Okay, so here are some new thoughts about some things going on, Petitions and whether they actually make a difference or not. I know many out there think that petitions don't effect anyone and that there isn't a point to a lot of them for some reasons, one, you can't change the way people think, two, they are just going to be ignored, three, I'm just one person, I can't change anything. The thing is that these things make a great difference, even if its not immediate and there has been proof of this. I will address each point at a time so I can better explain how these things actually do work.
One, you can't change the way people think.
While yes this is true, it doesn't mean what some people think is right and should be tolerated/condoned. Such things like hate groups usually come from very closed minded religious people, or people who are just completely ignorant of things and refuse to listen to truth. So just because we can't change their minds, just because we can't change the way people think doesn't mean would should condone the hate and violence many of these people promote. And we may not be able to change the minds of people today, but by not condoning these actions these people take and keep their hate off of the main media/internet networks, we can allow for future generations to gain a better understanding of things and allow them to make decisions for themselves as to what they believe. The less hate and violence is condoned the better for the future generations.
Now, I am not stupid, I know there will always be some form of hate, and there will be some form of violence, and controlled violence (such as sparring in martial arts, going to a firing range) is something that I am fine with, it allows people to experience things on a level that allows you get stress off of you, and to enjoy the company of others. But out right violence with the intent to kill someone or a specific group of people should never be accepted, at all. There have been two forms of massive genocide that have taken place now because people accepted such things as right. One everyone knows about which is the Holocaust, but the other not as well known and is still going on in one form or another which is the restrictions and massecure of the American Indian people. Many in America and even the government does not see what happened as Genocide, but it was, The Amrican Indians were moved to small bits of land called reservations (kinda like prison camps) and many of the rights stripped from them and they were and still are being discriminated against. Just because it happens doesn't mean it is right and should be accepted.
Two, they are just going to be ignored.
Again, many times this is the case, but usually only in the beginning, there have been many petitions going on about the same exact thing. To a point that they were flooding the internet and many different forums and pages to a point that they could no longer be ignored. Evidence and most known from last year was when Fox News spouted their ignorance on live television, it took a while and many petitions, but the voices of the people were heard and Fox News made an apology. Whether it was sincere or not is a different matter, but it showed that voices of the people can be heard and can make change. Another more recent event was the goings on on Facebook with a page that was called "Witches must die by fire", it took a long while of reports and petitions but facebook finally acknowledged that it was a hate page promoting violence. It was taken down but now the same person who owned that page is back with a new one called "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" and once again the voices from the petitions were heard and it too has been removed. So even if it doesn't happen immediately, and even though it may take a lot more then just one petition, after a point they can no longer be ignored as long as we don't give up and we keep trying.
Three, I'm just one person, I can't change anything.
Now that is wrong, and I mean, majorly wrong, there have been plenty of people who were at first alone in their actions but had still managed to make a difference, history books are full of those people. Yes it may seem as if they weren't alone because they had so many people backing them, but how did they get all of those people? They didn't just appear and go yeah we will support you for no absolute reason, Each person started alone and had to show why their cause should be supported, it was harder and took a lot more work back then, and the only reason why those people's doings seem so great is because you could physically see the numbers of those who were supportive. On the internet it seems like we are alone, but as long as we start and try, soon enough others will hear of the cause and read about it. Those who agree will sign or support the cause and share it with the people they know and so on and so forth. Its a ripple effect whether in person or over the internet, and over the internet it makes it easier for the voices of the cause to be heard since more people from all over the world can come across it quicker then it would take by word of mouth and media.
The point to all of this is just because it seems hopeless doesn't mean it is, we should always fight for what is right. Just because shutting down forums or pages that promote violence won't change the way people think, it will show that such things are not tolerated. We are all human, we share this one world we live in, it is up to us that we create the world we want our children and grandchildren to be in. Yes, Hate and Violence may never be eradicated from this planet, but unless we continue fighting to stop that and promote peace and acceptance for one another no matter the differences, soon enough, Hate and Violence will be the only thing in this world.
And I know, this sounds like Hippy talk with the whole peace thing, but I am not a passivist, I am someone who will fight no matter what to make sure this world is the world I want for my son to live in.
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