Blind followership and hate doesn't truly end just because we apply the law. In some cases it turns into micro forms and relies heavily on group perceptions of power (internal dialogue and group numbers). The individuals within those groups appear to feel good about targeting people (Perhaps a feeling of power over others). Somewhere along the line you would think that they would realize that they know nothing of the targets, have been fed false information about how "bad" the targets are, and are being used to fulfill someone else distorted version of the world. Maybe the power they perceive is limited.
In case you didn't know. My family and I were targeted by a group of people who were acting on the behest of a few members within their social networks. I'm unconcerned about how this turns out anymore (I encouraged the perpetrators to get help before they get someone hurt and after serious displays of aggression). As long as that hurt is focused on the targets there seems to be little concern over anything (In many ways I even tried to shield them from themselves. I don't believe they know how illegal these behaviors are in written form. That doesn't mean we apply it that way but in written form they are highly illegal and have big consequences. I kept my fingers crossed they would reform themselves.).
How this turns out is not up to me. The system can do the right or the wrong thing. It can choose the path to a stronger society or it can choose a path to third world status. They are all choices and based on the way we think. Our outcomes are highly related to our values and moral conscious. Our ability to build a great nation relates to certain democratic principles and the development of national human capital removed from race or religion. Thus, hate groups are not needed in nations trying to be their best and should be actively discouraged.
Targeting behaviors included rumor spreading. ostracization, local college telling me I'm more than qualified for an adjunct position (ironically labor law) and then retracting it once they found out I was the "dirty Muslim" the HR manager's friends hate (I believe the HR manager is closely associated with this group but it certainly could be someone else within the organization with hiring power.), my child has been damaged, and it looks like money has disappeared. Worse, the initiators put in a false police complaint to cover their behavior and their two close officer friends (part of the inner core of this group) targeted me and my family (parking outside my home, following me, pulling over my kid, trying to solicit other officers, etc...)
I can't tell you 100% why all this is happening/happened. Really, I have lots of suspicions but don't actually know. For example, at the same moment the group was trying to set me up through a false police complaint I asked them, "Why are you doing this to my family?" and the person who was acting as the friend network spokesperson called their group leader and came back to the table and said, "Because your Muslim." Soon after heightened aggression occurred from some members of the community and law enforcement (There has been some serious community complaints against at least one of initiating officers that includes misusing power, lying on stand, potentially pushing a raped girl to commit suicide and other complaints. I cannot say if they are true but they are in the rumor mill. What I can say is that based on that officer's behaviors and mannerisms, and comments by other officers, it is worth investigating.).
Most people would have ran but I did not. I challenged the third world hate. Freedom isn't always free and sometimes we have responsibilities to society. I thought, "If they do this here that means they have done it in other places and will be emboldened to do it again.". It appears they have significant ability to bully and pressure people within the community based in negative and distorted behaviors (i.e. definitely not healthy for the community or its people.) That also includes local officials not insulated from this group and their social influence (boundaries between law enforcement and bully networks should be built in.).
Things have sort of turned out ok after the initial waves of aggression. I now have a positive relationship with most of the officers. The false information has been for the most part debunked and life has returned mostly to normal. The school hasn't been held to account (as far as I know) even though it acted in a manner that would be considered highly unethical and against everything people value in higher education as learning institutes. I have no idea if the officers that initiated the hate (and of which one has other community complaints) have been held to account (I really wish they would have used better judgement. Its sad.).
What I can say is that it wasn't as though nothing happened because everyone at some point became silent. From what I know of the maturity of the individuals involved they wouldn't have done this on their own volition. Something happened. The micro aggressions are still there by some of the group members. Rudeness, snubbing, trying to get people upset, etc... but they seemed to have lost their willingness to step across the boundaries and now keep things in a passive aggressive fashion (It will be unlikely to stay there forever. As with all passive aggressive behaviors its hard to detect and pin point. I have some experience in communication abilities/analysis so I can pick it up but the motives are in the grey areas.).
From an observational point I can say that most people rejected this groups logic and aggression. Many became even much nicer. That is a sign of the beauty of this town. However, those that haven't changed seem to have a deeper anger inside themselves. Unhappy with their lives, willing to snub or put down others, create all types of false judgements, and ensure others know they are disdainful even though they would have no idea why they are upset (Immaturity in communication. We have seen this in dysfunctional relationships were we must "guess" what the person's feeling but they aren't mature enough to say it. They act rude and you scratch your head. They definitely dont want to be called out on it. If you do they will run screaming how bad you are. We have all seen this at one point in our lives.). The one thing the person who started this problem did was give them a place to project their internal life frustrations (In some ways I wonder if that is also what happened in the sacking of our Capital. How would any rational person go to DC to damage their own country without already having some issues?)
I think we are going to need to change as a country. If this behavior is happening in other places there will likely be a major societal schism at some point in our future. We don't want or need two different countries. We don't need two major parties constantly at each others throats and hyping up the rhetoric. Likewise, we don't need people raging on others because they want something, have mental health issues, or they are supported through "good old boy" hate networks. I think we can be better than that! Time always answers our questions. Let us wait and see what the next page brings......
What am I going to do? Be polite, volunteer, work on developing economic opportunities for the community, and generally live my life. In the end, I'm not sure I really have much to do with the rest of it.
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