If you saw a mob of thousands of people on the street attacking a lone woman – would you join them?
What if the mob grew to millions and included some of your friends – friends who said the woman deserved what she got because it was ‘Karma’?
I’m guessing your answer is probably no – that would be mine too – but that’s what’s happening right now on Facebook.
Facebook is gradually turning into a dark parody of a courthouse where can we judge and convict people whose colour, accent, religion, attitudes, beliefs, behaviour and anything else we don’t like.
The latest example of this is the viral video of the woman who called the police on a little black girl who was selling water on the street.
I’m not going to link to that video here because quite honestly enough is enough.
Now, I don’t agree with what this woman did, and I have no idea why she did it. One thing’s for sure I bet she’s sorry now.
So far this one incident has cost the woman her job and her business and judging by the violent threats towards her on social media it could even cost her her life.
I have no idea whether she had a racist motive in calling the police or not. Maybe she’s a racist – maybe she’s not, but according to Facebook she is, so she stands convicted.
I don’t like racism and would like to think that if I saw another human being abused, I would stand up for them.
I myself was verbally abused by a screaming man because of my accent and country of origin and I know what it’s like when nobody does anything – it’s horrible.
But what’s just as horrible is the idea of appointing myself judge and jury and snarling into cyberspace at some complete stranger.
Apart from the physical proximity, I don’t see any difference between this and the mob on the street – the one I would never join.
But many people have joined this mob and why? Because the court of Facebook has decided she’s guilty and the court of Facebook is not just convicting – it’s dispensing justice.
FACEBOOK JUSTICE
Facebook justice is ugly.
I’ve seen people who portray themselves as liberal, socially aware and even self-proclaimed feminists jumping on in the comments section of this video to ridicule and humiliate this woman about her weight, her face – everything about her appearance.
But that’s okay because if everyone on Facebook says she’s guilty, we can forget all our other values, call her ugly and peck out her eyes with our fingertips.
What’s really ugly is the mob mentality – how people change and forget their values.
I’ve seen comments from people who disagree with the death penalty saying she deserves everything she gets – including torture and death.
Somehow this is justified because she’s been found guilty, Facebook guilty that is, of racism.
THE CURE FOR RACISM
Do vitriol, hatred, abuse and death threats cure racism?
I wish I knew a cure but I have a strong feeling that education, reading and discussion can change attitudes.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
Martin Luther King Jr.
What doesn’t change attitudes is joining a mob whose primary purpose is to enjoy calling someone a fat, ugly piece of shit who deserves to be tortured to death.
But what is even more disturbing is how much people seem to like it.
I say that because that’s what I’m seeing. The people doing the abusing and name-calling are enjoying themselves – swopping memes and laughter emojis – having fun.
Most of this fun is about this woman’s weight and appearance.
I thought we were getting past this judging women on appearance thing? Apparently not when there’s an excuse.
There’s not supposed to be an excuse!
We either stop judging women by their appearance, or we don’t.
JOIN THE MOB
But people forget their values when they’re in a mob because that’s what happens in mobs – ask the Tutsi in Rwanda.
This is not Rwanda but what happened in Rwanda happened when people were filled with hatred and the mob mentality took over – with neighbours attacking neighbours and friends killing friends.
In the water woman’s case, the mob is virtual but the mob mentality is still present and still dangerous.
What else can we call it when millions of people pour abuse onto one woman – threatening her life and threatening her family.
A mob is an ugly thing. It can turn good people bad, and the virtual mob is no different.
Don’t get with the mob!
PIGGY MONK SQUARE
Grace Jolliffe’s novel, Piggy Monk Square was shortlisted for the Commonwealth New Writers Prize.
A dark and funny 1970s Liverpool story. A policeman is trapped.
Two girls know where but swear to keep the secret because the truth will destroy them.
Get Piggy Monk Square
THE SUNSHINE GIRL
Is the smiling stranger the answer to her problems? Or is he the start of a nightmare.
A gritty and funny novel set in 1970s Liverpool.
The Sunshine Girl is available here on Amazon.com
To see all of Grace Jolliffe’s books on Amazon.com click here
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