There is a tradition that is as old as humans, dating back to our infancy and continuing to rear its ugly head on a daily basis. Humans, for all their successes and self made shortcuts, have routinely had issues with putting their foot in their mouth, or in simpler terms, saying something stupid.
It's an old an re-occurring habit because well, its just so easy. It's wrong to assume that most people think about what they say before they say it, and in the world of social media, where a quick thought can reach millions in seconds, this sort of exposure is particularly damaging.
Athletes at every level of the game have taken to Twitter, which has been in many ways a benefit, allowing them to react so closely with their fans and even have direct conversations with them. However, an athlete can be lulled into a fake sense of security while on Twitter and post something offensive, derogatory or just plain inflammatory.
Of course, the athletes are not alone, as many fans will tweet them equally ignorant or hateful messages after bad games/missed opportunities, or just hate them in general. The real issue is that for athletes and fans alike, there can be a lot of apparent leniency in what one can do or say online, yet in today's world, that is truly not the case. Athletes can and will be publicly berated for ignorant or hurtful comments made on Twitter, which is necessary as a punitive measure in a system with little regulatory framework.
Humans will forever be making mistakes of the verbal variety, saying things we don't mean and apologizing for comments we've made. It is part of what being human is all about. However, there is responsibility that comes with all forms of power, and Twitter, though seemingly unimportant, is a very powerful medium through which athletes can make an impression, and thus it is necessary that better responsibility is observed on behalf of all Twitter users.
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