Some weeks back there was this news item which shook Ethiopians at home and abroad so much that the social media was bursting at the seams with the volume of comments; most of them full of anger and rage.
Indeed the anger and rage was to be expected. Even though we say we're in times when the human assets which largely set us apart from the animal kingdom were withering thin and thinner at least we know the whole human game's not lost. Again though these days many of us react to events in our own unique and personal ways some events draw us so close together those differences, even if temporarily, weaken, even disappear.
What happened a few days back was not only a heinous and brutal crime of the most despicable kind but also barbarity the likes of which you'd see in Hollywood flops. It happened in a town in the northern part of the country where a very likeable and innocent child was raped by some evil person who was also accused of taking her life. I think the case was in the courts and we hope justice would finally be served.
The news as mentioned was all over the social media and the volume of comments was so much so that it was practically impossible to turn one's back with, "No, I'm not ready to hear this kind of barbaric news. The world has more than enough of such news and I'm dodging all such news as carefully as I can. No thank you. That's not for me!" Well, quite a number of people could think across this line. It'd also be difficult to put any blame of irresponsibility on them as most of these days try to disengage our hearing apparatus from news items we deem negative or disturbing, this world of ours being full of them. But this case we raised wasn't that easy. As mostly the compassionate and heartfelt comments attest this piece of news was taken personally by many as if they knew the little girl, even though most of them lived hundreds even thousands of miles far from where her family resided.
On the other hand the mother's emotional plea for justice was so genuine that you could practically 'see' and feel her wounded heart. It's indeed an astound display of wider understanding when things come to such issues which 'knock! knock!' the locked and bolted doors of anyone's heart. Even those who claim to be string-boned, hard-skinned no-nonsense guys would find it hard to resist such an impassionate plea from a devastated mother for the perpetrators of the crime to be brought to justice. That was the outstanding call; "JUSTICE!" With some mostly unverified and at times too sensational news no wonder many were worried if indeed things would run their way as they should.
On the other hand we've to take this opportunity and talk about the issues which cast some shadows on the news item though they failed to write it off. There were those of us who openly and with no shame at all tried to turn the said event into some sort of promotion and self-serving opportunities. A couple of weeks back we raised the issue of helping the needy. Philanthropy is something we wouldn't be parting with anytime soon. Also that's one of the better things holding the world together however feebly. But trying to manipulate them for personal gains in whatever way is not the nicest thing to do.
By the way talking about that sad event we can't just ignore one incident which indeed was one evidence of modern-day human barbarity disseminated through the social media. There was this guy oceans away who usually posts such crude and vulgar narratives many shudder at the very idea listening to him even for a fraction of a second. This guy's comments on the rape/murder case of the innocent child was so inhumane even the most timid persons couldn't hold back their emotions.
There were all kinds of calls from emotion-driven, and illegal, calls to have him to be beaten up black and blue to the rational calls for him to be dragged to court. All this rage was because he tried to blame the innocent victim and sort of justify what happened to her! Such a person must be sharing some genes with whichever evil incarnations dominating this world. What we have been hearing was he was forced to remain locked in his house for fear of being attacked. There was also this news of lawyers coming together to sue him for hate crime.
I'm not sure if they went all the way but the talk was he later apologized. Now we're not talking some young man who was after as much likes as he could manage which allow him to boast later." You should have seen how many 'likes' my post last night got!" to levels were too much but about some guy who probably was in his late thirties or early forties or anywhere beyond that!
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Look, generally speaking of the social media you could consider this writer as one of the guys not comfortable with many things they see on the social media. "So what!" Maybe it isn't currently viable for us to respond that. After all it isn't one simple question of two words but a whole lot of questions which feed each other. But one thing we can do is try to convince social media followers not to believe or be driven by what they see on the social media. Because believe me, that is a very crucial problem dragging people off the tracks they should keep sticking onto tracks of doom and gloom. Maybe we could tell those who engage with the social media to at least see the many sides there are before coming to conclusion on any issue. Yes, that isn't as done as it's said! But there is no damage in trying.
That single 'Click!' could be far more damaging than we imagine! Yes, 'The Click' makes or breaks the day! Simple!
