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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To block my brother on FB?

31 replies

Oodiks · 04/11/2024 20:34

The last time we spoke was in 2017 at a Thanksgiving meal at my mum's house. He got drunk and mad at me and my (now ex) husband after the guests had left and ended up screaming at my mum in the wee small hours triggering my daughter's trichotillomania.

There was some back and forth over email and he said he needed a break from me. To be honest, I was relieved by this as I'd spent too many years brushing his outrageous behavior under the carpet because my mum insisted on 'family' events.

Since then I’ve moved to the States and only visited the UK a couple of times. We have not met. Every now and then he picks up the phone when I call my mum, I ask how he is, he says, “I’ll get mum”…

Now, suddenly he’s tagging me on FB to restart old arguments about the Israel/Palestine issue and whether his insistent questioning of my Jewish ex husband over related issues was or was not antisemitic.

Should I just block him?

YABU - don’t block him
YANBU - block him

OP posts:
divinededacende · 05/11/2024 09:08

Absolutely no reason to treat him differently because he's your brother. If the behaviour is bothering you, block him. The relationship already seems to be gone.

On the other hand, will it be helpful for you to see what he's saying in case you need to act or clarify anything? Remember you can set up Facebook to notify you if you're tagged in anything and ask you to approve it before the tag takes effect and let's it be seen by your own friends. Doesn't stop him from mentioning you in his posts and his own friends/mutuals seeing it but he'll be able to do that whether he's blocked or not. Just a thought. But if you don't care and you'd rather just not see it, absolutely get rid.

HellonHeels · 04/11/2024 23:40

At best he's incredibly tiresome. At worst, a nasty piece of work.

He's the type that blocking was invented for.

Oodiks · 04/11/2024 23:37

TBH I'll probably just unfriend him and block him if he carries on harrassing me.

OP posts:
AlexaSetATimer · 04/11/2024 20:38

He sounds deranged, block!

Entertainmentcentral · 04/11/2024 20:38

What a terrible way to reconnect with you.

WinterMorn · 04/11/2024 20:36

Blood isn’t always thicker than water. Block, move on and enjoy your life.