I wrote a rather decent article, I was proud, I felt I had to show it off. It was a review of Hitler, the rise of evil, a CBS special aired this week. I was trying to convince people of the similarities, between the civil rights abuses of Hitler, and those of Bush.
You see, my mother is my biggest cause, I've been trying to convince her, that her fear of terrorists is not a reason to destroy the constitution or support this president.
It might have worked, the article had good insight, and free added some great comments.
Except for one thing, when my mother came to the Indeymedia site, she was confronted with nothing but hate speech.
People who post here generally agree racism is bosh, the wrong thing, the wrong way.
But there are a few, who have nothing better to do, that come to disrupt our general euphoria we gain from having a voice.
Those people group other people into categories so they can hate or blame them. But they don't do it by wealth, or by bad acts, they simply do it by religion.
For those of us born into a religion we did not understand or disagreed with, for those of us who are different from religious stereotypes, the use of hate speech is a major turnoff. What's more, it ruins our credibilty as journalists if we resort to hate speech.
I cannot controll what goes on Indeymedia. I don't think I would want to. It's an inner conflict between the right to speak and offend, and sometimes shock, AND THE RIGHT TO LIVE HATE FREE. The caps were an accident but it couldn't have come at a better time.
If a coalition is to be sucessful it must be as unified as it's opposition. And hate speech only hurts people and brings disharmony to the cause.
People can be bad, but when we lump them by religion or country even we are ignoring so much of the good.
Let us not make that same mistake here.
Let us use our editorial policy to the best of our ability, no more slander based on faith, we need facts about individuals, corporations and their actions, not their religion.
Because in essence, Karma screws with all of us. And if we say hate speech is o.k., we are faced with lady Karma making it so that no one will hear our pleas for justice. Do not become the evil you wish to eliminate, be the change you'd like to see.
Censoring the stupid and wicked may not be the best idea, but I think all Muslims, Jews, Catholics, and Free Masons should be able to come hear without having to be unlucky enough as to read racist hate mail. After all, this is Independant Media, not the religious hate network. Let's leave the hate speech for Rush Limbaugh to trip on instead of ourselves.
<\/p>\n","contact":"","link":"","address":"","phone":"","parent_id":0,"mime_type":"text\/plain","summary":"Free speech is one thing, hate speech is another.","numcomment":20,"fileurl":"\/uploads\/","filesize":null,"article_url":"\/news\/2003\/05\/59194.php"},"attachments":[],"comments":[{"id":59332,"heading":"Hitler Program","article":"I also noticed many similarities between the political life of Hitler and G.W. Bush. This became alarmingly coincidental when the program showed the Nazis sabotaging their own building in order to cause public fear. Also of interest were the quotes shown before and after the series which mentioned that the biggest aid to evil is to do nothing.\r\n\r\nLet's wake up America.","author":"Tom","parent_id":59194,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-05-24 05:11:31","modified":"2003-05-24 05:11:31","fileurl":""},{"id":59333,"heading":"U","article":"Except for one thing, when my mother came to the Indymedia site, she was confronted with nothing but hate speech.<\/i>\r\n
\r\nLOOK, Jews trying to get their evil censorship imposed on Indymedia.\r\n
\r\nI've often seen them pose as Nazis and post Nazi materials in order to try and introduce censorship at various sites.\r\n
\r\nAll they want is to hide the truth about Jewish actions in Israel and WW2.\r\n","author":"Jews pose as Nazis to get censorship","parent_id":59194,"mime_type":"text\/html","created":"2003-05-24 05:26:37","modified":"2003-05-24 05:26:37","fileurl":""},{"id":59367,"heading":""Jews pose as Nazis..."","article":"Wow. \r\n\r\nYou're a Jew-hater. \r\n\r\nHow can you live with yourself, hating someone for no reason at all other than their religious heritage?","author":"daveman","parent_id":59194,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-05-24 08:25:39","modified":"2003-05-24 08:25:39","fileurl":""},{"id":59382,"heading":"yeah","article":"particularly when the 'jew hater' comment was planted\r\nhere to provide a plank to justify the occupation and\r\nmurder by Sharon's IDF MAD DOGS, as all jews.\r\nTired.","author":"Sam D","parent_id":59194,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-05-24 09:37:29","modified":"2003-05-24 09:37:29","fileurl":""},{"id":59395,"heading":"Is it OK to yell "Movie!!" in a crowded firehouse?","article":">I also noticed many similarities between the political life of Hitler and G.W. Bush. This became alarmingly coincidental when the program showed the Nazis sabotaging their own building in order to cause public fear. \r\n\r\nAnd Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Let's make that connection next, shall we.","author":"brigg","parent_id":59194,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-05-24 10:07:21","modified":"2003-05-24 10:07:21","fileurl":""},{"id":59397,"heading":"Indeymedia loses clout","article":""Indeymedia loses clout"\r\n\r\nThis statement is like say "Have you leftists\/anarchists lost your mind!"