Tropes And Half-Truths

A Facebook friend that I've known for decades has always posted interesting information about crafts, local businesses and events, with some positive historical religious items added in. But a couple of weeks ago the tone of the posts shifted. Instead of forwarded breaking news stories from local channels and reported store openings/closings, there were forwarded domestic and international Christian vs Muslim bashing posts.

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I tried to ignore the posts, and for a couple of days even unfollowed the person. But then I wondered if it would be a better tactic to point out the xenophobic nature of the content. The next time I saw one of the person's outrageous posts I did a little research, then commented:

The claim is not true. It is a viral hoax 

This article strikes me as very similar to the anti-Catholic movement in the 19th Century (where, among other things, Protestants claimed that Catholics were loyal to a foreign sovereign-the Pope-rather than the U.S. Constitution. There were also rumors that the Vatican secretly plotted to take over American institutions). You might want to do some research and see if you agree.

I hoped the person would get what I was trying to say, and was pleased when they thanked me and took a break from outrageous content. However, I've noticed that it's been slowly creeping back in, so now I will have to decide what my next step is.

Five years ago: Thank You For Your Service......But Not You