Falmouth Elks Facebook Fight!

While Boston voters were electing a new Mayor and West Tisbury’s town meeting debated marijuana dispensary zoning, Falmouth Elks also voted Tuesday — to shut down the club’s Facebook page. According to a post on that page Wednesday morning: “At last nights House committee meeting the Exalted Ruler ask the house committee to shut down the Falmouth Elks Face Book page. A motion was made to do so. And the motion passed. This page will be shut down when the administrator receives official notice in writing.”

So they are arguing about who gets to control the Elks Facebook page? And they need a motion? This is the world we live in? They need a meeting and a motion and paperwork needs to be filed to shut down a Facebook page that announces Fish Fries and Meat Raffles? But wait! Public outcry!

• “Certainly shows pettiness on behalf of the administrator. What a shame to see in an organization that does such good things in our town. The administrator should be ashamed.”

• “may I ask why this was requested? Social Media is the wave of the future. It allows us the ability to connect with the public for our charitable works as well as networking with other lodges to expand our resources.”

• “What a shame. I always enjoy seeing what is happening. Sounds like a control issue to me. You have over 600 of us that like the page. Over 400 talking about it. As with all groups, you need a good administrator monitoring the page and deleting anything inappropriate.”

• “as in all things in Elkdom, this can surely come to a reasonable conclusion with a little cooperation and understanding. I pray the Falmouth Lodge works this out, maybe with some help of a mediator. All the best to you all!”

• “this is crazy.”

• “The administrator is the one who has made the inappropriate posts.”

• “Wouldn’t it be technically the “membership” decision and not the HC?”

• “Change the administrator!”

• “You are only hearing about this TODAY because this is the day the Admin CHOSE to SHARE. POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA.”

• “Face Book is a way for out of area Elks members to see what we are doing and make connections.”

• “Are committees and Chairpersons still appointed by the Exalted Ruler? Why would the ER need to put such a request in writing. Seriously….? Run for a position and get ELECTED TO IT if you want CONTROL.”

I think that one commenter hit the nail on the head with the “this is crazy” comment. Are we in High School here? Isn’t the Elks a long standing institution? Now they are quibbling over who gets to make some status updates on a Facebook Page? They are like that annoying couple you play Trivial Pursuit with and all they do is argue over who gets to ask the question. “I want to ask, you asked the last one… wah wah wah”… WHO GIVES A SHIT! Then there is this:

• “Are committees and Chairpersons still appointed by the Exalted Ruler? Why would the ER need to put such a request in writing. Seriously….? Run for a position and get ELECTED TO IT if you want CONTROL.”

Wait just a minute. From what this person is saying I am gathering some member just went rogue and established himself as the administrator of the page without going through any proper channels and that’s why the Elks want control of it? My god man don’t you know what a breach of protocol like this could lead to? Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling! Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes… The dead rising from the grave! Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together… mass hysteria! (source)

P.S. Who does this guy think he is defying the Exalted Ruler? Don’t people get water boarded for shit like that?