As I’ve mentioned time and time again, social media can be one of the worst things for your career. Pushing the boundaries on social media can have dire consequences when it comes to your work and job.
There are very few reasons to maintain a large social media presence. Really, outside of the world of PR and social media roles, it’s more prudent to simply leave your social media to private. You should only have your friend and connections have access to your postings.
And more importantly, be aware that anything you post online can have the potential to go viral.
Case in point, two recent people who posted insensitive items in response to one of the largest funerals to happen in Manhattan in many years. That funeral was for the two NYPD officers killed in the line of duty.
What Happened?
As I’ve mentioned before, and as any professional who lives and works in NYC will tell you, the city has grown incredibly dangerous under the last Mayor (William DeBlasio, who was by most accounts a failure when it came to quality of life issues).
Once the new mayor was elected, there was some hope for a turn around. The new mayor was a former police officer, yet his actions disappointed. He hired his brother, and other people who were well connected.
Beyond that, the newly elected DA was immediately seen to be soft on crime. Some commentators have said that Brag is the most pro-crime politician in the entire country.
Of course, this atmosphere of crime has created a dangerous city.
One recent event that seems to have shook the country was the cold blooded murder of two police officers by an ex-criminal in Manhattan.
You can read about that crime here. The two officers were called to a domestic call and when they arrived were met with a man with a gun who killed them.
As expected the city and the country erupted in sympathy. A huge public funeral was held in Manhattan.
That’s when the issue at hand started. Two people posted insensitive comments to Instagram.
One woman posted a rambling video. She was an actress and was late fired for her insensitive remarks.
The second issue was when Coney Island Charter school teacher Christopher Flanigan posted an insensitive remark on his social media.
His post was seen by many as allegedly encouraging violence against the NYPD.
The Blowback
There was immediate blowback on social media, namely Twitter and some newspapers. When reached for comment, the teacher claimed that his comments were misinterpreted.
However, this was not taken well by the people who were offended. The city was outraged that someone would suggest anything negative about the police who are trying to make the city safe for daily workers.
As Manhattan struggles to maintain and come back amidst growing theft and violence, police as seen as absolutely necessary in maintaining peace and order.
Christopher Flanigan’s Big Blunder
Christopher Flanigan was employed as a teacher at a charter school in NYC. He was profiled earlier during the Covid lockdown as playing guitar out his window in salute of Nurses. The article mentioned that his sister was a Nurse.
His mistake was making a comment that was highly suspect regarding the NYPD on the day of mourning.
To make a public posting like that, something that was highly critical of the NYPD, on the day when the entire city was paying their respect to the police was highly stupid. Why? Well, there are unfortunately thousands of people who hate the police, but unless you belong to a strong union you can be fired.
NYC teachers who work for the city of NY are in one of the best unions in the country. Charter schools do not have unions. These are private schools funded by tax payer money. And their staff does not belong to a union and can be fired at any moment.
Of course, some reports list Flanigan as also having been associated with Wagner College and working there. Though it’s not clear if he is still working there.
Public Outrage over Insensitive Comments Surrounding NYPD Funeral
One of the mistakes these people made was that they misjudged the attitude regarding police. During the summer, when there were large scale protests and riots around the country, many people were openly hostile towards police.
But as cities such as New York descend into chaos, regular citizens have turned more in favor of their police force.
One of the biggest lessons from these stories is that if you have controversial views, be aware that sharing them on social media can cause problems.
Hey I’m Chris . 20+ years in the industry. I’ve worked every role from Executive recrutier to Agency founder and consultant. If you want to learn more or reach me,vist the about page or use my contact form.