CHADDS FORD — Local lawmakers are stepping up efforts to monitor hateful comments on their main social media sites just days before a contentious presidential election.
Some political figures maintain a Facebook page, but do not allow comments. Others allow comments, but monitor it regularly and delete posts deemed offensive.
Sen. Tom Killion, R-9th of Middletown, who running against Democrat John Kane, allows comments because he wants people to have a say in issues important to them. Many of his posts are informative, such as a recent post on legislation he is sponsoring called Deana's Law, which would increase jail time for repeat offenders and calls for the use of continuous alcohol monitoring.
And he occasionally re-posts photos or videos from followers, such as a video last week from a Middletown Township resident of a campaign worker from an opposing party installing a political sign on a lawn of a homeowner who had not requested it.
Last week, one of Killion's followers warned of upcoming violence following the Trump-Biden election, and others echoed his concerns. The posts were promptly taken down, but not before some people had taken screen grabs.
The post read: "Biden has no shot. It would take an immense amount of fraud to beat Trump and let me make this very clear - I am not the only patriot who is ready to go to war with anyone who tampers with the election results. Personally, I'm ready to die to keep the communist pigs from taking over my country and if they make an attempt to do that, they be just as ready to die."
It drew this response from a follower: "I feel the same way. I am not going to let them usher in their horrendous socialist agenda. The government belongs to us. They are supposed to represent us. I want my children to be safe and live in a world with freedom and liberty. Good to know there are others out there that have had enough."
Cathy Spahr of Upper Chichester lauded Killion for removing one of the posts, but criticized him for not removing all of them in a timely manner.
"This is not an issue of partisan politics, but an issue of right versus wrong," she said. "These comments are anti-American, anti-democracy, and threaten the very people in Senator Killion’s district.
Cody Bright, Killion's campaign manager, called the posts regrettable.
“Tom Killion’s long and substantial record of standing up for all citizens regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation or any other personal characteristic speaks for itself, and it’s regrettable that social media often exacerbates divisions in our society and amplifies messages on the fringes of the political spectrum," he said. “Tom Killion’s record includes votes for police reform measures in the wake of the George Floyd tragedy, sponsorship of a major criminal justice reform initiative, Act 115 of 2019, and support for extending Pennsylvania’s anti-discrimination laws and hate crime protections to our LGBTQ citizens.”
Steve Warhola, Kane's campaign manager, said the posts are not reflective of Killion and should not be given any more attention that already received.
"The language and disturbing content of these related posts is vile and beneath all of us.," he said. "We would remove all content from our page of anyone inciting hate or violence against others in our community. Standing up to hate is just the right thing to do."
Killion's Facebook page warns his followers that all comments are monitored. The disclaimer says followers are prohibiting posts that are violent, obscene, profane, hateful or racist, or comments that attack a person's character or insult, harass or intimidate others based on race, religion, gender, disability, nationality or sexual preference.
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October 29, 2020 at 11:56PM
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