Into The Fire: Facebook enables intolerance

With all of the good things that Facebook actually does, such as spread the word of missing children, reunite family and friends who have been apart, helping animals get adopted, and just plain connecting individuals and cultures who otherwise never would have gotten a chance to share friendships, there is a dark side to this social network that I got a glimpse of earlier in this week. I know that this social network is not all full of happy peppy people. There are some rather dark souled individuals who are on this playground for nefarious reasons, and comments that I have seen from my years of being on here actually reflect the spectrum of America to a certain degree, like it or not. But the disturbing aspect for me is when folks actually believe that what they are doing is positive, and beneficial for society, when it is laced with venom..Example:

On the side of my page a request to join a page keeps popping up, and it is to me very disturbing. It is the "Burn a Qur'an on July 4th day" page. If you do not believe me then be my guest to look it up. I was curious to know what this was all about so without liking the page, I was able to view the mission of the page, and comments from those "attending" this particular event which means wherever the individual is.  The mission states that Islam is an 'evil death cult" and that Islam is "Not a religion". The mission states that this event has been started to show Muslims that "They will not impose their will or law upon us" I am quoting directly from this page. As disturbing as this was I chose to look at some of the comments ranging from calling Muslim people "Sand Monkeys" (Why not use the term Sand Nigger. That's what this individual wanted to say, and I have heard this term used before in a derogatory fashion) to calling people unpatriotic, and Un- American for suggesting that all Muslims should not be lumped in with the extremists. One individual suggested that anyone holding a qur'an be burned that day. Am I the only one who finds this disturbing, and downright scary?

I consider myself a person who usually gets "it". "It" meaning the reason and crux of situations, but I need help here folks. This is disturbing because I don't get it, meaning the point other than paranoia and hatred. These very people frothing at the mouth are some of the same folks who claim to be advocates of wholesome American values, and will tout biblical scriptures at you faster than you can say "Love thy brother", But this is a sick mentality that is no better than what happened in Nazi Germany, which by the way I see no one offering to burn a copy of "Mein Kampf", which was a manifesto of hatred that wound up killing millions of people, and of course no one suggested we burn copies of "Les Miserables" because the French denied us airspace.

But my point is this. How can these folks claim to be any better than the people they claim are vicious, people with no regard for freedoms or Americans? When people take things to destroy, or burn, in order to make some weird point of patriotism you become exactly the mentality of what Nazi Germany became. Argue with me all you want, but that is one thing that I do get and clearly. How mob mentality develops into movements.

These folks are joining a very dangerous frame of mind that is devoid of tolerance and logic, and based in primal emotion. I like everyone was extremely angry about 9/11, but I refuse to jump on a bandwagon that lumps individuals into a 1 dimensional view of caricatures. Extremists were the ones responsible, and it is insulting to suggest that all Muslims are extremists. A Christian would not want people saying that all Christians are fanatics who blow up abortion clinics, anymore than I would want someone to say that all blacks are criminals, nor would someone white want it suggested that all whites are racists. These folks unfortunately will never see that logic through the froth.
I support someone's right to say whatever they choose in this country because it's what we believe. But spreading hatred sometimes is just not a responsible mentality, and it goes once again with the 80/20 theory of problems. A small segment of idiots who froth at the mouth may be big problems for those who want to just celebrate America's birthday, and light a few fireworks. Misguided twisted ideas of patriotism that turn from celebration to condemnation.
I know some folks might be a little pissed at this blog but I don't give a shit. Hatred is as hatred does, and anyone who participates in a day where destruction is advocated that has nothing to do with human rights, I have to question just what is truly in their soul, and what is driving the engine of their logic. Because when you decide to burn something in the name of condemnation, or fear, and hatred, you burn a part of yourself. The part that could make the world actually better. The part that wants to connect with people for solutions, the part that can call someone you don't really know "Brother, or Sister", or the part that can spread hope and love. And when people burn that part of themselves, we become no better than those seeking to destroy us, and then we are all doomed as we go down with the lynch mob mentality. Once started, it will not end where it began. It never ends, and there will always be something else to condemn, hate or froth at the mouth over.

It reminds me of the statement by Martin Niemoller:

When the Nazis came for the Communists
I remained silent
I was not a Communist

When they locked up Social Democrats
I did not speak out
I was not a Social Democrat

When they came for the Trade Unionists
I did not speak out
I was not a Trade Unionist

When they came for the Jews
I remained silent
I wasn't a Jew

When they came for me
There was no one left to speak out.