The State Department Asked Twitter How To Fight Terrorists And It Went Exactly How You Would Expect
The State Department on Friday apparently decided it was a good idea to ask social media users how to defeat “violent extremism.”
ISIS fighters march in Raqqa, Syria in an undated image. Militant Website via AP
Following a three-day summit at the White House this week on Countering Violent Extremism, the State Department took to social media, asking people to share their solutions to this complex, tough issue.
The summit’s purpose was to “discuss concrete steps the United States and its partners can take to develop community-oriented approaches to counter hateful extremist ideologies that radicalize, recruit, or incite violence.”
The overall goal, officials said, was to counter the narrative of extremist organizations and the propaganda they use to recruit.
It brought together local, federal and international leaders to address the highly complicated topic of how extremist organizations target and recruit, how to protect those vulnerable to the violent ideologies, and develop tangible solutions.
It also included specific plans, and dollars, including grants to study domestic radicalization and programs to fight it alongside local community organizations.
Then the State Department on Friday apparently decided it was a good idea to ask social media users how to defeat terrorism.
Some saw exactly where this was headed…
Others were wondering if it was legit.
It’s not the first time the administration has turned to crowdsourcing.
In 2009, the White House set up an e-mail “tip box” to find “disinformation about health insurance reform out there.”
“If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov,” a White House blog post read.
Days later, the email was shut down after concerns the emails would be used to monitor people critical of the President’s policies.
@StateDept Is this another thing like flag@whitehouse.gov where we See something, say something? Welcome to the 1940s – 50s.
The post did bring some thoughtful answers, however.
@StateDept we need to be honest about what is the root cause of these extremists. They don’t just wake up one day and become. #InMyOpinion
Others, not so much.
Looks like this: MT @StateDept: Share solutions you think are critical to #CVE. http://t.co/WskCJHF30n
Even this works sometimes: MT @StateDept: Share solutions you think are critical to #CVE. http://t.co/WskCJHF30n
.@StateDept Here’s a solution I think is critical to countering violent extremism:
Solutions? Not this person’s job.
And then things turned on the State Department.
@StateDept @DLoesch I am a farm boy and I know bullshit. This is bullshit!
Sen. Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas, used it as an opportunity to troll the department with military solutions.
Glad you asked-I have some ideas…RT @StateDept: We want your input. Share solutions you think are critical to countering violent extremism
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