jakorte's blog

I don’t care much for the political/lifestyle posts on Facebook. I do, however, respect everyone’s right to self-expression. I also wonder if anyone really believes postings will cause someone somewhere to slap their own head in amazement and proclaim, “Oh, my! I just have to be a vegan.” Or a Republican. Or a Democrat. Or a Christian. Or a Jew. None of which have been listed in any particular order in case you’re fishing for hidden clues into my psyche.

Mosquito like causal-repetition is annoying. I’ll admit I often use the opportunity to investigate each most- likely skewed viewpoint, and learn a little more about people I already know. Most times I already know where I stand. I rarely mugwump! I haven’t ever shot off my perch and pedaled backwards due to a practically anonymous self-righteous declaration. It seems people are willing to say anything in writing these days. Those same people are not willing to converse in person. I find it horribly amazing that standing up for who you are is only acceptable on a computer screen. I’m not living in a different world than anyone else. Mostly I ignore the nasty opinions and the news in general. However, something happened that I haven’t been quite able to release.

I am 100% sure I received an accidental hate email. I do not know the person who sent it to me. The name is familiar but I am truly not sure which one of two people I suspect may be the culprit. Most likely there was an auto-fill error generated from a few familiar letters into the email address and that not much attention was directed to whose name actually showed up. I am bothered deeply by a few things:

1. The email was directed toward one very specific ethnic group.
2. The cause is offensive and not grounded in reality.
3. It came from a lap-over source; someone I’m not sure I would be able to identify by sight.
4. There were three additional, unknown recipients who have now seen my name, who may erroneously assume I am included in their intolerance.
5. By responding, I place myself at risk of being an unprotected whistle-blower; a convenient “enemy.”
6. By not responding or reporting, I become a willing acquaintance and a silent accomplice to the cause.

I asked for a few opinions from a very diverse group. All were equally torn about how to handle the situation. It took me almost 24 hours to eventually decide to take a direct, as non-combative as possible route. I carefully worded as innocent a reply as I could come up with. I simply wrote:

“Just wanted to let you know, I think you may have intended this email for someone else, but it came to me instead.”

As far as I know, my vague non-supportive, non-dismissive has not been read. I am wholly unsatisfied with my answer and my heart won’t let me forget. Knowing what you stand for doesn’t do you much good if you don’t actually stand up when necessary. I am loathe for strife which is what attention or report will undoubtedly bring. I have covered myself as best I can by blind cc’ing myself, saving and then printing the email. Will this insure my innocence should something more come of it? I’m not sure. At this point, I am surely ashamed of, and for, us both.