When I write a blog post, I welcome everyone to my house to read, comment, debate, negate, laugh, cajole, banter, and share in the ‘raderie I’ve created in this amazing community.
Everyone regardless of creed, color, age, religion, gender, profession, alien status (Howie!) or other is invited. We carry on in a friendly manner, exchanging hugs and kisses along the way as well as highly professional discourse. Rarely is there an offensive comment in the midst.
Apparently, this is not the norm in some places. A person in this community posted a comment on one of my posts in the last several weeks that made me shudder. She, a Muslem, was called a “terrorist” on someone’s blog she visited and asked never to return. If that’s not enough, the blogger proceeded to attack her blog and make a mess in comments and elsewhere trying to create havoc. Regardless of her experience, she continues to keep a positive attitude with forward momentum.
For anyone who has been the subject of a racist or religious profiling blogger/commenter, I want to apologize to you. I naively write in the comfort of my home and in the company I keep, and I had no earthly clue this was happening. It saddens me to have ignorant people mistreat others and not suffer consequence.
Here are several resources to report such behavior on the blogosphere. If anyone is privy to or the victim of hateful accusations, racism or other ethnic or religious profiling, these organizations share some steps on how to respond. The first step is logical – blacklisting, but there is more recourse:
Report Hate on Social Networking Sites
Blogger policy on reporting abuse
Other policies are also available on Facebook, YouTube, MySpace and other sites. Don’t allow a cyber-hate experience to go unnoticed; at least file a report and inform your communities. Get professional counsel on the best way to go about managing the experience, too.
Who might have something to add here? I’m not expert in managing such situations, nor do I have professional training. The resources on the web are slim pickings, too. Share some?
Good post. Well handled by you and Hajra. Thanks for sharing this story as I didn’t catch it in the comment section when it first happened.
@PaulRobertsPAR Thanks for saying, Paul. Love having you here, too. I think I’m a tad naive, and am embarrassed about that.
Bullying happens in the blogosphere. It is a very sad thing and I think sometimes people forget that bullying isn’t limited to the schoolyards. Simply terrible.
@TheJackB why hadn’t I ever thought this happened? I just never even thought about it.
@Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing Blog about religion and politics and it will find you far faster than you want/need or imagine.
@TheJackB I know you know; you’ve had your share. But, it’s a tension release for you to fight back, right? I think you kinda like it?
Bullying is just terrible; done anywhere and in whatever context. In no way does any human have the right to think they are better than the other in terms of religion, caste, creed, skin color or whatever.
@Hajra I’d like to invite your guest post here, Hajra. If you want to address this topic or another, please, whatever you like. I want everyone to know this community does not discriminate and if anyone would do so in comments I’d blast them to Mars.
@Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing Thanks so much! Right now I am just too busy with my exams… starting my Masters soon! But yes, I will mail you when I have an idea that fits your blog! 🙂
You are wonderful! 🙂
The most hateful comments I’ve seen anywhere online are found on MSNBC and CNN articles. To add even more insult, any dissent from the MSNBC majority, no matter how reasoned and civil, will result in “comment collapsed by the community,” which makes the statement “We don’t want to see any opinions but our own.” (I open those comments up to see why they were “collapsed”). Talk about a moderating nightmare!
@New England Multimedia I love your curiosity. Some really bad comments also happen on Above The Law; all anonymous. The way we moderate and are community managers…that would be an utter nightmare.
I.will.kick.some.ass. Nobody better be messing w/ any of my friends………..
Actually, I never was much of a fighter; maybe we can do rock, paper and scissors, huh?
I have seen a couple of instances and it sure disillusioned me and took some of the luster off. Fortunately, I haven’t had to see too much of it. Zero tolerance for that kind of crap; that’s for sure.
Seriously? Was it like hateful incidents or just politically charged debate? I didn’t think in our communities there was much of that. @bdorman264
Totally agree! There shouldn’t be room for haters in anyone’s life. Personally, I haven’t had the occasion or need to search for links or action to address hate and I hope I don’t. Unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at it maybe I am naive in thinking that most people will do the right thing.
@rdopping I’m naive right next to you; had no idea. But, as @TheJackB knows full well, if you blog about politics or other divisive issues (he’s Jewish), you open the door. I’m sure my friend was innocently commenting, however, and that blogger was a racist biggot who terrorized her.
I have no idea what to say to this. What is wrong with people??
@ginidietrich I know. I’m sad. There is so much hate in the world and around the corner.
The only thing I can think is, the kids are getting it from somewhere.
I’ve heard of another blogger who was threatened with bodily harm and even her life by an entire gang of other bloggers who didn’t want her to succeed. She eventually had to change her front, but she’s not stopped blogging. Be careful out there, and please do report.
