The quickest way to get yourself unfriended

I had planned to write about something else today, but life has a funny way of creeping up on you and completely changing everything.

I was recently added on Facebook by a man I don’t know personally but who is a friend of a friend. It always starts like that doesn’t it. Anyhow I accepted his request on account of our mutual friend being someone whose opinion I value and respect. Today my “new friend” posted something racist and stereotypical and when called on his bigoted opinion he updated his status to say “he was merely doing what Facebook had invited him to do – say what’s on his mind”. Now I don’t know about you but when Facebook asks me “what’s on your mind?” I very rarely take that as a chance to vomit all over my wall. However, I am not a fan of using Facebook to literally let a few of my closest 2000 friends know what I’m thinking minute by minute.

I realise the irony of this as I type out a blog post in a series of posts that has literally been written from the depths of my soul but I just don’t think it’s acceptable to just say whatever the hell you’re thinking or feeling when those thoughts have the power to isolate and insult others. I am not okay with logging into something which I expect to be entertaining and seeing the kind of CRAP that people post out there. You hate all black people? Don’t post that shit where people like me will be subjected to read it. You think white people should all leave Africa and go back to where ever you think they come from? That shit will get you unfriended by me faster than you can say “what just happened?”.

So forgive my rant but please know this. If you are going to be racist and make stereotypical comments about racial groups I can’t, not today nor ever accept your opinions. I am all for freedom of speech but let’s not pretend that your right to speak up out-weighs my right to live without being subjected to intolerance and ignorance. You can’t subject me to a life of racist terms and bigoted comments because you have the right to speak up. We all have the right to be treated with dignity and respect.

Everyone has inherent dignity and the right to have their dignity respected and protected. Freedom of expression does not extend to advocacy of hatred that is based on race, ethnicity, gender or religion!!