Kit Whitfield's Blog: Hate crime

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Monday, March 07, 2011

Hate crime

Okay, I've been quiet for a while. This is largely because I've been too lowered by birth trauma and busy looking after my lovely son to think of anything much to say - I'll try to talk more about that at some later date, perhaps - but in the meantime.

Consider this. (Be advised, it involves a photograph of a man's face with injuries.)

Usama Alshaibi is the brother of a friend of a cyber-friend of mine, in one of those six-degrees connections. The other day he went to a party, and four men beat him so badly he wound up in hospital. Reason? His name was Usama.

His family are asking for help with his legal and medical bills (he's in America, so those will be steep). Anyone who can, please consider supporting him.

posted by Kit Whitfield # 7:24 pm

Comments:

That's awful, Kit! I'm so sorry.

# posted by

Jarred : 2:05 am

...why is "was" struck out in favor of "claims to be"?

# posted by

Rebecca : 3:58 am

Kit -- thanks for posting about this.

I think people should take a look at the photograph if they can bear to -- because it is a picture of what hate speech means / does.

I am pointing this out because I am heartily sick of being told that at the new Slacktivist site I can simply 'choose' to avoid the less palatable regions of the domain.

In other words, I am being told to ignore hate speech as long as it isn't hurting me.

That is like being told that I should ignore the hate-speech in the next room unless the bigots and the haters actually come into my room and beat someone up in front me.

I cry "shame on you" to the all soi disant Christians involved in the administration of the site.

# posted by

mmy : 4:55 pm

In other words, I am being told to ignore hate speech as long as it isn't hurting me.

For what it's worth, mmy, you have my sympathies.

# posted by

Jarred : 5:03 pm

By the way, mmy, your comment here has brought up some questions in my mind that I'm struggling with and would like your input, but I'd rather not clog up the comments on Kit's blog -- especially this post. Is there another public venue you use where we could chat?

Or if you prefer email, my address is in my blogger profile....

# posted by

Jarred : 5:18 pm

Jarred -- just sent you an email

# posted by

mmy : 5:58 pm

Hmph...Told to ignore hate speech not aimed at you? That's LITERALLY being told to not be compassionate (the etymology can look like "sharing feeling"). The rightwing and Randite put so much value on resilience, but to what end? Do they fear that if they allow themselves to partake of compassion, even to try to empathize with the stricken, they'll be likewise "infected" with "frailty"? Or that they'll just be distracted from something?

# posted by

Skyknight : 3:57 am

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