Small Things Count

Some years ago, a friend blindly reposted on Facebook without realizing the harm.  The first thing the reader saw was “Jihad Watch” in a large red box (red provokes negative reactions in people’s minds).  That group was run by a strongly anti-Muslim man who claimed he’s an expert on jihadism despite his lack of credentials. Then the large bold print cited an attack by Muslims—not jihadist Muslims—thus linking jihadism with all Muslims.  And certain words were capitalized, which is done to rile us up.  The word “believers” was used, making us feel we need to defend of our faith and ignore the fact that the attackers, if they truly were jihadists, were themselves “believers,” but in a non-Muslim-mainstream religion of their own. Late in the article the group was identified as the Fuloni, a Muslim ethnic group.  By now we have been conditioned to think that they represent all Muslims.  In short, my non-thinking friend did something he wouldn’t do on purpose–spread a harmful, untrue stereotype that fans the flames of hate.  There’s a lesson here for all of us.