Many people use the Internet in many different ways. This Social Networking Internet has become incredibly popular in recent years and the majority of that which I am involved in is the Facebook side of the Social Web.
More often than not I'm not using this platform in a highly political fashion. Commenting on political groups and sending personal messages to people inflaming political hatred against me or others.
Quickly I am seeing this is all just a road with no end. I only end up "blocking" people as they only lie and deceive even when confronted in a respectful and fact-based manner. This leaves me thinking that it's all pointless to be civil and be fact-based in the first place.
It's possible that much of the dishonesty and vile rhetoric is more tied to the nature of the "no consequences" Web, but I don't think so. I think the art of political debate itself is dead, murdered by the Tea Party and Fox News. Without facts and without any interest in civil discourse on both sides of a debate, the debate is by its very nature non-productive exchanges of name calling and ad hominem attacks of other natures.
How often do people question your faith, or lack thereof? Think on this for a minute. Now realize that on this Easter Weekend I have had some vile Facebooker question my faith. And for what reason? Because I called him out on spouting bigotry.
People want me to be meek, to be "Christian" in my words. I think not. I see all this vile fringe underground of politics coming to surface and I will fight the racist code speak, the outright bigotry, the partisan lies and the anti-American rhetoric. If they want to use their KKK tactics of ganging up on me and hiding behind the sheets of their fake accounts and fake names then so be it.
I shall be the stone that weathers the storm, and if I must die or be made a straw man or made an enemy of civility in the process then so be it.
I see not the strength to stand fast on the Left-wing. I see a lot of good people backing down or letting a pack of comedians lead the way when they are not the best people to bring forth the important issues.
The big part about Facebook that is highly deceptive is that many believe either that people are full of it and being insane or hyperbolic anytime they say anything online, or they believe that Facebooking is the answer to getting their voice out. In all honesty I am no different in the real world than I am online with only minor exceptions.
Some guy is currently trying to pick a fight with me, and I'm not joshing around when I'm trying to set up a time and place to just have the brawl. I don't care. Not anymore.
As the war criminal George W. Bush once said:
"Bring it on!"
