It’s not always easy speaking up against violence and abuse. There can be backlashes and attacks – from people who feel exposed or guilty about their tendencies to support abusive behaviour?

A few weeks ago on a blog someone posted a link to a photo depicting ‘children’ that I thought was repulsive. Sure it was playing on a well known literary work from a few hundred years ago, but the way in which it was graphically displayed here was disgusting.

I spoke up about it.

This result in abuse and intellectual accusations, first be one person and because I was speaking up alone he was joined by others, who complained about me commenting on the blog. Suddenly, without warning or comment, I was blocked from posting on the blog, so I couldn’t respond to attacks.

This was on a supposedly respectable blog with an academic/intellectual slant, although I had been attacked by multiple participants previously due to political opposition.

This demonstrates two things.

1. A culture of acceptance of violence and abusive material permeates through much of our society.
2. Speaking up against entrenched group views is not always easy.

This just makes me more determined to speak up when I see promotion or acceptance of violence via comments or abusive material. If no one speaks up then nothing changes.

Blogs aren’t always like this. A week ago on another blog someone calling himself Psycho Milt commented:

All sarcasm aside, this twat should be glad those cops were present, they were probably the only thing keeping him from a well-deserved punch in the face.

This comment was supported by some but challenged by others, including me. Psycho Milt remained defensive about his comment and kept reiterating his justification for a “punch in the face”, but those of us opposing violent action held our ground.

That’s what can make a difference.