Essence of DOPE
Internet Lynch Mobs: Their Contributions to Fracturing our Community
These lynch mob members make it impossible for our community to come together, to them, there is no middle ground, you are either with them or against them.
by Teddy Fikre: Posted: Thursday, July 29, 2010
If you have been on enough Ethiopian related websites, you will invariably notice one phenomenon. Irrespective of the article, there will always be one or a few internet thugs, card carrying members of the lynch mob, who are intent on fracturing the community. These folks carry some of the same traits, they usually use an amorphous name like “One Ethiopia, Konjit, Ethiopian Worrier [sic]” to name but a few . They usually call people idiots while misspelling every other word, and will accuse someone without proof of being a traitor or their favorite ethnic slur in the process. Grant it, the way one spells words in English is no indication of one’s intelligence. However, I would think one would be careful of calling someone an idiot while misspelling the word in the process.
The lynch mob usually comes out in force when the article is about a person. If that person does not agree 100% with their stance, that person is automatically branded an enemy. There is a cottage industry of people who do nothing more than live to “expose” the enemy. Usually, their aim is based on politics in Ethiopia. For what it’s worth, I have written ad nauseam about the current regime in Ethiopia and the fact that it is a repressive government. However, I have chosen to focus equally on things which I stand for as well as making it evident that which I stand against. However, for the members of the lynch mob, their only aim is to be against anything and everything.
There are actually groups who have a “mission” to expose and destroy the members of political factions in Ethiopia. One particular video that they posted on youtube goes as far as “exposing” college students based strictly on their ethnicity. As much as I do not support the current regime, I am equally disgusted by folks whose only aim is to destroy people by spreading innuendos and rumors about people while refusing to stand behind their words. These lynch mob members make it impossible for our community to come together, to them, there is no middle ground, you are either with them or against them. In this climate of anger and retribution, there is no middle ground; there is only room for shouting matches and vengeance
In the past two years, I have learned a lot of words that were never in my vocabulary before. Words like Woyane, Shabia, Agame, Banda. I have always seen these words on multiple websites but never really knew what they were. Over the years, I have found out that these words are the favorite weapon of people that refuse to believe in unity. So they get thrown out carelessly to affix someone with a scarlet letter. To be honest, I have in the past been guilty of doing the same even if I never used those exact words. And I have also been cowed from working with someone in the past because there were rumors that a particular person was an (insert slur here). In due time, I realize that anyone who has ever tried to do anything for our community has been branded one name or another.
It is sad really, these internet thugs have made it their central aim to destroy any good initiative. It is one thing to stand against the government based on deep held beliefs. However, when one dedicates their lives to destroying lives, to label folks traitors of Ethiopia without a shred of evidence, when every topic of discussion devolves into a shouting match between two extremes, we have a society that is fractured and powerless. In the end, the lynch mob members spread their hatred all while sipping their buna at a coffee shop. They refuse to be a part of the solution; instead their only aim is to pour gasoline on the flame. In the end, they only serve to discourage people from offering solutions, worse yet, they are spreading their hatred and malice to a younger generation that deserves to blossom without the specter of past ethnic divisions. As to prove a point, sit back and wait as the lynch mob will leave comments below in the near future.
Teddy- Indeed you have raised a very crucial and timely issue. I ,for one, visit most, if not all, web about Ethiopia, despite their affiliation to the politics at hand. As you have pointed out correctly, all [with out exception] are either against or for.
And that is why I adore and am crazy about your web, that is why I find my self an ease when you compare our society with incomparable, and that is why I found my self in discomfort when you talk about ethnic division in Ethiopia, and for that I did comment. Your web is for the new generation[usually for those less than 35 age], and if so you have to pull out your self from hear-sayings and write with evidence, right or wrong.
Then again trying to avoid the unavoidable is also not a true and long lasting solution. In as much as I believe the current government has limitations in democratic issues, I applaud the changes that the government has brought, yet we never wish to admit the reality.
What, for a while, I was looking for is a web about Ethiopia, which puts what are the good achievements and what are the wrong deeds-without reflecting their personal preferences. And as to me this is what Ethiopia needs, not blaming or exposing people or weakness.
