I have become somewhat of an authority on the boorish art of racial epithets and ethnic slurs from my participation on Propeller and that dubious distinction is by no means anything to boast about. Nonetheless, it is a fact. Having reviewed other competing forums on the web, I must acknowledge that Propeller’s share of bigoted commentary fortunately does not compare. Hate-filled dialogue characteristic to these other “social” blog sites is rampant and for the most part, it goes unchecked. To conclude, however, that personal harassment and abusive comments directed at Propeller’s members is not harmful and potentially threatening to our community as a whole would be a mistake.

Since my participation commenced at Propeller (and Netscape), I have observed an improvement in how management confronts those who consistently violate the rights of others. Nevertheless, there are those — and always will be those, who learn how to violate the spirit of the rules of conduct without risking penalty. So it is ultimately up to us — or should I say it is up to me to learn how to cope with these characters. I think it would also be beneficial for each of us to ask ourselves the question: “how do I handle personal attacks?”

“Not so good!” I must sometimes admit. To correct my reactions to the scurrilous attacks of a few requires vigilance and humility. Unfortunately, I am not overly endowed with the latter virtue. Yet, there are those times that I can respectfully communicate my disapproval, release the hurt, and remain on center. There are also those rare times that I do not reply — that I simply bury the hurt and anger and must wait to expunge its unpleasant effects. During those episodes, I can easily react unfavorably to even the best-intentioned comments.

Recently, during the dialogue on a thread from a story that I posted entitled “Anti-Semitism, A Dead Issue” I sustained the usual personal attacks from my small fan club and then misinterpreted a perfectly innocent comment. Regrettably, I proceeded to lambaste that person. It was days later when I realized that I had made this mistake. An apology should be a sincere attempt to correct a wrong and to make it right. I blasted this poor soul openly on the thread and to privately send him a personal message does not cut it.

Permit me the liberty of using this forum to convey my apologies to BoxMonkey for misconstruing the following remark.

This is not new news [ anti-semitism ] . In Ridgewood a communitty that borders Queens and Brooklyn, there are many Jewish cemetaries that have been vandalized throughout the years. Tombstones that date back to the 1800’s. Anti-semitism is alive in all communities I’ve visited . Most recently exploited in that movie ” Borat ” . And although the Jews get the most attention when the word Holocaust is used , let’s not forget the Armenians , Kurds , Somalians and many other religious or nationalities that have faced similiar consequences that are not publisized by the press .

For failing to cope with abusive remarks from a few other participants on the thread, I completely misunderstood his commentary. “This is not new news.” Under normal conditions, I would understand that remark. Yet at that moment, it sounded to me like a criticism and then I anticipated another insensitive or callous remark to follow. In addition, I read the words, “And although the Jews get the most attention…” my defenses went up. “Here come the stereotypes“, I muttered to myself. My ability to read the comment objectively evaporated on the spot. I hope this truthful explanation and apology will be accepted. If I could take back my criticisms of his remarks I would.

Have you ever lashed out and displaced frustration by attacking an innocent participant on Propeller? Well, I have done it more times than I care to admit. How do we cope with our own shortcomings and mistakes when they hurt others? Do we care enough about the other member to apologize or do we forget about them and just move on? I have seen enough members leave Propeller simply because they could not cope with their own mistakes or the persistent harassment from other members. I believe the best thing we can do when any of us reach that jumping off place is to share it with someone you can trust. That never fails for me.

Most of us enjoy exchanging controversial ideas without dialogue riddled with personal attacks. In cyberspace, even on Propeller, we encounter those who only want to hurt and disrupt. Coping with these disruptive influences takes some of us practice. It does for me. Rest assured, there will be those who give us more than enough opportunity to learn.

For anyone submitting contentious stories, such as topics on radical Christian fundamentalism, to not expect passionate debate would be foolish. Most Propeller heads have routinely witnessed malicious personal attacks that accompany these stimulating discussions.

Coping with bigotry, racism, and anti-Semitic remarks can sometimes be a painful experience. For the most part, when I recognize that I am a member of a community with many allies that share my distaste for this kind of conduct, I can maintain a more even temper. To all my friends, I must extend my gratitude to them for expressing their views and for not remaining silent in the presence of these unpleasant demonstrations. It is a testament to the best of our community to acknowledge that these members make up the vast majority. Having witnessed other communities disintegrate because of rampant displays of racism, oppressive misogyny, and anti-Semitism, I think it is imperative for those of us who value the freedom that we have on Propeller, to do what we can to protect it. When we treat others with the respect and dignity that we all deserve, we make Propeller a safe and fun place to share important ideas.