We constitute a generation that is constantly bombarded by haters and trolls on social media. Technology has ensured that anonymous hate-mongers penetrate our lives unabashedly, and there really isn’t much that we can do about it. Sure there’s the blocking and ignoring, but that isn’t really instrumental in countering the hate that is at large.
We could all however take a leaf out of Dr. Susan Carland’s book.
Tired of the innumerable Islamophobic messages she received from strangers directed at her, Dr. Susan Carland, of Melbourne, Australia, pledged to donate $1 to UNICEF for every hate-filled tweet and Facebook message that comes her way.
Susan Carland started the campaign a few months ago and has already raised more than $1,000.
“I regularly get tweets and Facebook messages from the brave freedom-fighters behind determinedly anonymous accounts telling me that, as a Muslim woman, I love oppression, murder, war and sexism,” she said.
The online abuse she is exposed to include insults about her appearance, accusations of her being a stealth jihadist, and requests to leave Australia, amongst others.
“Donating to them every time I was abused felt like tangible good in response to virtual hate”, is what she had to say.
Being born into Christianity, and having converted to Islam at the age of 19 out of personal convictions, what triggered this campaign was to counter the trolls that misconstrue Islam as well as her identity.
Taking her inspiration from the Quran that says, “Repel evil with what is better”, Dr. Carland decided to be instrumental in “generating good in the world for every ugly verbal bullet sent my way.”
Despite the darkness that fills her inboxes, Carland said her faith will continue to shine.
