There is violent protesting all around us, but all is well here. Thank God!
Questions -
Why create something, or say something, or do something, that you know will incite folks? Isn't that the MO of bullies?
What did they hope to gain by doing this?
And to those who are offended - must the offense, whatever it is, be met with violence? Is that the only way they believe their voices will be heard and the offense registered?
Just like this offensive video doesn't speak for the masses of Americans, I'm sure that these outbursts of violence don't speak for or represent the masses of Arabs.
And yet, we're all being touched by this.
Like in the segregated South when I was growing up, there were folks in white hoods wrecking all manner of havoc in many Black neighborhoods. That was our introduction to terrorism. There were many whites who stood against them, but there were also many who remained silent. And because of their silence, they were with them by default.
Likewise, I'm guessing there are many Arabs who see these riots as wrong, but until they speak out against them, they appear to be with the rioters, and those folks are likely to continue this madness.
It takes courage to stand up in the face opposition, especially if that opposition is made up of family and friends fighting for a cause.
As much as I appreciate our First Amendment, the Freedom of Speech, the right to say anything you want to say should also come with some responsibilities to deal with any blowback this free speech might bring.
Personally, I'm not interested in protecting the fools who created this film that was the tipping point of these recent violent acts. They should have to pay the piper themselves, and not drag the rest of us in the dirt with them.
Questions -
Why create something, or say something, or do something, that you know will incite folks? Isn't that the MO of bullies?
What did they hope to gain by doing this?
And to those who are offended - must the offense, whatever it is, be met with violence? Is that the only way they believe their voices will be heard and the offense registered?
Just like this offensive video doesn't speak for the masses of Americans, I'm sure that these outbursts of violence don't speak for or represent the masses of Arabs.
And yet, we're all being touched by this.
Like in the segregated South when I was growing up, there were folks in white hoods wrecking all manner of havoc in many Black neighborhoods. That was our introduction to terrorism. There were many whites who stood against them, but there were also many who remained silent. And because of their silence, they were with them by default.
Likewise, I'm guessing there are many Arabs who see these riots as wrong, but until they speak out against them, they appear to be with the rioters, and those folks are likely to continue this madness.
It takes courage to stand up in the face opposition, especially if that opposition is made up of family and friends fighting for a cause.
As much as I appreciate our First Amendment, the Freedom of Speech, the right to say anything you want to say should also come with some responsibilities to deal with any blowback this free speech might bring.
Personally, I'm not interested in protecting the fools who created this film that was the tipping point of these recent violent acts. They should have to pay the piper themselves, and not drag the rest of us in the dirt with them.
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