Amell Leaves Social Media "For A Bit" Following Controversial Tweet

[wjowski]

Privileged celebrities really need to shut the hell up and stay away from social media.

[Awonder]

This. We can also add that no one called for an evacuation, a bomb squad wasn't called in and no one even tried to remove the device from the premises.

This made me laugh. So, you agree that the police hopefully recognize that it's not an actual bomb, but you're upset that they didn't evacuate the school and call in a bomb squad?

And you do know that a bomb threat doesn't need an actual bomb, right? If you don't believe me, take a homemade clock in a suitcase down to your local airport and drop it off. Think you'd get a visit from authorities, if you did?

Having been a teen that was stopped, questioned, and handcuffed by police for something I didn't do, I'm just not seeing this as a huge deal.

Privileged celebrities really need to shut the hell up and stay away from social media.

Because only non-celebrities can express opinions on social media!

[Star_Jammer]

Privileged celebrities really need to shut the hell up and stay away from social media.

Catch 22. If all "celebrities" stay off social media, then people whine that...they're not on social media.

How about people post where they want to, and just...nobody be an asshole about it?

[kalorama]

There was no bomb threat. There was a kid with a homemade clock that looked nothing like a bomb. The absence of anything resembling explosives should have been their first clue. Or their second clue, actually... their first clue should have been that terrorists with bombs generally don't go around proudly asking their teachers to look at the cool clock they made.

It was a briefcase with electronic parts and wiring and a digital counter. To most people who've never seen an actual bomb (and that's most people) that's what a bomb looks like. And in order to notice "the absence of anything resembling explosives" you would have to: (A) assume that the explosive would necessarily be in plain view in an actual bomb (they wouldn't have to be) (B) know what actual explosives look like (which most people don't). And most 14-year-olds don't build briefcase size digital clocks for the heck of it, then carry them to school.

Was there some overreaction? Yes. But, at the same time, given that we live in climate where kids--of all races, ethnicities, and nationalities--bringing weapons of all kinds (including bombs) to school is, unfortunately, not uncommon it's hard to summarily dismiss their concerned reaction over seeing the device. There was questionable judgment on display on both sides here.

Police should be trained to distinguish something that is potentially a bomb from something that is clearly not.

The police who work on the bomb squad are. But it's unrealistic to expect that the entire police force be trained for dealing with explosive.

This. We can also add that no one called for an evacuation, a bomb squad wasn't called in and no one even tried to remove the device from the premises.

Which would suggest that, at some point, the officers who responded to the call did determine that there wasn't an active threat and that no evacuation or bomb disposal unit was needed. What, exactly, happened between the time they first arrived and the time that determination was made is a matter of conjecture at this point.

[Brigonos Chomhgaill]

It was a briefcase with electronic parts and wiring and a digital counter. To most people who've never seen an actual bomb (and that's most people) that's what a bomb looks like.

Then why didn't they evacuate the building full of children or call the bomb squad? Schools have specific protocols for bomb scares even if the attempt is thwarted and the perpetrator is in custody, none of which were enacted despite an ongoing hysteria about school safety.
I'm not saying it was institutional or calculated, but the idea that wasn't racism is a hard sell.

[XPac]

Privileged celebrities really need to shut the hell up and stay away from social media.

Celebrities probably aren't the only ones who should be staying away from social media.

[FishyZombie]

I'll say three things about Texas, One, Texas isn't stoopid, stereotyping is bad m'kay.Two, How the hell did Rick Perry get elected?Three....uhh... never mind I forgot...oops.

[DevilsGambit]

I think it's less about him "going into hiding" as it is about him not wanting to deal with the headache of having to deal with or fend off all of the people who will, inevitably, be looking to start some crap with him over their own outrage over his comments. Sometimes it's better for one's own sanity to just say "Whatever. See ya" than to try to engage them.

I guess thats true it just seems so childish.

[Darrell D.]

Don't have a Twitter account and spend zero time reading tweets, so I neither know nor care how Twitter works. I do know, however, that listening to idiots arguing on the Internet like they know what they're talking about can feed the temptation to tell them what idiots they are, which often serves as an invitation to more arguing from more idiots on the Internet, and that sometimes taking a deep breath and walking away is the best thing to do for one's sanity.

Good Lord, yes. The temptation to call an idiot an idiot is very strong at times. Closing the web page is the only sane response.

[lancerman]

Well to be fair Texas brings a lot of the hate on itself and has for a long time. Texas really needs more sane voices to start screaming and shouting to try and drown out some the racist and ignorant fools who seem to do nothing but run their mouths.

Well tbf, Texas is a huge state that's bigger than most countries. So that's like holding the most ignorant people in America as the standard for it. Part's of Texas are literal hell holes. But so are parts of France or England or anywhere else.

[lancerman]

Privileged celebrities really need to shut the hell up and stay away from social media.

Yes leave social media to the under privileged to say the same insane things. Only we won't hold them to it because we don't really care about their opinions. But we care about what the actor who plays the green bowman on tv has to say because..