Yesterday I kicked someone off my Facebook friends list.
I came home, checked FB quickly and noticed someone from my primary school days had joined a Danish-language group called “I’m not racist but be nice OR get out of my country”. My stomach tensed as I checked the group description with its ten so-called commandments (including “Accept people can eat pork and not be disgusting” and “Pay your taxes – even if you own a cornershop or a takeaway”). The Danish flag featured heavily, of course.
So I sat there just before bedtime and I was .. not shocked nor surprised.. but, I guess, saddened that someone I once knew would think it a great idea to join such a group. And then I realised that I have no time whatsoever for this sort of sh*t, kicked my erstwhile classmate off my friends list and headed off to bed feeling slightly shell-shocked.
I feel I should be doing something more than just block someone on a silly social networking site (and reporting the group to the FB admins as violating their TOS. I do not think they’ll care much), but what?
It is scary to see such xenophobia isn’t it. The financial crisis seems to be encouraging it too. I think it is important to speak out for tolerance whenever possible, reporting the content to FB is a good idea.