Ethical Email Dilemmas: To be a Congressman for a Moment

Oh, the ethical dilemma…

I regularly get emails that are meant for an ex-Congressman and former Mayor of Minneapolis, also named Donald Fraser. I’ve previously contacted him to let him know that I receive these misaddressed emails. I’ve never heard back. The latest one — received just now — is about “morality in media” and urges people to write the FCC about changes to television standards that could possibly lead to more swearing and nudity on broadcast television. It is a “think about the children!” type message that Americans truly specialize in.

The sender did not “blind carbon copy” the note, meaning that there is a list of about 75 people that this email could be replied to.

I know it is wrong to mischievously act as a very influential former American politician and to reply to all of the people on the list. But what an excellent opportunity to state that the bigger issue is actually the amount of gun violence on television and the impact that this has on young impressionable minds. That a nipple never blew anyone’s head off.

Yes, it is oh-so-tempting to hit “reply all.”

Maybe, just maybe, I’d stop getting his emails.