The ethics of revealing LM’s private messages

I’ve gone back and forth about this and initially I was anti-letter sharing due to basic etiquette, but I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s actually a net positive.

I see it as good PR. The mainstream media has been relentlessly trying to paint LM as a terrible, deranged person. In the early days, Tracy, LM’s very close friend, shared pictures, videos, and private text messages—she was bashed for doing so. Normally, I would agree that it is rude to share private messages without one’s consent, but obviously that was not something that he had the opportunity to consent to because he was in custody. I appreciated her sharing those messages because she sacrificed her own privacy and mental health to stand up for her friend, someone who she knows in real life to be a good person.

More recently, supporters, who don’t know LM personally yet have been corresponding with him, have been sharing private letters. These letters have gone viral on social media and have also been picked up by mainstream media, showing LM’s empathic, funny, and cultured sides. This is very important in my opinion because they help to combat the false and incredibly damaging narratives that have dominated the discussion around him.

(The aforementioned is obviously different than certain people weaponizing LM‘s private words against him for clout and profit when he can’t defend himself.)

So yes, generally of course the rule of thumb is not to share private things without permission, but when the media is actively tainting the jury pool with unverifiable claims and negative stories, revealing personal messages that provide a more accurate depiction of his character can serve as a necessary counterbalance to the misinformation being spread. The court of public opinion can not exonerate him, but jurors are drawn from that same public—and they ultimately decide his fate in the court of law.

This is not me trying to police anything or change anyone’s mind. Just my two cents upon reflecting these past few days and witnessing this debate.

I understand that people may still disagree and personally be upset about supporters sharing messages, but I would encourage us all to not attack people who decide to do so.

Prior to LM’s catalog being posted on his official website, I will admit I doubted a lot of the correspondence, but it has worked as a great way to verify the validity, if one feels inclined to do so.

It's no coincidence that the handwritten letter KFA posted to LM’s website includes the quote from him on the first page. It was as if she posted it as some sort of verification that it truly came from him. The letters are the truest representation of who he is—his own words in his own handwriting. I believe they’ll continue to work in his favor throughout this ordeal, reinforcing the resolve of current supporters and drawing in new ones.