@ShakirahDawud Wow. Are you kidding me, Shakirah? I am feeling so stupidly naive; and so sad. Good for your colleague…I hope it wasn’t you.
@ShakirahDawud I just heard someone share a story about kids on a school bus taunting an overweight bus monitor to the point that the kids were expelled and parents were in tears. If the parents were crying about their kids’ behavior, then where are these kids learning this? That scared me.
It’s shameful, disgraceful and cowardly to hide behind a computer and bully people. I don’t wish a painful, horrible death to those who harm and hurt good people for no good reason online; okay, I’m not being completely honest here, but that is wrong too… I’m with @bdorman264 – maybe we can throw rocks at them, or set em’ afire in paper… or stab them with our scissors?
@Mark_Harai @bdorman264 What is bothering me is how we’re raising our children. I am bi-cultural; I lived in Chicago 18 years and tolerance is so much more acceptable. People are a mash up and we all got along. In different communities, geographies and regions, this is not the case. It’s horrifying to me. But, I don’t know how to fix it, either.
@Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing @bdorman264 There’s nothing to fix; we’re dealing with human nature and things outside of our control. There’s only one thing you can control, and that’s the choice you make on what kind of person you’re going to be. There are some lost, perverse, corrupted souls out there – broken units. The world is getting crazier by the day.
@Mark_Harai @bdorman264 Spot on. Erica McArthur Allison
Part of it is people feel they’re safe because they’re not actually “in front” of anyone – just the computer screen. So they tend to be more vituperative than they otherwise might, which I think is absolutely shameful. If you wouldn’t say it to someone’s face, or would only say it if you were draped in a white sheet with holes for eyes, don’t say it at all. It’s absolutely disgusting.
The day after 9/11, my husband (who is white) and I were getting out of our car after coming home (we’d commute to/from work together). A truck drove by and a redneck-kind of guy leaned out and shouted at me, as they were driving past, “Go back to your home, we don’t want your kind here.” I’ve never forgotten that. Most of the people I’ve met and come into contact with after moving to the US have been decent, kind people… but there is still racism and bigotry around. And sadly, as wonderful as the Internet is, in some ways it makes it easier for those people to spread their views/indulge in that kind of behavior, especially as the world has grown smaller and the recession has made everyone more protective of what’s “theirs.”
I have a question for you: sometimes, I’ve received comments, or replies to comments, that mock my background without being out and out racist or bigoted. I’ve even seen this via email, where people might say, “Well, in THIS country we don’t…” and so on. Or – my favorite (not) – “Where did you learn to speak English?” Do you consider that abuse, arrogance, ignorance, or… what? Because I can’t make up my mind!
@Shonali IGNORANCE. I’m bi-cultural, and have also experienced much of what you have, Shonali. When I returned from Iran, it was blatant — I had an accent, a tan that made my skin golden and knew nothing about fashion. I was in 7th grade; will never forget it. Then the hostage crisis struck. Remember? Talk about abuse. I hid behind my heritage and never let anyone know until it was cool to be ethnic (and Persian) again.
That is one thing that keeps me from being more vocal online about things. I wrote a political post once in my life. I got so many hateful comments and none of them had anything to do with the subject of the piece. People are going to hate, and online they are going to be even more vocal due to anonymity.
I am sorry that you or anyone has had to suffer through this. I didn’t even know there was recourse available to deal with it.
@susansilver Hi, Susan! Thanks for coming by my house to share. I admire the fact you had gumption to actually publish a political post. I tried two neutral statements on Twitter — Mrs. Obama’s dress was pretty, and boom! I was bashed to the curb. That blew me away; I was not prepared for that.
Learned my lesson and try to stay far away from such issues, for sure.
Hi Jayme, I am so sorry that happened to our friend and that you have suffered from prejudice as well. There is no place for this online or in real life, but unfortunately it happens. The only experience I’ve had that is somewhat similar was when I was in England. I encountered quite a bit of anti-American prejudice there. Sometime it was to my face and other times I overheard people who didn’t know an American was listening. You want to scream, “But you don’t even know me!!” Then you realize you wouldn’t want these people to know you.
Thanks for spreading the word of inclusion instead of prejudice. Maybe discussions will help to open some minds.
@wonderoftech There is such divisiveness (wow, spell that word fast) these days; I think people are so set in their ways. Having lived in Chicago 18 years, ethnicity and culture blend into every-day living; no one really notices differences. Then, coming to small-town USA, it’s a shock at the racism I see, hear and feel. Thanks for coming over here; for sure.