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Clicking "LIke" For Racism

You sign on to Facebook and your friend has posted a funny picture of a kitten, you click like. Then you see someone posted a video of their daughter's recital and you click like. Then you see a notice about a man who traveled 200 miles by bicycle to raise money for his neighbor and you click like. Then you see a story about a crime and it's sad, because people died and your friend started their post off with the words "this needs to stop" and you clicked like. 

An hour goes by. The comments begin with words like "thugs," "savages" and "animals." One person says they won't say the word, but they want to. It continues, maybe five hours later, there are 30 horrifyingly racist comments. Each comment and like brings it to the top of the news feed. It is trending basically in your little world of people. Everyone has joined this odd crusade against an entire race, because of a single crime. 

I sign on an there is the thread at the top of my feed. Your name is the first I see, followed by "and 22 others liked this." I stare at your name. It's the only one I recognize and the 22 others mean nothing. Your name is attached to it. Maybe you clicked first, maybe you joined in. I don't know, but it's there with all the others. You may say you don't care, but you're a racist in my book. You agree with the general consensus and you have liked what transpired. You are forever going to be viewed differently. You're a teacher, a nurse, a fireman, a police officer and mother or father. You are a racist, commending others on their racism and you want me to view you differently? Will you teach "them" differently? Will you offer "them" less care? Will you try as hard to save "them" or protect and serve "them?" Will you teach your kids about us or will you teach about you and "them."

Next time you're going to "like" something, ask yourself this one simple question. If someone this article is portraying poorly was sitting in front of me, would I be willing to vocalize my acceptance and appreciation of it? Is it really as easy to condemn a race, as it is to be entertained by a kitten?
I click like all the time, but I know what I'm clicking and yes, I do often go back and make sure there is nothing derogatory on it. Sad? Maybe, but I'd rather that than to have someone who I care about and who cares about me, have their belief and trust in me destroyed by others hate. 

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