And Teddy I once again thank you for addressing this issue, and as I said it above, I don’t wont your web to be spoiled in trying to be cozy with some friends or by following the hearsay arena.
And I do not agree with you for pointing out peoples weakness on English writing skills, because obviously they may be very good in writing with in their own language.
keep your web as it is.
Best
Long Live Ethiopia
Amen!!! Excellent article Teddy. You described perfectly the venoms among us that never ever do anything to move us forward united but most certainly always do whatever it takes to take us backwards divided. A friend of mine once said, that we are running a race backward and can’t seem to figure out why we can’t seem to win the race.
Your criticism will touch many nerves for sure. I will be surprised if they don’t call you an undercover agent of the regime. That is how badly some of them are irrational and retarded. They are allergic to criticism, yet they are 24/7 on the net criticizing others.
I agree with you and I want to add this: anyone interested in doing a research on Ethiopian chauvinism, racism, and sexism, does not have to travel to Ethiopia, but should just visit the various forums, chat-rooms, blogs, youtube links & comments, etc, where the lynch mobs always hangout.
Unfortunately, the extremists (lynch mobs) are growing in number. The more they advance forward, the less the moderates speak up, and the bigger the tension between groups, which only means a continually fractured society.
It’s impossible to work with people who advocate for change, but who are stuck in their own little world and are resistant to change themselves. A racist mentality will never bring any meaningful change to Ethiopia. Those who think they are more Ethiopian than others, and those who carry the slogan “with us or against us”, should think twice. Ethiopia needs progressive voices that will challenge the current regime sawing the seeds of love, but not the revival of dergists and feudalists who dream of destroying others and re-building the Ethiopia of yesteryears–neither of these two will happen, such ignorance and arrogance will only help the regime in power.
Dear Teddy, you are absolutely right about your observations. However, the mob is not less intelligent, is not idiotic, and is not stupid. I know a couple who do such dastardly act, and have heard them brag to each other. My understanding is that these are undercover agents of Isaias Afeworki and his Shabia group. Their mission is to create divisiveness and hatred among Ethiopians. They think that if Ethiopians can fracture and fight among themselves, they will benefit. So, be ware, and do not allow them any forum. Expose them every time they come on any chat line or conversation and show them we, Ethiopians, are a united people. That is the solution for the mob.
You have raised an issue which is at the anal of the Ethiopian crisis. This is a disease carried on from the student movement in the early 60′s. I wasn’t old enough to participate in politics but there are things I registered in my mind and later I was able to analyze them from my memory as a child. It is not about this tribe or that tribe, it is a disease that is epidemic and has infected a good part of the society. If you can come up with a cure to the branding and labeling of someone just only because she or he has different approach to a political problem, then you have solved the crisis we are in now. Yes those who have free mind to speak what they genuinely believe is right do get the bullet by either side. The bullet could be in many forms, for now the safe bullet for cowards is branding and labeling. There are many ways of labeling one when he or she is not in agreement with their views. For example, we can look at some of them, Shabia, Woyane, Cadre, derg, cia, extreeminst, ethnicist etc… I am only sorry for those who worry about being branded because they are thin skinned. My best advice is, if you see this type of people don’t worry about them for they are no better than the zoo caged wild animals and your time is well spent by avoiding their ignorant a**. Though I was a child, I have witnessed what these wild animals can do to humans when they are not caged. To this day I continue to witness what wild animals can do to humans both in my beautiful country Ethiopia and here in the U.S. My worst fear is that their disease is being transferred to the young mind. Either our current governent or the opposition doesn’t seem to show any type of civility. Help us god!
Any ways thanks for the great article.
Thanks dear Author,
You are the voice of reason. Your article is spot on. it seems as if whenever habeshas go online everything has to be interpreted through an anti- pro- prism of political alliance. I recently posted a critique of a certain figure in the diaspora community who takes himself to be a staunch opponent of the Ethiopian adminstration. I simply questioned certain facts and figures he was citing. wouldn’t you know it, the lynch mob unleashed their wrath then. I was automatically labled as ‘qemalam tigre’ and a stooge of Meles regime. This is so damaging to the community in so many ways.