April 08, 2003
Protesters are traitors?
According the article: Site brands Tucson-area activists as "traitors", the website contains pictures of people that attended protests and publishes their pictures. The site in question appears to be offline. But it does present the issue of how exposing people's actions can lead to effecting change in behavior. Not necessarily in a good way either.
The site posts pictures and, apparently, a fair amount of abusive content regarding them. Throw in the usual amounts of calls to action on getting the people fired from their jobs and the like. Meanwhile, other sites quickly stoop to the same level.
Madness. I don't like what you do, I'm going to get you fired for your non-work related actions. Gee, the guy sounds like Dave Winer. Then you've got another series of idiots threatening the same thing. Mutual Assured Destruction theory anyone?
It's one thing to make clear statements of fact. It's another thing to make libelous, slanderous or otherwise calls to action that would incite people to harm others. The trouble is people get themselves so wrapped up in their rhetoric that they cross the line.
The public aren't as stupid as some folks believe. If you think people's actions are objectionable, call them on it. But the public can be incited into mob mentality thinking. Be careful what and how you suggest that mob should react. Often times the shame of being exposed is enough to effect behavioral change, there's no need for action. Certainly not going overboard and trying to get people fired for actions not related to their livelihood.
But be careful, as the sayings go "Let ye who is without sin cast the first stone" and more recently, "People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones".
