Q: I have not seen any posts from Nancy Grahn (Alexis, "General Hospital") since she made that comment on Viola Davis' Emmy speech. Did ABC ban her from social media? — Loren of Hudson, Ohio.

A: Nope. There is that pesky First Amendment. They might have suggested she stay off for a while — but they did not forbid her, because they can't. Let's provide a little background on Davis' speech and Grahn's reaction. After winning for best actress Davis for "How to Get Away With Murder," Davis said, "The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is simply opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there." She concluded her speech with, "So here's to all the writers, the awesome people — people who have redefined what it means to be beautiful, to be sexy, to be a leading woman, to be black."

Nancy Grahn's now-deleted tweet said, "I'm a f—-ing actress for 40 yrs. None of us get respect or opportunity we deserve. Emmys not venue 4 racial opportunity. ALL women belittled."

There were lots of negative responses to Grahn's retort. This week she was back on the Facebook scene and had this to say to those who have wondered where she has been: "If you've been looking for me on milk cartons, under rocks, or hiding out with Waldo, you wouldn't have found me. I may have been absent here, but I've been fully present, and alert in my life. With the Internet off, I've been reflecting, reading, writing, having enlightening discourse, and extraordinary meetings with people I never thought I'd have the honor to meet, let alone converse with. My silence in the media was self imposed and correct. I can't tweet and listen at the same time. Being quiet and listening has allowed me to absorb meaningful lessons and gain insights that continue to have immeasurable value to me.

"To be sure, what you believe you know about me has remained to be so. In fact, my commitment to equal rights, fairness, and justice for the disenfranchised has grown even stronger.

"My intention now is to continue to stay tapped in, tuned in, and turned on to learning more. As these lessons unfold with greater clarity, I will humbly and happily share them with you, as I allow myself and my experiences to be used for greater understanding and greater good. I'm excited about what's to come.

"In the meantime, while I'm quite serious about my purpose right now, my sense of humor is alive and well. I will continue to find the funny in funny things, celebrate my beloved General Hospital, and rant about policy and issues that dehumanize others, as well a media that does the same. My goal, and it is a lofty one, is to try not to be snarky, mean spirited, or pile on any individual. Not even reality stars, bureaucrats, or politicians. They are all, after all, human beings.

"As a work in progress, who hopes to continually change for the better, I want to thank my supporters and my critics, as evolving is impossible without both."

She signed the post, "Love, Me."

To find out more about Lynda Hirsch and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.