Recently, Facebook has set a rather scary precedent in the practise of removing photos that are deemed offensive in some fashion. Often we're not told precisely what the offense is, but a very good friend of mine was frozen on the site and warned to remove his profile picture and all photos of him and his partner together - why? Because he's gay. There was nothing overtly sexual in the photos, just two men together, their affection evident, but not sexual. A loving, sweet image of people who love each other. He was to remove all these image before his account would be released back to him. Shortly after this happened, I heard from an author who was told to remove her images of M/M romance.
A few nights later, a threat was made - very publicly - on the wall of someone who didn't like my friend - she stated bluntly that homosexuals should be shot. Was she deactivated? No. She received a "warning" for this hate-filled statement, which is in direct violation of Facebook's stated policies. So, apparently, our social network has a double-standard, or it's simply homophobic. Looks like the latter. As you can well imagine, MANY people find this disturbing and infuriating, and intolerable. So, some are speaking out.
One of the people I respect a great deal chose to post something on his Facebook account that speaks well of him, and speaks eloquently for all of us who believe there is no place in the public realm of social networks for this kind of hate-mongering and discrimination. With his permission, I am reposting his statement. I hope you will think about his words, and post your own objections to the bigotry that is apparently acceptable on the site many recognize as the largest social network in the world right now. Over to Qhuinn....
Getting Serious Now
by Qhuinn Longstrong
A few nights later, a threat was made - very publicly - on the wall of someone who didn't like my friend - she stated bluntly that homosexuals should be shot. Was she deactivated? No. She received a "warning" for this hate-filled statement, which is in direct violation of Facebook's stated policies. So, apparently, our social network has a double-standard, or it's simply homophobic. Looks like the latter. As you can well imagine, MANY people find this disturbing and infuriating, and intolerable. So, some are speaking out.
One of the people I respect a great deal chose to post something on his Facebook account that speaks well of him, and speaks eloquently for all of us who believe there is no place in the public realm of social networks for this kind of hate-mongering and discrimination. With his permission, I am reposting his statement. I hope you will think about his words, and post your own objections to the bigotry that is apparently acceptable on the site many recognize as the largest social network in the world right now. Over to Qhuinn....
Getting Serious Nowby Qhuinn Longstrong
Friday, 28 January 2011 at 19:24
This whole hypocritical shit that has been going on lately with Facebook and those who are of same gender or bi-sexual orientations with tasteful and artful pictures on their profiles getting buillied into basically "hiding" who they are is old and tired. The world isn't meant for just some and not others. I have proof.
1. In the dawn of American civilization Pilgrims and explorers came to the New World to forge out a new life. Native Americans were not only killed, run off their homelands, or forced conversion of anglo saxon christian belief systems but eventully through the first couple of centuries were forced to live on reservations where many stil reside. Many Native American tribes have all but become extinct because of "some people thinking the country were for some and not all".
2. In the 1600s through well the late 60's(well pretty much still prevalent) African-American people have been enslaved and discriminated against. They have been beaten, separated, sold, and every other atrocity just because of the color of their skin and because "some people thinking the country were for some and not all" said they were not intelligent enough to have their own rights and lives...yeah tell that sad stupid shit to Oprah Winfrey, Sidney Poiter, Nelson Mandela, and President O'Bama.
3.In the mid 80s through 1990, a young boy who was plagued with hemophilia contracted AIDS through a life saving blood transfusion and was run out of his Indiana town. Ryan White was the center of paranoia and he was just a little kid. He was denied the right to an education, shunned, tormented, his family tormented, all because "Some people thinking the country were for some and not for all" decided it. They were sorry later, but really all they will ever be is sorry sacks of shit if you ask me.
4. Laramie,WY, a young college student by the name of Matthew Shepherd was beaten and left for dead because he was homosexual. He never did anything to anyone and yet two upstanding young men were part of the "Some people thinking the country were for some and not all" club. Pathetic and Fred Phelps and his fanatics can suck my dick!
5. Teena Brandon, a transgendered human being was raped, beaten, and killed for what....because she was born the wrong gender? Because he fell in love with a woman? I tell ya, the "Some People Who Thinking the Country is for some and not all" really need to realize that they're group is getting smaller and smaller.
I can go on and on. Despite your skin color, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or even your religeon everyone has the right to be happy and live the way that makes them that way! I think we have proven that skin color doesn't determine intelligence and sexual orientation doesn't mean you're an instant child molester or pornographer! Everyone has the right under the Constitution to be able to have freedom of speech,the press, to worship how they will, etc. and the right to post their pictures on a social network site. My problem is people getting profiles yanked because they have tasteful and beautiful pictures of same sex couples yet "straight" members can post near X rated pictures and there's no problem as far as Facebook is concerned.
