The Marquee published a series of stories last week regarding online negative comments from adults in the community. The articles were shared widely on Facebook and caught the attention of local media outlets.
Included in the stories were several screenshots from the Facebook group Flower Mound Cares (FMC). The story was posted to the FMC page by Elizabeth Pfeiffer, a Flower Mound native and Marcus parent. Shortly after, Jeff Stevens commented that he would like to talk to the staffers involved with the story.
Screenshots of Stevens’ comments were included in the stories because he had some of the strongest comments on the page, using names such as “loser” and “coward.” A screenshot of Pfeiffer’s comment regarding cleaning up FMC was also chosen for the story. Both Stevens and Pfeiffer were invited to sit down with staffers to share their opinions.
Stevens praised the story and said he agrees with the Marquee and thinks people need to watch what they put online.
“Social media isn’t a free for all to sit behind a keyboard and say whatever you want to say about someone,” he said.
Stevens said he made some of his more pointed comments after others posted false statements about his friends or his community. He said in any posts that he himself creates, he is more positive.
“I do it in response to people who come out and attack what I care about,” Stevens said.
He said he struggles being respectful in these situations, and it’s just a few people that are causing problems.
“There’s about 8-10 people in Flower Mound that creates all the negativity and drama you’re talking about,” he said.
He admits to be being one of those 8-10 and says Eric Jellison, FMC administrator, would probably be justified in kicking him off the site.
“Kick those people out, kick me out, and I promise you all of this discussion goes away,” he said.
Stevens has one son and said he has no problem with his child using the same language he does, but only if it’s appropriate.
“If someone is attacking him, if someone is attacking anyone around him or someone is attacking someone who can’t defend themselves, then he has every right to fully engage,” Stevens said. “I have not raised my child to turn the other cheek in situations in which he should stand up for himself.”
The other interviewee, Pfeiffer, posted the Marquee’s articles to FMC immediately after she read them.
“It needed to go there,” she said. “Those are the people it’s referring to, those are the people that need to read it.”
Pfeiffer thinks when the conversation is mature, FMC is a great resource for sharing certain information.
“I think the part where it gets difficult is you don’t know why people are saying what they are saying,” she said.
Pfeiffer said she can’t think of a reason that name calling would ever be beneficial. She also wants what’s best for Flower Mound.
“I grew up this community and I have a lot of pride in Flower Mound,” she said. “We’ve had some negative press in the Dallas Observer. We’ve had articles run in the Dallas Morning News about the drama that has unfolded in town council, [and] also just about the general mistreatment of each other.”
She also said she didn’t see any reason to post negative comments about minors.
“If a member of our community sees a child engaging in some kind of behavior that they’re concerned about, regardless of what it is, they should approach the parents.”
After answering questions from The Marquee editor-in-chief, Rachel Ramirez, they also talked with each other about their different points of view.
They agreed that the negativity is not good for the community. Pfeiffer suggested posters should keeping a more respectful tone in town discussions. Stevens agreed, but doesn’t think it always works.
“You poke me…you’re going to get an emotional response,” he said.
He also feels if someone is displaying negative behavior, if he doesn’t address it, then he is condoning it.
Pfeiffer countered by suggesting a more private response.
“We all have a choice, whether to participate in those type of conversations or not,” she said
