Posted on 08/21/2015 8:22:28 AM PDT by NKP_Vet
Last night, I was one of many who received the following email from Msgr. Charles Pope, well-known blogger and writer in the Archdiocese of Washington:
Just a brief note to inform you that I have been blocked from Facebook. They claim that Msgr. Charles Pope is not my real name and are requiring me to submit government ID proving that Msgr. Charles Pope is my true identity. As of now, I have no intention of doing this since I consider it an unreasonable demand by them. They further indicate that even if I supply the IDs from at least two sources, that they reserve the right not to reactivate my account if the name I have used does not meet their preferences.
They explain the reason for their action as:
We ask everyone on Facebook to use the name they go by in everyday life so friends know who theyre connecting with But of course this IS the name that I go by in everyday life. Further, I have had a Facebook account under the name of Msgr. Charles Pope for over 6 years now. This is my name, this is who I am. I have 5,000 friends on Facebook who know me by this.
Facebook of course is a private company and they can do whatever they want and treat their clients and users in whatever foul ways they wish. But my current stance on this matter is to resist their demand and seek to share my dissatisfaction.
Facebook was once an open forum to discuss and share. It has become increasingly autocratic and ideological. It may be time for many of us to encourage them to reform or to simply leave Facebook.
I respect that some of you may differ with my assessment of things, but I did want to explain my sudden absence from Facebook and I request your help in spread this information with others you think might wonder as to my disappearance from that forum.
My Twitter Feed is @MsgrPope
Weve seen this sort of thing before. I wrote about it in February, when Facebook blocked me.
A mutual friend this morning asked me what we could do about it. Not much, Im afraid. This issue has gotten considerable attention since it first surfaced several months ago, and various public complaints havent done much good. Its Facebooks candy store; they can run it however they wish. But it strikes me as bad business, and bad policyengendering a lot of ill will and hostility, not to mention a fair amount of negative press.
Somehow, though, I dont think the gurus running FB really care.
I don’t have a FB acct,either
Do NOT use FB.
“If all those people who use the excuse I only use Farcebook to keep tabs on family and friends would stop using it and all other leftist conveniences things would fix themselves.”
Exactly! I here those words verbatim from people who are otherwise solid conservatives. Facebook is the crack cocaine of the Internet. People have an extremely hard time parting with it once they get started. Its always the same thing: “I only use it to keep tabs on and share pictures with family and friends.” That would be ok if it were benign, but it’s not. Supporting Zuckerberg is supporting all the leftist causes he supports. Not to mention that it is the holy grail dossier of information about each of its members, willfully submitted, primarily out of ego: “Look at me! Look at me!”
Ugh... “I here” = “I hear” Doh!
This article happens to be about a Roman Catholic priest named Charles Pope. Charles Pope is a blogger and columnist in the RC wwwebworld ... his articles frequently get posted on FR.
Jus’ sayin’ ...
Will Msgr. Pope’s Hawaii Certificate Of Live Birth count for his government ID?
Another reason to be glad that I do not not have Facebook.
His title is Monsignor....and he is called that by everyone.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.