In another time, Americans might be marching on Washington today, massing in front of Congress to support the Democratic sit-in against gun violence. But I know of no  plan to march. Instead I got an invitation – by email of course – to join a “digital protest.”

So I won’t have to leave the comfort of my computer chair to show my support for the Democratic protesters. If I had a laptop, I wouldn’t have to get out of bed.

The digital protest is taking place on Facebook tonight.  The email explained:

We will do this by utilizing a Facebook feature, specifically encouraging people to create and share a “Life Event” update. However, unlike a typical Life Event update (announcing a marriage or a new baby, for example), this will be an update allowing people to declare their desire to reduce gun violence by stating that “enough is enough.”

All I have to do is create a custom Life Event on my Facebook page that reads: “Decided that enough is enough.” Then, I can add a story or photo explaining why this is such an important issue.

Sad to say, I would find it easier to march on Washington than to do any of that stuff. Facebook is a puzzle that I have yet to solve (even though I operate a Facebook page of sorts).

I haven’t caught up with the digital age.

I have never figured out how to get on Twitter. As for Instagram and Periscope and all of the other portals to the “social network,” I manage to live from day to day without even knowing what they look like.

The invitation to join the digital protest is supposedly from the White House. But I wonder if it’s a hoax.

I know today’s politicians communicate via Twitter, and I keep up with friends and relatives by email and by checking Facebook once in a while. But the thought of the White House actually staging a protest on the Internet seems weird somehow.

Is this what we’ve come to? War by drones, politics on Twitter and protest by social media?

More on the sit-in and social media