, when does freedom of speech cross the line? When should someone be forced to take something off of there personal website?

Photos from IABJ Internship Workshop

I am so thankful that these lovely people took time out of there day to come speak to us about internships. I feel so much better about working for The Indianapolis Recorder this summer.

Photos © Renee Larson-Endsley

IABJ came to Ball State

Indianapolis Association of Black Journalist gave the students of Ball State (and students from other schools who decided to visit) a seminar on how to make the most of you Internship. Seeing as most internship-related things focus on getting an Internship, and not on what to do once you are there, i found it really helpful and I feel much more prepared for my internship.

Why Journalism

I have always been found of words, and they have always been found of me. (Even when nothing and no one else seemed to be.) But words, though powerful, are not always beautiful, good, or even true. I didn’t care at the time because I only cared about the worlds I could create in my mind, and on the page when I wrote fiction. And, in my mind, truth didn’t matter and beauty was whatever I saw fit.

That all changed when I was 16 and became a journalist. Journalism kind of came to me, a little while after the words did. Because I realized I wanted to tell stories about these strange, interesting creatures called humans. (It never occurred to me that I was one of them) I decided I wanted to tell true stories. In the end it was curiously that won.

Albert Einstein once said, “I have no talents, I am only passionately curious.”

I think Einstein should have been a journalist. What other profession allows you to go to events that matter, interview interesting people, and tell stories through multiple forms of media. You are basically a storyteller, an adventurer. (and storytellers have always been adventurous because stories have always been adventures. Just like the books we read as children.)

I think I never lost that childlike longing to question everything, to ask “why” after every explanation given. I never gave up on understanding. I never gave up on truth. In fact I still think truth (and love) are the most important things there are.

I believe change can happen when truth is told, and there is still much to be done.

And that’s why I’m a journalist.

Things I shouldn’t say

I probably shouldn’t tell you my age or that I’m a college student, because then you’ll know everything about me (and of course everyone under the age of 25 is incompetent). For example, you’ll know I party every weekend, wear Ugg boots in the summer, and purchase a cup of Starbucks every morning before complaining on Twitter about how people spend way to much money on frivolous things.

I also shouldn’t tell you that I’m African-American, because places discriminate on the basic of such things and I definitely want to be working for one of those places. So I’ll just hide it until I get there because that’s better.

I also probably shouldn’t tell you that I’m a Christian, because obviously all Christians are going to be unable to write stories about people with other belief systems in an unbiased way. I’m obviously going to refuse to quote anyone who isn’t a Christian because I’m afraid that if anyone listens to an opposing viewpoint they will automatically lose faith. In fact, I may refuse to interview anyone with different beliefs than me because hearing another opinion might make me lose the faith I swore was there a minute ago.

On, and trust me, I have no opinions whatsoever. Having no opinions makes it so much easier for me to write about other people’s opinions.
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These are some of the types of things Journalist are taught not to revel because it could show bias, and prevent you from getting hired. What do you think? Do you believe having opinions will make someone unable to write a fair and balanced news story? Do you believe it’s a good ideal that people are told to hide these types of things? And why?

Journey

At the Black Media Association today they talked about how there are two types of people, those who work for others dreams or those who work for their own. Blogging gives us a way, as a journalist, or as a person, to find out what types of stories we want to tell. As a writer, journalist, and person.

I'm making this blog to find my passion. What do I care about. I am a features writer for the Ball State Daily News. I care about a lot of things.

There is no such thing as the future. Do what you love now. Thats my goal.