\r\n\r\nYou can't lose what you didn't have to begin with.\r\n\r\nDon't sweat it too much, mymicz. Ten (10) people are regular readers and commenters here, tops.","author":"brigg","parent_id":59194,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-05-24 10:12:25","modified":"2003-05-24 10:12:25","fileurl":""},{"id":59403,"heading":"thank you","article":"and they are are all me.\r\nthank you.","author":"the unwashed multitudes","parent_id":59194,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-05-24 10:34:47","modified":"2003-05-24 10:34:47","fileurl":""},{"id":59475,"heading":"daveman, brigg & the unwashed multitudes","article":"We here at KOBE support you. You sound as though you hate those wicked Muslims (mudslums) as much as we do. You'd make great killing machines. Please join us!\r\n\r\nwww.kobehq.com","author":"KOBE SBM","parent_id":59194,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-05-24 14:32:58","modified":"2003-05-24 14:32:58","fileurl":""},{"id":59478,"heading":"It really depends...","article":"...upon what you define as "hate speech".\r\n\r\nThere are lot of articles on Indy criticising the actions of the Israeli government. To do so is not hate speech but a just reaction to the Israeli Government's barbaric behavior.\r\n\r\n"The truth is cruel but it can be loved; and it sets free those who have loved it."\r\n-- George Santayana","author":"Diogenes","parent_id":59194,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-05-24 14:37:28","modified":"2003-05-24 14:37:28","fileurl":""},{"id":59483,"heading":"thanx","article":"thanx stephen","author":"dvy","parent_id":59194,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-05-24 14:41:38","modified":"2003-05-24 14:41:38","fileurl":""},{"id":59561,"heading":"KOBE","article":"We hate Muslims. Join us.\r\n","author":"KOBE SBM","parent_id":59194,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-05-24 17:12:33","modified":"2003-05-24 17:12:33","fileurl":""},{"id":59565,"heading":"Yes, I do hate...","article":"...Muslims and I'm interested in joining your club. Do I have to pay any membership dues?","author":"daveman","parent_id":59194,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-05-24 17:15:30","modified":"2003-05-24 17:15:30","fileurl":""},{"id":59572,"heading":"this place never had any clout.","article":"What a stupid title for an article: "Indymedia loses clout."\r\n\r\nIf this website ever had any clout, it was in the minds of paranoid delusional fifth column leftist liberal conspiracy mongering drunkards.\r\n\r\nGet a grip.","author":"Eric","parent_id":59194,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-05-24 17:26:37","modified":"2003-05-24 17:26:37","fileurl":""},{"id":59574,"heading":"Eric","article":"Watch out! A "fifth column leftist" is watching you from across the street with binoculars!!! Go get a straightjacket, you psycho.\r\n\r\n","author":"anti-psycho","parent_id":59194,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-05-24 17:37:27","modified":"2003-05-24 17:37:27","fileurl":""},{"id":59583,"heading":"KOBE","article":"If you hate Muslims and niggers as much as we do, visit our website.\r\n","author":"KOBE SBM","parent_id":59194,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-05-24 18:08:39","modified":"2003-05-24 18:08:39","fileurl":""},{"id":59597,"heading":"Q","article":"Except for one thing, when my mother came to the Indymedia site, she was confronted with nothing but hate speech.<\/i>\r\n
\r\nLOOK, Jews trying to get their evil censorship imposed on Indymedia.\r\n
\r\nI've often seen them pose as Nazis and post Nazi materials in order to try and introduce censorship at various sites.\r\n
\r\nAll they want is to hide the truth about Jewish actions in Israel and WW2.\r\n","author":"hiding the truth about Jewish actions in Isra","parent_id":59194,"mime_type":"text\/html","created":"2003-05-24 18:57:08","modified":"2003-05-24 18:57:08","fileurl":""},{"id":59603,"heading":"KOBE","article":"If you hate Muslims and niggers as much as we do, visit our website.\r\n","author":"KOBE SBM","parent_id":59194,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-05-24 19:06:40","modified":"2003-05-24 19:06:40","fileurl":""},{"id":59612,"heading":"Q","article":"brigg Ten (10) people are regular readers and commenters here, tops<\/i>\r\n
\r\nYeap, 10 TOPS.\r\n
\r\nSo what is your explanation for this being such an underutilized resource.","author":"Ten (10) people are regular readers TOPS","parent_id":59194,"mime_type":"text\/html","created":"2003-05-24 19:41:02","modified":"2003-05-24 19:41:02","fileurl":""},{"id":59631,"heading":"To the Jew-haters","article":""particularly when the 'jew hater' comment was planted \r\nhere to provide a plank to justify the occupation and \r\nmurder by Sharon's IDF MAD DOGS, as all jews."\r\n\r\n"I've often seen them pose as Nazis and post Nazi materials in order to try and introduce censorship at various sites. \r\n\r\nAll they want is to hide the truth about Jewish actions in Israel and WW2."\r\n\r\nWow. And you have the gall to try to blame your hatred of Jews on the Jews themselves, as opposed to your own closed and twisted mind. Fascinating.","author":"daveman","parent_id":59194,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-05-24 21:56:10","modified":"2003-05-24 21:56:10","fileurl":""}]}