So, our local sheriff who is an elected official responded to an article on facebook about beheading 12 Christians in the ME with the words, “amen, that’s evil .” That’s all he said, but them words sparked a wildfire among the vigilante crowd who are outraged by this alleged islamaphobia. The local newspaper has done a story, the sheriff has been forced to delete his FB page, and the hens are all clucking furiously about getting him removed from office.
I try very hard not to hate, but if there is one thing I strongly dislike, one thing that makes me see red, that’s it, this vigilante spirit of social justice. I just want to smack these people in the head. Our family has been deeply hurt by these kinds of attacks, stupid, gossipy, authoritarian crap, where people decide it’s their job to get you, to met out justice for whatever reason. It is harassment and abuse, pure and simple.
This is a small town, if people truly cared one bit about others you would show up at our door and say, hey, what can I do to come along side of you? Can we talk? How can I help? That’s what used to happen here. That’s what small towns and that sense of community is all about. When is it okay to post mean things about people, to call others to boycott a small business, to threaten to notify government agencies, to go after people’s jobs, to harass people’s children? How about never.
In a nearby town, one guy is going to court right now because his hatred, his social justice campaign against the homeless and the addicted was all about getting ahold of people’s phones and posting intimate photos of them having sex on social media. Yeah, becasue apparently when someone is hurting and down, the best thing to do is to try to publically humiliate and mock them, and tell them to kill themselves. That is how we treat others when we dehumanize them, there is no limit to what we believe we are entitled to do to them, because we don’t perceive them as actual human people anymore.
I really, really dislike that nasty, viscious, vengeful spirit that wants to narc people off for their alleged bad-thought or for their messy lives, or for their religious beliefs. It really makes me angry becasue it pointlessly hurts people and many people are not strong enough to take it or to fight back.
Ironic that in the land of “peace, love, and tolerance,” we would have such a thriving group of outright fascist, authoritarians. What you are doing is flat out wrong.
See, there's this thing called biology... 
My thought exactly!
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and hence why I’m hating technology..ie Facebook, etc….yet I guess we couldn’t be having this conversation otherwise—
Idiocy!!!
We are reduced to idiots calling the vigilante shots!!
I suppose as a Christian I shouldn’t call folks idiots—but for someone, who just happens to be an elected official, to express empathy for a horrendous crime and them be labeled as xenophobic and face a public backlash…well the word idiots seems sufficient.
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I know, right? It’s maddening. I was just thinking, yikes, I don’t want to live in a community where people can’t simply say that beheading people is evil. This doesn’t seem like a moral gray area to me. 😦
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what’s a shame is that those “vigilante” idiots are seeing a public official making an observation and as he is a law official, they must be jumping on some underground bandwagon out there that law enforcement folks, or any public official, are not allowed to make normal observations while wearing a badge as they are to be totally neutral and without observational abilities or human emotion for that matter…as if any decent normal human being wouldn’t be responding in like kind—yes.. stuff like this makes me nuts because it smacks in the face of plain common sense!! Something that is woefully now lacking in this country of ours
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Wait! I’m still trying to process this. They went after the sheriff because he said beheading people because of their religious beliefs was evil? And that’s Islamaphobic? I think it’s evil, whether a Muslim did it or a Nazi. Or rebels in Rwanda or Idi Ami-led forces in Uganda.
I also think denying someone their right to free speech is unconstitutional. I hate it when people gang up on others to shame them into compliance with group-think. That’s the strategy of totalitarian societies. Sure all those others have a right to their opinion, too, but attacking another’s character is reprehensible. It’s a form of group bullying. It seems we can’t see bullying unless it happens on the playground at school. It seems we think it’s limited to kids and that adults don’t engage in it.
It’s so odd. Killing people can’t be condemned. But condemning people is perfectly fine–unless it isn’t. How can they condemn this man when they won’t tolerate his condemnation of murder? It’s beyond me!
But maybe I’ve misunderstood the whole thing.
Becky
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I’m afraid you’ve understood perfectly, Becky. I watched it play out myself thinking, well this is dumb, somebody’s just having a bad day. Then the number of comments grew and the mob formed and the local paper picked up on it. I kid you not, the man simply posted, amen that’s evil, in response to an article about some pretty horrific crimes against some Christians in the ME.
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Actually his “Amen its evil” response was to a comment about Islam being born from the devil and evil . That comment was in response to the sheriff’s posting of said article. Albeit the response has been strong and vengeful, in some cases, you do not do your perspective justice by changing the circumstance and facts of the case. Furthermore, as an elected official, some forethought was due in posting his comment especially following the previous comment, made by a 1 year retired sheriff’s deputy I might add. Even if his intention was as he has said he intended, it’s placement in response to an incorrect characterization of Islam does cause concern in respect to his judgement in dealing with the variety of religions and ethnic backgrounds present in the constituency that elected him.
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“Even if his intention was as he has said he intended, it’s placement in response to an incorrect characterization of Islam….”
Where is the “incorrect characterization”? It wasn’t an article about Muslims feeding the poor or helping out the elderly, it was about torturing and executing Christians.
