Over the past few years, Facebook has become a dominant feature in the daily lives of 1.5 billion human beings on this planet called Earth; possibly, with a few astronauts and cosmonauts circling the globe as well.

Out of those 1.5 billion persons, many around the world have formed social media groups, discussing any number of issues from cat grooming to cake making. Inevitably, there were be groups dedicated to political discourse, debate and banter.

Closer to home, there are approximately 30,000 Bermudian residents plugged into Facebook. Corresponding with global trends, many different group pages have been formed to discuss everything from music, mom and pop garage sales, Bermudian history and, yes, Bermudian politics.

The One Bermuda Alliance Facebook page was created around the summer of 2011 in an effort to put forth its view of what it would be bringing to the table.

At the time, or even now, anyone who was a Progressive Labour Party and/or union supporter on that page would find themselves embroiled in any number of arguments with OBA supporters on a daily basis.

In March 2012, a new Facebook page by the name of Bermuda Elections 2012 was formed as an alternative platform to the OBA Facebook page narrative.

True to form, the political banter or, as some would say “political blood-letting”, spilt over from the OBA page to the Bermuda Elections 2012 page. With many members jumping from page to page to carry forth their “cybercrusades”, attempting to convert their prey from one political ideology to another.

Often at times, various MPs and/or senators from either party would find themselves caught up for hours in the “cut and thrust” of cyberpartisan warfare. With statistics and quotes thrown about in wild abandon to prove that either side was on the wrong track, those two pages truly became the “Roman Colosseums” of Bermudian politics.

Hundreds of cyberspectators looked on with either glee or dismay at the multitude of entrenched, pitched battles.

There topics such as, but not limited to:

• Adultery

• Animal welfare

• Black history

• Candidate worthiness

• Cup Match

• Gaming

• Homophobia

• Marijuana use

• Permanent Resident’s Certificates

• Racism

• Same-sex marriage

Along the way, many who once spent countless hours arguing against each other decided to inbox someone they never saw eye-to-eye with and get to speak with them outside of the public view.

Over the years, several of them have actually met with each other face-to-face and have become inseparable as friends, who now respectfully discuss everything under the sun, irrespective of their individual perspectives or stances. For many, it is these cross-cultural relationships that have proven to have made the years plugged into Facebook all worth it.

One thing has become abundantly clear to all and sundry: that is, no one changes their political affiliation or stance on issues based on Facebook arguments. As a matter of fact, no one changes their political affiliation or stance on issues based on any form of online arguments.

Zip, zero, no one.

Perhaps the folks who hide their names would like to meet up in person and chat face-to-face.

If so, the first round is on me. Call or WhatsApp me on 441 599-0901 or e-mail carib_pro@yahoo.com.

I am looking forward to hearing from and meeting you.