Stepping Back from the Noise

Last week I did something unusual for me. I temporarily deleted the Facebook app from my phone and told my friends I’d be taking a break. Not forever, just long enough to clear my head.

That decision wasn’t about Facebook itself, but about what was happening in the country. The killing of conservative activist charlie Kirk left me stunned, saddened, and a bit scared. I didn’t agree with his politics, but he deserved to live, speak his mind, and raise his children. The killing was a tragedy,made even worse by what came after.

The crime itself was horrifying. But the online reaction was what pushed me over the edge. Within hours,my Facebook feed filled with speculation,finger-pointing,and misinformation. Some posts blamed entire groups of people. Others spread conspiracy theories. And some where written with a level of cruelty that I found unbearable.

Instead of helping us process grief, social media turned tragedy into another opportunity for outrage and division. That’s when I realized it was time to step back.

For me, Facebook isn’t just about staying in touch with friends and family. It’s also where I’ve often had respectful discussions across the political spectrum. But this time, anger and misinformation drowned out real conversation. I found myself getting angry too, which is rarely productive. Worse, I couldn’t escape the constant stream of disturbing content.

Hitting Pause

So I hit pause. For a few days, no Facebook scrolling or temptation to dive into the comments.I didn’t cut myself off entirely; I still checked LinkedIn, which is more of a professional network, but I needed distance from the flood of raw emotion.

Political violence in America isn’t new, and it spans the spectrum. Recent examples include the killings of Minnesota house Speaker emeritus Melissa Hortman and her husband, the assault on Nancy Pelosi’s husband, the plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, the firebombing of the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion, the foiled assassination plot against Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and the attempts on Donald Trump’s life.

In the past, conspiracy theories took weeks or months to spread.Now, within minutes of Kirk’s death, posts were circulating that turned out to be false. One viral rumor even misread the initials “TRN” on a bullet casing as evidence the shooter might be transgender. It was actually the mark of a Turkish ammunition manufacturer.

I also saw a Facebook post blaming “communists” in the media and calling liberal politicians “loony left extremists.” I couldn’t resist pointing out that