THIS IS WRONG! So copy and paste this if you agree and post it to your profiles.
This whole hypocritical shit that has been going on lately with Facebook and those who are of same gender or bi-sexual orientations with tasteful and artful pictures on their profiles getting buillied into basically "hiding" who they are is old and tired. The world isn't meant for just some and not others. I have proof.
1. In the dawn of American civilization Pilgrims and explorers came to the New World to forge out a new life. Native Americans were not only killed, run off their homelands, or forced conversion of anglo saxon christian belief systems but eventully through the first couple of centuries were forced to live on reservations where many stil reside. Many Native American tribes have all but become extinct because of "some people thinking the country were for some and not all".
2. In the 1600s through well the late 60's(well pretty much still prevalent) African-American people have been enslaved and discriminated against. They have been beaten, separated, sold, and every other atrocity just because of the color of their skin and because "some people thinking the country were for some and not all" said they were not intelligent enough to have their own rights and lives...yeah tell that sad stupid shit to Oprah Winfrey, Sidney Poiter, Nelson Mandela, and President O'Bama.
3.In the mid 80s through 1990, a young boy who was plagued with hemophilia contracted AIDS through a life saving blood transfusion and was run out of his Indiana town. Ryan White was the center of paranoia and he was just a little kid. He was denied the right to an education, shunned, tormented, his family tormented, all because "Some people thinking the country were for some and not for all" decided it. They were sorry later, but really all they will ever be is sorry sacks of shit if you ask me.
4. Laramie,WY, a young college student by the name of Matthew Shepherd was beaten and left for dead because he was homosexual. He never did anything to anyone and yet two upstanding young men were part of the "Some people thinking the country were for some and not all" club. Pathetic and Fred Phelps and his fanatics can suck my dick!
5. Teena Brandon, a transgendered human being was raped, beaten, and killed for what....because she was born the wrong gender? Because he fell in love with a woman? I tell ya, the "Some People Who Thinking the Country is for some and not all" really need to realize that they're group is getting smaller and smaller.
I can go on and on. Despite your skin color, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or even your religeon everyone has the right to be happy and live the way that makes them that way! I think we have proven that skin color doesn't determine intelligence and sexual orientation doesn't mean you're an instant child molester or pornographer! Everyone has the right under the Constitution to be able to have freedom of speech,the press, to worship how they will, etc. and the right to post their pictures on a social network site. My problem is people getting profiles yanked because they have tasteful and beautiful pictures of same sex couples yet "straight" members can post near X rated pictures and there's no problem as far as Facebook is concerned.
THIS IS WRONG! So copy and paste this if you agree and post it to your profiles.
Qhuinn that is some powerful speech there.I hope at least one person reads it and sees that they have to make changes within themselves. I think phobias of any kind denote something about our selves we fear, and if we can beat it up, destroy it, make it go away it makes us feel powerful. The problem with that is the feeling is fleeting and only lasts until the next confrontation.
ReplyDeleteIf people could learn to deal with their own fears, not by destroying what it is they are afraid of but by understanding it, actually dealing with the fear and letting it go, this would be a much nicer world and I wouldn't be afraid of spiders.
Denyse, your loving soul shines through as always and you are an amazing example of how love and gentleness has a backbone that is not to be trifled with.
Is something being done on FB to fight this? A grassroots effort of some type. This is beyond ugly.
ReplyDeleteNothing is being done. A major percentage of FB email responses are automated. No one really reads incoming emails not even the legal adviser. Mine was left on the phone for 40 minutes, his emails still unanswered. Starting a FB group of complaints might help.
ReplyDeleteyj""Some People Who Thinking the Country is for some and not all" really need to realize that they're group is getting smaller and smaller."
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly why the overt hatred is becoming more virulent -- they know their group is getting smaller. They know there will come a day in the not too distant future when they will be the minority.
They are getting scared, wondering if the new powers that be will treat the old powers that were treated. They're sweating and they don't like it one bit.
It took a while before I set up a FB page, and I've considered deleting it. But, unfortunately, that wouldn't do anything to help.
ReplyDeleteFB has grown so exponentially that it's becoming it's on enemy. If force was put into a grassroots campaign or even the press was contacted by people who have been directly impacted, I think things would change.