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RACISM
Why You Shouldn't Ignore the Racist Trolls on Social Media
They are your neighbors, friends, coworkers, and public servants
The anonymity of the internet provides safety for racist trolls to roam the various platforms, spreading misinformation and racial slurs. And as easy as it is to ignore them, doing so runs the risk of minimizing their damage. As a society, we can't mount a defense against cyberbullying and misinformation when we avoid the problem. As much as folks would feel better if trolls were alien invaders, the truth is trolls are people like you and me.
What starts as racist banter online can quickly escalate. For instance, the man convicted for shooting and killing Ahmaud Arbery "had a history of using racist slurs," which prosecutors revealed in the federal hate crimes trial. Likewise, the New York Times reported Travis McMichael "referred to Black people as animals, criminals, monkeys, subhuman savages, and niggers, included in an electronic exchange."
During the trial, "Ms. Sears recalled Mr. McMichael saying, 'All those Blacks are nothing but trouble, and I wish they'd all die." Before killing Ahmaud Arbery, McMichael held racist views and shared them online with his friends. When McMichael chased Arbery through Satilla Shores, Georgia, he took his online…
