So.
Today, 4th of August 2013, is a day meant to celebrate friendship.
Some of us decided that this day was also meant to step out of the dark and make our voices heard. This is why twitter is going to be quieter today. This is why today is Twitter Silence day.
Protected by the comfort of a so-called (and so cold) anonymous state, or almost, some people are spreading hate. They hate on a sexuality, on a skin color, on a religion, on a belief, on a sex. Those people, whose precious earth time is being wasted on spitting on other human beings, and other creatures whose hearts beats the same rhythms and lungs breaths the same air, are called Trolls. It appears that their life purpose is to bully people.
There is a lot of good in humanity, but sadly, the Internet has also brought out a lot of bad as well. And because everyone can set up within minutes a twitter account, and follow people even faster than this, and because it so easy to tweet someone, this little birdcage we are all in can turn into a lion’s cage for some of us. You can voice your opinion, but lacking of respect for people and insulting them is NOT an acceptable thing and will never be.
Over the past week, I have been the witness, thanks to all of those who speaks out, of the sickest, saddest, most hateful threats over my dearest female heroes, over my strongest LGBT icons, and over my own idols. When a lady speaking out for equality is drown under rape threats, it is NOT ok. When fellow gay, lesbians or transgender people are being sent harmful messages suggesting they should disappear from the planet, it is NOT ok. When a stupid 14 years-old insult one of the creators of my favorite TV show of all times for unknown reasons, it is NOT ok.
The saddest thing is that 99.9% of the time, those idiots will run away with their shame and hate. Twitter won’t get rid of their account, or report them as professional abusers. Which they are. No matter how old. When you are old enough to open an account and deliberately @someone with insults, rape or death threats, then you are old enough to face your responsibilities.
Leaving twitter for the 24 hours that this day counts is a peaceful and very sad way to let twitter know that we are done with trolls and that something must be done to shut them down. We need an abuse reporting option. We need a way to cut the power cord of such a growing and threatening darkness.
It is anyone’s choice whether to follow the silence or to stay and spread love, and no one will judge those who will and those who won’t. I have made my decision based upon things I have seen that has damaged my faith in humanity.
But then again, a lot of things restore it somehow too. We’re not giving up. We’re actually full of hope for the very near future. Still, enough is enough.
Mind Palace 