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The incorrect characterization of Islam was the comment about Islam being born of the devil and evil. Which was contained in the comment by the retired sheriff’s deputy immediately preceding David Stanko’s 2 comments. The sheriff made no indication his comment was in regard to the article he posted rather than the disparaging comments on the nature of the birth of Islam which immediately proceeded him… until after the post was made public for all to see.
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So horrific! And is anyone writing an article for that paper about mob rule or what bullying looks like? I am so sad that this is the way our world is going.
Becky
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Ha! I should pitch them an article about mob rule and social media vigilantes, but I’m afraid it would just fall on deaf ears.
This is the way our world is going. This is the way my world has been for a long time.
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But I still wish you’d write it and pitch it to them. Maybe there are others who agree and are staying silent. Maybe some have not thought about the unreasonableness of their position. (See FB page)
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How much do you want to bet that ‘tolerant’ Progressives were elsewhere on social media high-fiving and cheering the fact that 12 Christians were executed? And of course, not a word about that…
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Social justice has become a rather ironic oxymoron for INJUSTICE. The current political arena has become so charged with emotion that it is suddenly a fine line between organized lawful assemblies and mob riots. So many advocate pet ‘causes’, marching collectively under a banner designed to evoke an emotional response in others, yet resulting in negativity instead of any positive resolutions. Mud-slinging is at an all-time high (at least from my perspective, having been a registered voter since 1970). Now party platforms are no longer about issues, but character assassination of rivals. If ever the ‘writing was on the wall, certainly it is today. Law and order have become the perpetrator. Victims are now increasingly appearing as plaintiffs. Litigation is no longer about justice, it is all about money grubbing and believing each individual has a right to their ‘piece-of-the-pie’. Stepping on each other is no longer construed as wrong or even rude, as long as it accomplishes the personal goal of the instigators. The last BLM ‘rally’ video I watched displayed more looters and vandals exercising their ‘freedom’ than peaceful protestors marching for social justice. I don’t intend to single out BLM, but that was the last video that illustrated my point. Sadly, I could have just as easily referred to hundreds of other ‘demonstrations’ so-called ‘sponsored’ by other ‘banner-weavers’. Even the recent displays of what used to be unilaterally construed as disrespect for the National Flag, is suddenly a matter of social ‘justice’ – a rather ironic oxymoron. One side insists on staying the course, blindly believe we’re on the right track. Another strives to point out the severe need to change, but in providing much evidence to support those facts, have yet to offer a cohesive plan for resolution. Then there’s at least a third of Americans who just resign themselves to a ‘neutral’ position because they’ve reasoned that social justice has become a rather ironic oxymoron for INJUSTICE, and just want it to all go away. Still, those sincerely concerned must not remain passive because, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” – Edmund Burke. Believe your VOTE counts!
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It is a total oxymoron, it’s become hysteria and vigilantism, heavily encouraged and promoted on social media and often targeting cops.
I’m trying to keep my sense of humor, so I just keep thinking, seriously people? Do you really want a sheriff that believes it is NOT evil to behead people?
This guy will survive but I just really dislike watching character assassination, the people calling for him to resign his volunteer activities, resign from his job. It’s bullying.
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Hi, I’m the person who posted the screenshots. I think that it might be worth your time to read the original post I made on Facebook. It highlights the situation a bit more accurately than this blog post, which actually quotes the Sheriff’s comment inaccurately. Here is a link for those interested: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10100675251287931&id=13000937
Also, nobody forced the Sheriff to delete his Facebook page. People asked him to explain his comments, he was unable to adequately explain them, and that’s right about when he deactivated his account.
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Thank you for the links. I’ve read them and the article in the paper, and many people’s comments, too.
It all makes me feel a bit sick. Do you guys really hate Christians so much that you approve of people beheading and torturing us?
Do you look at me that way when I walk down the street, when I shop in the grocery store? Am I the enemy now?
And if I dare to say something on facebook you dislike, will you declare open season on me? Will you organize a facebook mob, will you try to shut me up and silence me?
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Are you an elected official?
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No, but does it matter? Weren’t people calling for a boycott of the fudge shop just a few weeks ago because you didn’t like their politics?
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Yes. I never called for a boycott though. I am uncertain as to whether I want to support businesses that support Donald Trump.
And it should matter that our Sheriff, the highest authority of police power in our County declares Islam to be evil. Do you agree with the statement that Islam is evil?
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What I have a problem with is the social justice vigilantism that only seeks to tear down people in this community.
I also have a problem with my comments being deleted from the Boiler room. I am always quite effectively silenced in this community because no one seems to understand debate and discussion anymore.
I have a problem with keyboard warriors on social media infringing on people’s free speech rights.
I have a problem with the bullying going on.
I have a problem with the stereotyping and hatred of Christians.
I have a problem with the political correctness that seems to believe no one should be allowed to speak out against torturing and executing Christians.
