On July 4, 2025, deadly floods swept across Texas — taking the lives of children, families, and entire communities. But while survivors were mourning and cities were underwater, the internet had something else to say:
“That’s what you get for living in a red state.”
In the wake of this tragedy, social media platforms became flooded with hateful comments, mockery, and politically charged cruelty. What should’ve been a moment of national empathy instead became a disturbing display of cyberbullying at its worst.
This wasn’t just trolling. This was digital bullying rooted in dehumanization — where empathy is replaced with judgment and tragedy becomes ammunition for ideological attacks.
It begs the question: How did we get here? And more importantly, how do we change it?
Cyberbullying doesn’t only happen between students in schools — it happens on national stages, in moments of grief, and in the name of political opinions. It’s one thing to disagree. It’s another to cheer for disaster.
