Calm Down. It's Only the Internet

So by now, many of you have probably heard about the brouhaha surrounding one of the members of our community, Nic, and her run in with the TSA.  If you haven't, read her original story here and her subsequent apology here.

You back?  That's right, Nic posted a story about mistreatment by the TSA; the TSA responded by posting a surveillance video of her on their blog (who knew the TSA had a blog?!), and it seemingly belied the claims she made in her blog post (the worst of which was that the TSA removed her child from her during a search).

Do I know if Nic exaggerated her claims?  No.  But if I were a betting gal, I'd bet on the TSA's version of what happened.  After all, they have a video tape of the incident.

But, my friends, that doesn't mean that I consider Nic a liar or evil or whatever other crap she's been called in the past week.  Search @mybottlesup on Twitter, and you'll see her called a "lying piece of trash" and "a crazy," among other things. Someone was so outraged (OUTRAGED!), he supposedly posted her personal information, including her address, on the Internet. (Don't hurt me Webizens; I said supposedly because I only read that secondhand!)

There are 3 potential reasons (in my estimation) of why this story unfolded in the manner it did:

1. The incident happened exactly the way Nic claimed, and the TSA doctored the footage.

Not bloody likely.

2.  The incident occurred, and Nic saw it as her one-way ticket to Internet super-stardom.

Sure, there are plenty of Internet celebs who got their start through hard luck stories, but how much would this TSA post really drive up her site's traffic?  I guess she could have used it as a freelance piece, but anyone with half a brain would know that a mag would ask for the TSA's response.  It doesn't seem likely that this was done on purpose with the intention of site-whoring (for lack of a better term).

3.  The incident happened, and she described it through her personal interpretation of the event.

This seems to me to be the most likely scenario.  Have you never had an experience that shook you to the core, one that you might have exaggerated because it seemed to happen that way at the time?  Maybe the TSA worker picked up her child for a second.  Maybe it seemed like she was snapped at when she wasn't.  Heck, maybe she exaggerated a bit to tell a better story. 

It's a personal blog, not The New York Times, people.

And some people are so angry because they think this story ruins the "credibility" of bloggers.  Pshaw!  Anyone with access to an Internet connection can start a blog.  That's why "bloggers" are not called "journalists."  You know, journalists... people who have been educated in the craft of journalism.  And if newspapers should be read with a critical eye, then blog posts should be read with two.  And a magnifying glass. 

And for people who are mad because they love being self righteous, seriously?  Find something a bit more pressing to get all peeved over.

Because when it comes down to it, who really cares?  It's something at which to simply shrug your shoulders and say, "Meh."  It's her blog.  If she wants to say she was abducted by aliens, then she can.  If she libels someone, he'll sue.  As for the rest of us, it has no bearing.  We can always click the little X's in the corners of our browser windows.