Reactions during times of crisis are often a thermometer measuring the true nature of individuals, and social media has proven to be a powerful tool for collecting responses.

The once total anonymity of the Internet is gone. The casual and easy-to-access nature of Facebook and Twitter have all but ensured that people will continue to speak without thinking, despite the fact that their name and photo are attached to everything they say.

It is interesting to see how a community reacts to a shocking event. This week, the student body of this university was presented with an unusual, sad scenario that unsettled everyone.

We had an opportunity to be thoughtful, introspective and kind. Instead, some of us found time to be selfish and cruel.

A young woman was found dead in a stairwell of the Science Building Monday morning. The area was evacuated, the situation was assessed by University administration, and the investigation to find the reason behind the death began.

According to University police, there wasn’t an immediate threat to the rest of the student population. While administrators and law enforcement converged on the scene, the world beyond the barriers of yellow police tape went on – as it should have.

However, before everyone could check their Bronc Alert text message, the rumor mill began to churn out stories a crime-series author would be proud of.

Students began to feel unsafe. Maybe there was a killer walking around campus. The lack of lighting and security were blamed. Female students feared they could become the prime target for the unknown danger.

The day quickly went from being about a woman whose life had ended to showcasing people’s fears.

The most disturbing examples of knee-jerk and callous reactions are displayed on UTPA’s Facebook page. While some people showed genuine concern for the woman, others seemed to think the death was the perfect excuse for a day off.

The first comment came only a minute after the University made the announcement on their Facebook. Within ten minutes, comments speculating about the nature of the death surfaced. Thirteen minutes later, a CSI joke. Five minutes after that, the conjecture of a suicide.

People turn to these websites to express themselves, mark important days in their lives and complain about First World problems. Issues and problems in 140 characters or less.

Occasionally, a group will use social media to rally a community together and expose injustices. While it’s only natural to search for information and make sure loved ones are accounted for during an emergency, the UTPA social media world dissolved into a circus of tasteless jokes and comment wars.

Being sensitive is not about being politically correct. It’s about having compassion for the suffering of others without regard to who gets the first punch-line in during the conversation.

Everyone has the right to an opinion. Almost everyone has the ability to express those opinions instantaneously. By no stretch of the imagination does that mean they should be broadcast to a worldwide audience for posterity.