The Tweetstorm That Got Me Suspended

I began on X, formerly Twitter (which, BTW, should still be Twitter and is still Twitter to many of us on the platform; thus the blue photo further in the story) - are you listening, EM?), about seven years ago. I found compadres there, not mean people. Of course, the people I met on that platform agreed with me - we were saving elephants and other captive animals.

We tweeted and tweeted; tweetstorms one after the other, to save Kavaan, an Asian elephant not well cared for in a Pakistan zoo. A new animal group was formed, and Cher (yes, that Cher) got involved to save Kavaan. After many tweetstorms, a leader of the tweet group told me Kavaan was saved (!) with an exclamation mark. I didn't believe it was that simple.

As she said, it was not a done deal; Kavaan wasn't free.

Twitter "suspended" me during the tweetstorms. If suspended and a user asks why, the Powers behind the Bird at Twitter point to their rules. Examining every rule, I was confident I had not broken any.

We suspended users concluded that it had to be due to someone mentioned in the tweetstorm complaining. Many of us tweeting for Kavaan were suspended. We went onto a different platform to ask the other 'suspendees' what rule they had broken, but none were.

I complained to the Powers, telling them it was a faulty algorithm on their part. Their robotic answer came back, pointing to the 'rules.'

I filed for a reconsideration, utilizing their 'rules/instructions' to do so. The Powers, again, pointed back to the 'rules; my suspension remained.

I filed another and reiterated I had not broken their rules and only had tweeted to save an elephant in horrid conditions in a decrepit zoo. No insults were slung or rules broken; my tweets were respectful.

They denied my reconsideration. Oh, those nasty invisible Powers under the Bird. Only one recourse was available, the reconsideration process with no name to contact: fill out the form.

You ask, "What did you do then?"

I filed another reconsideration. It took the Powers much longer to respond each time I filed one.

Finally, FOUR MONTHS after my suspension, they reinstated ME. They didn't tell me they were doing so. I had just kept checking Twitter to see if I could tweet.

Some process, huh?

A few others never got reinstated.

I'm unsure if they gave up; however, I am known for my persistence in the name of truth, details, a person's rights, and exactness. Rules are in place for a reason; if you follow them, you are fine. How can one be suspended for something one didn't do?

You see, with certainty, I had not violated, in any manner, the rules they presented to me in my persistent questioning of my suspension.

My withdrawal symptoms from being unable to Tweet deserted me once I could post a tweet again. I was OUT OF TWITTER JAIL! I could help save the world again! (Seriously, there were depressing times not being able to tweet - the dangers of social media.)

Kavann had not yet been saved as I had suspected, and the tweetstorms continued for another year. Finally, it happened. He was released, and a long journey with great care was undertaken toward his sanctuary. Cher wrote a song. She traveled to where they were unloading him, and it was FREEDOM for that elephant from a horrid zoo in Islamabad, Pakistan.

I continued tweeting to #stoppoaching, #bantrophyhunting, and save African endangered wildlife. I tweeted about the environment and politics and just insane happenings across the globe.

I continue now even though crazy EM has taken over and made things worse on the platform.

Once, a person who I regularly re-tweeted DMd me and told me that an organization I had mentioned agreed with trophy hunting. I replied, "I didn't want to fight with my Twitter friends."

I still don't.

That person just wanted to ensure I knew about the organization, but I already did; I mentioned it because it was the only organization I could find near the area where the issue was happening. The "conservationists" call it "harvesting." One HARVESTS crops like corn, peas, or pumpkins.

HARVESTING LIONS AND ELEPHANTS? DISGUSTING LOUTS.

Do all the people and organizations mentioned see my tweets? Doubtful.

Others do. So, I continue.

I tweet out about trophy hunters, so proud of the photos of the magnificent animals they killed for a head on their wall.

I tweet about the cruelty in South Africa to lions - the lion farming, the lion bone trade, and the canned hunting.

What is canned hunting, you ask?

Canned hunting is when human-habituated or semi-tame animals are in an enclosed area and easy prey for a shooter from a vehicle. It is in the United States in Texas and other states. Shooting fish in barrels is another form. Some people call themselves conservationists, import animals from foreign countries to the United States, and begin the practice.

Laws should be changed. Money can buy anything, unfortunately.

Cub petting is abuse. Here's why: After zillions of tourists pet the cubs, they are exposed to disease, habituated to humans, mistreated, and mishandled. Then when they are too old to be cute and held by a tourist, they are put into the canned hunting area. Other baby animals die from so much handling by humans. The human owners only want your coins for a photo. They care nothing for the animal's feelings, whether it is hungry, thirsty, scared, or tired. It is their way of making money.

Breeders are the same. They breed animals for canned hunting, which creates a disease-prone area due to the animals packed into small areas to be "hunted.

Breeders of exotic pets or those cross-breeding for something more exotic, the puppy mills, and the people breeding dogs in their basements do it to make money.

It is thoughtless, selfish cruelty fueled by human greed and the stupidity of those buying and creating the market.