Keep cool Facebookers!

Embroiled in a virtual world, it is easy to unleash all the angelic and demonic thoughts for the whole world to witness.  Increasingly obsessed with ‘Likes’ and ‘Shares’, it has become even easier to lose self-control and Facebook has unfortunately become a sort of grapevine for attention-seekers, with very often, the wrong reasons.  
And slurs, there have been.  Mauritius has not been spared, having been injected with the Facebook fever. Offensive statuses and photos are daily occurrences. Facebookers are incensed, outraged, start vociferating their deep boiling anger, public protests are organized, socio-cultural groups, the media, politicians and the police get involved, the offenders are arrested and prosecuted and the population can finally breathe in a sigh of relief, that the ones who have been heinously vicious and disrespectful have been stopped in their tracks, named and shamed publicly.  
But does this all turn out to be really gratifying? In most cases, as in the recent one where a lady has attacked and antagonized people of a certain faith, Facebookers, irrespective of their social backgrounds, wasted no time in venting out their ire.  In a way, it is great to see that Mauritians are very much a united nation. National pride stills beats proudly in our hearts.  However, what causes a sense of unease is the way in which way many Facebookers have responded. Shocking would be a feeble term to categorise the types of comments that have been flooding that lady’s posts, which were public and later shared everywhere. Cascades of swear words, death threats, curses have descended upon her.  While the resentment of the Facebookers is legitimate and understandable, the way in which their wrath has escalated and exploded demands a closer introspection.  
Two wrongs do not equal one right. There are many stupid, ignorant, insensitive people in the world but stooping to their levels, by using the same language they do, does not help at all.  In fact, this exposes a dangerous mob mentality that is prepared to do anything to exact revenge.  Although the Facebook comments have been hurtful, we should be grateful that things have not been worse, that no-one has been harmed.   Feelings have been hurt but together, we can get through this.  Ignoring these low-lives by not responding to their goading and letting the law-enforcing officers do their jobs constitute the best option.  Instead of using the same language as the abusers, we should show them that we are better and can do better.  As one people, as one nation, we condemn these brutes but can also show our magnanimity, by keeping our sense of decorum and avoiding petty sensationalism, which can further inflame our social fabric.  Most of us are blessed with common sense and maturity. Trying times like these are the opportunities to put these qualities to the test. Great are the hearts of those who can forgive.  In the real world, justice will definitely be served.  Legitimate prosecution is better than virtual persecution. So, keep cool Facebookers!