Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, not the tormented." Elie Wiesel.
I have been thinking a lot about this lately. Regular readers of this blog will know that I was recently (and very publicly) accused of being "racist".
That came about because I supported a post on another platform which supported the police. Apparently doing that was "racist". I disagree. As I said elsewhere, and will say again, our police are not perfect. I actually dislike the way they are trained here. My limited interaction with the police force in the UK was much more relaxed - and it had nothing to do with my being a "tourist". I was a student there at the time and interacted with them over such things as a post office hold up and a traffic accident. I found them kind and courteous.
But it is more than that which is now worrying me. It is the tidal wave of words coming out which keeps telling me that I am not permitted to disagree with the people who disagree, that I must take one side and not the other. To disagree with them however is not to take sides as such because, for them, there is no other side. They are right. I am wrong. If I dare to disagree then I am a social pariah.
Elie Wiesel was someone I contacted when I was trying to garner support for International Literacy Year. I had a letter in response from someone I assume must have been his secretarial support. Would he write that letter to his UN Representative? Yes. I was told he understood the importance of having the ability to communicate. I am sure he did.
I think though we are losing sight of the importance of that yet again. This time it is not because people cannot read and write. More people can do that than ever before and reach an audience of millions as they do it. The internet and social media has made it possible.
The possible is now the problem. Too many people are now demanding that only their way of thinking be accepted - or am I just wrong?
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4 comments:
Sadly you are not wrong. A growing section of the community will not accept any view except their own.
I think the “my way is the only way - and you’d better believe it” is very dangerous. The reason I read this blog, and the Letters to the Editor in papers, and The Conversation, is to get other people’s opinions. I may not agree with the views expressed, but I am interested in them, and sometimes my opinions get a tweak. Cat’s experience and expertise is different from mine, and I am grateful to widen my thoughts with her opinion.
LMcC
Yes, lots of people can write these days. But it seems like fewer and fewer of them can, or choose to, read. I agree that this is pretty dangerous. Keep writing, Cat, there are still some of us reading.
And even if they read, do they know (or bother) to reason??
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