Peaceful Coexistence
I want to believe that we all come to our beliefs from a good and pure place. We mean well. We just don't see eye to eye.
And that's okay. The world shouldn't be filled with people who all look and sound and act the same. We should get to be the unique, distinct souls that we are, and we should be able to find others out there who look and sound and act the same. Find our tribes. And ideally, coexist. Peacefully.
This isn't a post about politics. Or preferences. To each his own.
This post is about how you treat those that do not share your opinions.
I read a lot. I read a lot by people who share my vision and views and values, and I read a lot by those with whom I will never agree. I engage in conversations and debates, IRL and online. I try to bring facts to the table to balance out my emotions. I try to be respectful. I go after ideas, not people.
Never, ever, ever have I considered terrorizing someone else. On line, or in person. I have not called someone a cunt, threatened their families, told them to die, or told them that I wished that they would suffer great pain and loss. I've never threatened to rape anyone, cut off their heads or murder them.
But it seems that there are an awful lot of people out there who feel completely justified in doing so. Who feel it's not just their right, but their obligation to be asshats.
The majority of online threats are disproportionately but not surprisingly directed at women.
This shit has got to stop.Feminine usernames incurred an average of 100 sexually explicit or threatening messages a day. Masculine names received 3.7.
I'm not sure at what point the attackers got the inkling that their behavior was acceptable. That they could hide behind their keyboards and make disgusting, vile and terrifying statements. That they could victimize another person because they disliked her point of view. Or because they were emasculated by her position of influence or power. Or because the sky is blue and the grass is green.
This shit has got to stop.
I'm for publishing names of cyber attackers, pressing charges, revoking their WIFI and calling their mothers. It's time to drag these sorry little fuckers into the spotlight and hold them accountable for their words.
“To achieve sustainable development for all, we must build a world where women and girls can live their lives free of violence and fulfil their potential as valued and equal members of society.”We don't have to like each other. Or agree with each other. But we do need to find a way to peacefully coexist on this planet. Enough is enough.