Social Media: a source of hope in sad times

Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram are all outlooks this generation turns to in times of tragedy.

Most recently, tragedy struck Aurora, Colorado when a man unleashed gunfire on a full theater of movie goers. News of the massacre spread like wildfire across the internet and hope followed.

Websites like Twitter are constantly changing and exposing masses to new information. With the speed of exposure social media provides, everyone has access to everything nearly all the time.

In under 24 hours, #Aurora, James Holmes, #theatershooting, #Columbine and Colorado have all joined the list of the top ten trending topics. This means that around 50 percent of Twitter’s 500 million tweeters are talking about the shooting that happened just last night or something related to it.

To show a few of the hundreds of tweets that have been posted with #Aurora barely gives them justice. The page is constantly updating with thoughts, prayers, hopes and condolences to those who have lost and been lost in this heartbreaking attack. “Needed to leave condolences for all within the #Aurora tragedy,” “say a prayer for the broken hearted in #Aurora tonight” and Violence is never the answer. Pray for peace and cherish all that you have. #Aurora #Colorado”

One of the most prominent things on Twitter now is the begging that we no longer mention the shooters name, James Holmes. A mother has requested that her deceased daughters name trend in her memory rather than the man that murdered her with #RIP JESSICA

Social media is the core of today’s communication and in the world we live in, it is so necessary that we use it to restore the hope of those who have lost it.