I was checking my History Bug FB page today and read a response to my post about the Seneca Falls Women’s Rights Convention that turned my face red. Not in anger, but in sheer and utter embarrassment.
The post was from the SUSAN B. ANTHONY MUSEUM (yes, it’s a fact) who corrected my error in saying that Susan B. Anthony was one of the organizers of the Women’s Rights Convention. If you don’t believe me, here’s the post:
“Susan B. Anthony Museum & House Actually, Susan B. Anthony did NOT help organize the 1848 Seneca Falls convention, nor did she attend it.”
Sigh. The thing is, my embarrassment was not only that I got the fact wrong, but that I knew when I posted it that I should go and check her part in the Convention.
I knew solidly that Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott organized it but I had lumped Susan B. Anthony in with the other two ladies (however, I will note that she WAS very involved with both women in the years AFTER the convention).
However, I went ahead and hit the “share now” button, and then immediately thought, “I better double check about Susan B. Anthony” and then promptly got distracted down some rabbit trail with another fact about the convention. My mistake. I never went back to it.
I did reply to the post and apologized. But, then, I was VERY tempted to just delete it to save myself public humiliation on my own page. But, instead, I decided to be transparent, keep the post up, and do historical fact checking therapy by writing this. Lucky for you all.
So, here are my rules for FB posting and fact checking:
#1. Don’t post anything when you’re tired. If you do, you’re more likely to make typos, get your syntax wrong, say things you’d never say in person, divorce your husband, or think you’ll come back and fix later what could possibly be construed as inaccurate information. You won’t get back to it. You’ll forget.
#2. Don’t post something you THINK is a fact. Good Lordy, check it BEFORE posting.
#3. If you ignore #1 and #2, you will be me. You really don’t want to be me. I mess up all the time. I try to fess up when I mess up, but not all the time. Sometimes I’ll wait and see if anyone else notices and THEN I’ll cop to it. Like now.
I pass on this wisdom to try to help alleviate what, in all probability, will be an embarrassing moment for you if you turn into me. I’ve had way too many embarrassing moments. I’m pretty sick of them. And, yet, I had this one today.
Lesson learned. I messed up and I am fessing up and I promise to follow my own rules so that my posts are accurate. But, if they aren’t, PLEASE let me know before a museum finds out and contacts me again. 🙂
