Opinions and the Fixation Thereof

It turns out that Kansas Gov. Brownback is kind of sensitive about what people think of him:

But Brownback’s office, which monitors social media for postings containing the governor’s name, saw [a 14 year old] Sullivan’s post [that imagined her telling the Governor that he, essentially, “sucked”]  and contacted the Youth in Government program.

Sullivan received a scolding at school and was ordered to send Brownback an apology letter. She said Prinicipal Karl R. Krawitz even suggested talking points for the letter she was supposed to turn in Monday.

Mostly, I think it’s kinda funny.  Seriously, the random twittering of a 14 year old girl is worth your reaction?  Kinda makes Sam sound like an insecure 14 year old girl himself, doesn’t it?  If that threatens you, you must be terribly insecure in your own position, no?

In any event, I wonder how this sort of thing will play out over time.  Some places, like Thailand, can’t abide criticism of some people at all.  And as ridiculous as that approach seems to many of us, right now, you wonder if that’s going to be the practical approach, in the future.  And remember, Americans, you’ve already been told – by a president’s press secretary – to watch what you say.