A former schoolmate of mine, a Catholic youth group leader, has this posted on her Facebook Wall:
"Dear Lord, this year you took my favorite actor, Patrick Swayzie (sic). You took my favorite actress, Farah Fawcett. You took my favorite singer, Michael Jackson. I just wanted to let you know, my favorite President is Barack Obama. Amen."
My stomach tightened and twisted, reading this. It is ungodly to wish for harm on anyone else! It is terrifying to think that this might happen to our national leader! It is illegal to threaten the President of the United States! And it is absolutely immoral to act as a religious teacher and spew this garbage. What is this teaching the children of our country?! I took a few breaths and then wrote to her:
I clicked on your page to 'check in' and I hope that you're well. I was shocked, though. I have to tell you how deeply disturbing your joke - or prayer - is to me. Even if I disagree with you or anyone else, I would never ever wish death. It's not funny; it's offensive and dangerous and (using the language of a Christian) sinful. I am absolutely shocked that you or anyone else would find this worthy of reposting on your wall. I believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every person, whether I agree or disagree with them.
It's one thing to use the democratic, constitutional processes to 'vote out' or even criminally try a governmental leader. It's another thing to joke about assassination of another human being, our democratically-elected president.
5 comments:
Well put! I find comments like this horrible, too - I'm glad you said something to your friend! We need more people like you!
Yeah, I agree. Super frustrating to see like this stuff too.
Gross. Seriously. What's wrong with people? Good thing there are good people too, like you!
ps I started my own blog today summerunencumbered.blogspot.com
I completely agree that no matter how much I disagree with a person and his or her life choices or values, wishing them death is awful. And in a large, very public, teaching setting. Thanks for standing up for how you feel!
Way to go, replying to your friend's post. I'm curious if she responded, and what conversation might have followed...?
(P.S. Completely off topic: the Word Verification that I have to enter in order to post this comment is "baking." Yay!)
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