I have no problem with funny memes. They're usually cleverly done with illustration and text.
It's the hate memes that bother me.
You know the ones I'm talking about. The extremely racist ones, the anti-LGBT ones, the religious attacks, the anti-immigration rhetoric, the anti- Democrat or anti-Republican ones, etc.
One of the motivating factors for murderer Robert Lewis Dear's (pictured here) assault on a Planned Parenthood clinic last year in Colorado Springs, Colorado, was internet memes about "baby parts."
Anyone daring enough to go on comment sections of news stories will run across foul-talking trolls. These are the same trolls that slither onto FaceBook with their hate-filled memes trying to get reactions. Best bet; don't feed the trolls.
The thing I find most discouraging is how easily people pass memes along without first checking them out to see if their false.
I know it's easier to look for things (internet) that back up your worldview these days - whatever that may be. But to mindlessly pass on bullshit...where does it stop?
With the dumbing down of America, the prospect isn't too good for a societal flip flop back to the most well educated country in the world.
Like anything, memes can be used for good or bad. The only way to fight the nasty memes is by fact-checking at websites like SNOPES.
Post the results and know that you've done your part in fighting ignorance and hate. Don't expect that it will make the people who post that shit see the truth. They are blind to it. But maybe it'll help someone else realize there's a lot of lies out there.
Time for me to walk on down the road...
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