Thought for the Week
The death penalty is dying. Even in many American states where it’s still legal, it’s no longer actually practiced. Why? Because too many innocent people have been wrongly executed. And yet…
Character assassination is more popular than ever.
Five years ago, a group of students from a high school near where I live attended the annual March for Life in Washington, DC. Suddenly, a video clip hit the internet, seeming to show the teenagers mocking a Native American man.
The internet was instantly flooded with calls for the students’ expulsion and even arrest. Many received death threats. The national media proclaimed Covington Catholic High School a cesspool of racism and elitism, despite its high reputation as a National Blue Ribbon School, and the fact that not all of its working class student body are white.
Then a longer version of the video showed up, and a very different picture emerged. The altercation had actually begun when a nationally known hate group, the Black Hebrew Israelites, after denouncing Jews, Native Americans, and literally all white people, turned their vitriol against the teenagers, including black teens in the group, yelling obscenities and racial epithets at them. The teens responded by shouting upbeat school cheers. Good idea?
Probably not.
Then a leader from the Native American group, in an effort to cool things down, placed himself between the teens and BHIs and began chanting a prayer while beating a drum up-close-and-personal in one particular teen’s face. In response, the confused kid smirked stupidly (the focal point of the original video clip). Was the Native American leader’s action helpful?
Probably not.
A frenzy of blame followed, but with no consensus regarding where to direct it, only that someone must die, someone’s reputation must be destroyed. Why? Because character assassination is the new death penalty, and it’s popularity has grown increasingly stronger since then. We won’t stop till we see virtual blood, dammit!
Ironically, all of this occurred while our nation was celebrating its great peacemaker Dr. Martin Luther King Jr (who was assassinated, you may recall).
There has never been a better time to remember Dr. King’s admonishment that “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.” Maybe it’s time we stopped looking for something to kill, and start looking for something to save.
Like what’s left of our civilization.
Important information, Mitch. Thanks and God bless.
The definition of darkness is “absence of light”. The definition of cold is “absence of heat”. Would the definition of hate be absence of love?
With today’s primary method of communication being reposting what someone else said or did, or using memes and carefully-edited sound bites, no wonder we have character assassination! Once you put something out on the internet, it’s there forever and may or may not be associated with your name or the group you represent. Your attacks are, for all intents and purposes, anonymous. It allows us to hide behind a mask.
We do not have to show compassion because we can virtue signal on social media.
We do not have to develop healthy relationships because if things don’t work out, we just swipe or block.
We don’t have to think consciously because somewhere, someone has said something that got 1M likes in 20 min and so it’s probably worth reposting and adopting as our truth. Get off your computer!
Amen, Rebecca!
Well said. Thank you!
My privilege, Iman.
Well said, Mitch! It’s sad, and tends to drive me as a believer to continue, to stay faithful, and to do my best to be a voice, an example, to my sphere of influence. As do you! 👏🏻
Thank you, Dori, and I know you do.
Thank you, Mitch! 🙏🏻✝️🙌🏻
This post was very interesting. The Internet has a cesspool of character assassinations. It is interesting how because there is exposure on the Internet people feel they are entitled to give their opinion. This is the beginning of character assassination. The event should be addressed. Not the person’s character. The good of the internet is then overshadowed.
So true, San.
Great point, Mitch! If only we would practice what St. Francis said and “seek first to understand, then to be understood,” there would be so much less strife and jumping to negative conclusions! Peace.
Amen to that, Caroll.
Wheeeew, that was smokin’ hot !!!! Appreciate you !!!! <3
Well, thank you.
Yes I remember this incident. The so called cancel culture and efforts to shame people often without the full story has gone too far. It has become bullying.
Absolutely, hugs, C
Hugs back, Cheryl.
Amen.
AMEN, Mitch!!! (Someone needs to find you a BIG soapbox . . . ) Thankfully that young man was able to sue several news organizations who jumped on the character-assassination bandwagon, and he won handsome settlements. Much deserved in my opinion.
Well-spoken, Mitch!
Thank you, Anonymous.
Not much and I was jaded before but now I don’t see the light in our American broken systems. Are our broken systems better than others? Yes in some regards but I’m very concerned about our own issues. Our Founding Fathers would be shaking their heads. Our government doesn’t use The Constitution as a foundation. I’m a proud America but not proud of where we’ve been for years and don’t see a big shift in the right direction. Voting only does so much, we have to get all the old on each side of the house out of their seats and find Americans devoted to helping set policies that help the American people, not their agenda or for the kickbacks and egos. I will be 61 in July and I know you are a bit older, do you see light at the end of the tunnel because I don’t. Have a great day.
Well said, Mitch!
Thanks, T!
My pleasure.
There’s already too much news to keep up with these days. So, when I read a teaser saying something like, “Embarrassing video of __________’s gaffs goes viral,” I delete it immediately, even if I dislike _________ intensely. (Golden Rule – If it were MY gaffs on that video, I would want them deleted.)
With you on that, Annie.
So much truth wrapped up in this earnest, hard-hitting post and very clever post, Mitch. It’s so discouraging to witness this character assassination happening on a daily basis, but I loved your hope-filled conclusion… definitely one we should heed!
Thank you, Kara.
yes
“…only LIght can do that.” <3
Great post, Mitch. Media/social media manipulation has a lot to answer for. 💕📚
There’s a reason Jesus equated hate with murder
So true, Todd.
Nice post, Mitch. I’ve stopped watching the news and only look at SM sparingly. Life without manufactured drama is nice 😎
Heavy topic worth addressing!
This is so true! And sadly, people who pride themselves on being progressive and tolerant are just as guilty of this as everyone else. It’s as if we’ve become addicted to being justifiably angry, and are constantly looking for a target for our anger and self-righteousness. And we don’t stop until someone, anyone, is destroyed….. I’m no theologian, but I just know this is not what God wants us to do!
Wisdom, Mitch! Thanks for speaking out. More of us need to…
My privilege, Peggy.
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