Spreading hate via e-mail, and how we can stop it

I received another forwarded e-mail today that was so full of hate and intolerance that it got all over my very last nerve. The author's name was given at the end of the e-mail but I will not share it out of courtesy, albeit undeserved, because one day she may realize her foolishness. I will also not inadvertently spread this woman's brand of hatred and prejudice by replicating any portion of her words here or elsewhere. However, to summarize: the author of this e-mail attempted to blame all Islamic people for the deaths of 9/11, proclaimed her disregard for human rights by explicitly endorsing the use of torture, equated the photos of naked Iraqi POW's to a fraternity prank, and demanded that all other cultures revere Christianity and the American way of life before she will ever attempt to care about what happens to them. This isn't patriotism, it's prejudice, intolerance and pure unadulterated hatred. This e-mail was so viscious, ugly and vile that I wanted to scrub out my mind with soap to erase the memory of her words. That desire also made me think - how many others have read this toxic e-mail and had their minds infected by this woman's brand of poison? And what is the effect of this e-mail and so many more like it upon our collective culture?

"Men acquire a particular quality by constantly acting a particular way... you become just by performing just actions, temperate by performing temperate actions, brave by performing brave actions." - Aristotle

This means that by pretending conformity we become conformists. By espousing hate we become hateful. By spreading intolerance and prejudice we become intolerant and prejudiced. By allowing or condoning cruelty we become cruel. By supporting war we become war-mongers. By spreading fear and terror we become terrorists.

I believe there is one small act that each and every one of us can do in our daily lives, starting today, to create a more peaceful and tolerant world: stamp out internet hatred whenever we find it. Don't forward these e-mails to others; delete them instead. If enough people begin deleting e-mails that encourage hatred, prejudice, intolerance and violence, we can make a real difference in our world with just a few mouse-clicks. You can also go further and respond to the sender - tell them diplomatically that although you value their friendship and enjoy hearing from them, this sort of e-mail goes against your personal beliefs and you would appreciate not being included in future mailings of this type. Be warned though, sometimes those who have not examined their own views closely become highly defensive when approached by someone who has.

"Do what you feel in your heart to be right - for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't." - Eleanor Roosevelt

Just because the author of one of these missives tries to play the patriotism card, don't feel that you must forward this drivel in order to be a "good American". Remember in Nazi Germany lots of citizens went against their own principles in order to be "good Germans", and look where that got them.

We also need an Internet movement to counter rampant hatred, prejudice and violence with messages that encourage peace, tolerance and acceptance. Does anyone have any ideas on how positive messages can be widely disseminated, can become just as widespread as the hate-mail now flooding the internet? I'd welcome any ideas or suggestions. Maybe its something we all need to start in our own way - find or write an article, poem, story, whatever, and send it out to everyone you know. Hopefully it will be forwarded on, and will eventually gain a life of its own.

There is one thing I would ask, though - let's agree from the outset that these positive messages should not be religious in nature or advocate any particular religion or set of religious beliefs, because that would be divisive and self-defeating. It is not possible to create a climate of peace, tolerance and acceptance while simultaneously claiming that one's religion is the sole source of salvation.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

Later,
AuntieM