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Just another reason to dump Facebook; yes they would do as you had commented. https://partneringwitheagles.wordpress.com/2016/10/18/where-was-christianity-when/
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Some of the SJW types are nothing more than liberal looney bullies
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Stand strong sister!
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Ugh… I have the same feeling about the current social justice movement. Or at leas what I see of it. I’m all for caring, helping, and defending those who need it, but just walking around and being angry, pointing fingers, writing inflammatory posts, and carrying signs, and working to get people fired who said something that is true that you didn’t like, or for saying something they shouldn’t have but could apologize for it does not help anything. And to me the big difference between Islam and Christianity is that when we Christians see “Christians” doing something stupid, we condemn their actions and make it clear that they are not representing the church or Jesus. I don’t hear any of that from the Muslim community about these beheadings. If they want to be known as the religion of peace, they should be actively, publicly, and loudly working to find arrest and prosecute the people responsible for murdering people for no reason other than they are Christians. It is hard for me to come to a conclusion different from that old movie of Jodie Foster’s “The Accused,” in which people who witnessed a rape and did nothing to stop it were found to be guilty for watching it like it was entertainment.
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We are becoming Nazi Germany in the late 1930’s aren’t we? “It’s only okay to think and speak if you agree with me.” How disgusting ideological extremists have become.
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I don’t often weigh-in on online forums, but I feel compelled to do so now because I would like to say a few things about social justice.
Wikipedia defines social justice as: “the fair and just relation between the individual and society.” The term is derived from ancient Greek philosophy, where it referred to “the process of ensuring that individuals fulfill their societal roles and receive what was their due from society” (Id., see Aristotle’s “The Politics”).
In this conversation, social justice is being invoked by its modern meaning: as the product of “current global grassroots movements for social justice, [emphasized on] the breaking of barriers for social mobility, the creation of safety nets and economic justice.” Id.
While I have no intention of taking sides in inflammatory online debates, I would urge caution to posters who use the term social justice as a negative. The term social justice does not belong to any ideology or specific political movement. It should not be co-opted by riotous movements or deployed by critics to disparage those movements. Social justice is one of our founding principles; it is embedded in the language of our constitution, and has been a touchstone of democratic values since the time of Aristotle.
As a Public Defender here in Jefferson County, I’m proud to serve all people, regardless of religion, belief system, or political views. I like to think that I treat all of my clients with respect, decency and a commitment to defending their civil rights. In short, I engage in the work of social justice. Were it not for the passion for social justice that I and others like me feel, there would be nobody to give a voice to the powerless or speak truth to power.
I’ve never read the bible, but I’m pretty sure that Jesus was a bit of a social justice advocate himself 🙂
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I’d say Jesus Christ was indeed an advocate for social justice.
In faith some of us actually refer to Him as our defense attorney, in the sense that we must point to Christ on judgment day.
I totally support people’s civil rights and their individual rights. That’s one problem with internet viglilanties, it is trial by internet, conviction by gossip and personal opinion. Your target becomes a nameless, faceless enemy and your job is to make their lives as miserable as possible by rallying a lynch mob of public opinion, that often comes up with new and creative punishments like notifying employers, reporting people to child protective services, calling the Dept of Revenue. It is vicious, nasty and vindictive, and you have no rights, in fact, you don’t even know who your accusers are. They’re often just random strangers who have jumped on the bandwagon. You are simply guilty of bad-thought and it is now open season on you.
Worse, people who engage in this kind of social justice vigilantism, often have no idea who is sitting on the otherside of the keyboard. I have seen an 14 yr old autistic boy absolutely brutalized for expressing his opinions that were deemed to be bad-thought. Teen agers are often driven to suicide because of this kind of bullying and where do they learn it? From all the adults who engage in it.
There is huge difference between giving a voice to the powerless and attempting to wield the power of a mob on the internet.
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Nat Jacob – While I appreciate your perspective, I seriously doubt that you “don’t often weigh-in on online forums”. The reason I think differently is the intent to ‘set straight’ the ‘erroneous’ use of the term ‘social justice’. The whole point is that it is NOT today what it originally was. Modern vernacular has changed the true meaning of so many formerly agreed upon terminologies (good>bad; bad = good) that those less educated have become easily duped into thinking the opposite of what is really taking place. Especially in the political arena where mere perception is passed off as reality. As for Jesus, how you can form any opinion about His viewpoint having never even read the Bible, demonstrates my point. Too many people form impressions and opinions based merely on the arguments of others, without ever conducting any personal research into a subject themselves. Since the Bible is the primary source of any report about the character and social life of Jesus, upon what do you offer any qualified opinion? Mind you, I do not disagree that Jesus advocated for social justice. I just found it rather incongruous to state your posting as ‘unusual’, only to make such bold proclamations about someone for whom you’ve no apparent personal knowledge. Ironically, THAT is the core of most social INJUSTICE – making claims about a person based merely upon what others have said.
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You are so right. “Political Correctness” is heart rot. The sheriff was right and had a right to make his statement. Freedom of speech – except, of course, when someone in the PC crowd disagrees – then they rule.
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