'Go F Yourself and Die': Lawyers Really Shouldn't Rage Tweet
There's a running Twitter joke with our friends at @SCOTUSblog. Because their name is so similar to the nation's high court, many tweeters mistake them for the real thing, and express their great displeasure over court rulings in 140 characters or less. Instead of kindly clarifying the mistake, the mystery person behind the account typically tweets back snarky responses.
It's wonderful.
The latest, and most amusing, was a tweet about the Supreme Court's decision to address the E.P.A.'s regulation of greenhouse gas emissions, allegedly coming from a BigLaw partner. A few tweets later, SCOTUSblog's snark prevailed, the lawyer's temper flared, and now, his account is no more.
Shortly after the Supreme Court's announcement, @SteveRegan4, whose account is preserved by Google Cache, tweeted "Don't screw up this like ACA. No such thing as greenhouse gas. Carbon is necessary for life."
How did the blog respond to the mistaken identity (and science)?
Intelligent life? MT @SteveRegan4: @SCOTUSblog Don't screw up this like ACA. No such thing as greenhouse gas. Carbon is necessary for life.
-- SCOTUSblog (@SCOTUSblog) October 15, 2013
Well played. According to Above the Law, Regan's response was short, and to the point, advising SCOTUSblog to "Go f@ck yourself and die." SCOTUSblog fired back with some helpful advice, tweeting:
Being an expert climatologist / real-estate attorney is very stressful. Breathe. RT @SteveRegan4: @SCOTUSblog Go f@ck yourself and die.
-- SCOTUSblog (@SCOTUSblog) October 16, 2013
Now, we can't be sure that the tweets came from Steve Regan, a partner at ReedSmith, but the evidence is pretty strong: both are from Pittsburg and both specialize in real estate, oil and gas, and other related legal fields. But, there's also the extremely unlikely possibility that someone hijacked his Twitter account.
We get it though. Supreme Court decisions can be frustrating. And from the account's wallpaper and prior tweets, calling "CLINT" an "ASSHAT," and urging the pitcher to bean Molina in the face, we can only presume that he is a Pirates and Steelers fan.
He has a lot to be upset about.
One small piece of advice, however: think before you rage tweet to an account with 142,622 followers. Or simply express your rage on Facebook, where you can later edit your posts. We'd suggest starting with FindLaw for Legal Professionals. We don't mind rage posts. As long as they aren't about us.
Related Resources:
- New Favorite Judge Urges Courts to Make Congress go 'Bats--t' (FindLaw's Strategist Blog)
- Judge Faces Ethics Probe After Selling Religious Books in Court (FindLaw's Strategist Blog)
- Maintaining Your Firm's Social Media Presence: 5 Tips (FindLaw's Strategist Blog)