Is it just me, or does everyone out there also enjoy reading individual opinions at the comments section on social media?
I read comments mostly to gauge reactions to matters relative to our every day lives and society on a daily basis. Two things I've learned from sifting through countless opinions
a) More often than not, there is a far fetched advert in the comments section pawning stuff like Mtn, Glo or Etisalat 10gig data for 100 naira, call this or that number to get dibs etc.
b) Nigerians have an opinion about everything...even wetin no affect or concern them.
Few days ago, I read comments on an article about the shooting at a certain gay night club in Orlando US. (i'm sure everyone caught wind of that unfortunate incident) and opinions were a mixed bag to tell you the truth, though i wasn't surprised by any of it because years of sifting through countless individual opinions has somewhat primed me for the level to which humanity has sunk. Now I'm not referring to foreign comments, those were mostly of commiserations and sympathizing (though they do have their share of nut cases), I'm talking about comments from my Naija people. Yes, there were sympathetic and genuine comments of concern and condemnation of the barbaric act but they were too few and in between if you ask me. Most comments although masked as commiserations, did little to hide that tinge of serves-them-right tone. You know, that tone that sorta says that's sad and all, but you sef why you gay? Like one individual put it, such an ungodly act deserves whatever is coming to the perpetrators. Holy justice if i remember correctly is what he labeled it.
Agreed, to a great degree, the world (especially Africa) is still largely homophobic and homosexuality is perceived sin right? In that regard, sin is sin and no such thing as lesser or greater sin right? So why are we so quick to condemn others simply because they "sin" differently than we do? I mean, its public knowledge that some political figures loot funds from their offices, some women having multiple abortions or men soliciting sex from minors. These sins are easily forgivable and forgettable and these people even sometimes go as far as being celebrated in their circles for being Wily folk (aka sharp man or woman) but we raise bloody hell when we see two (wo)men kissing and damn them to hell - two (wo)men that will never have an abortion because... well you know the because.
I read comments that went from tagging the slain as deserving of their deaths to if they (the comment poster), were given the chance they'd kill many more. One even referenced Sodom and Gomorrah and said it was God getting back at the heathens like he did them back in the day. Tagging it God's vengeance. I wondered if this ignorant person would also brand innocent children getting killed in their hostels in Buni Yadi 'God's vengeance'?
Reading these comments, it occured to me, all other problems facing the human race today, from terrorism (on the top of the list) to rape, hunger, homelessness, political instability, religious intolerance and so on all have one common denominator, Man. Is cruelty the curse that comes along with being sentient beings?
Ever heard that talk that If all the insects and animals were to disappear from the earth, within 50 years all life on earth would end. And conversely, If all human beings disappeared from the face of the earth, within 50 years all forms of life would flourish? Debatable right? Well it is actual fact. A little Bio101 fact. Those insects, micro organisms and whatnot help in the process of bio-degradation. So clearly, WE ARE THE PROBLEM!
I'm not a 100 percent cool with seeing gay folk (I confess) but if seeing them hurts my eye in some type of way, i look the other way and not start to throw stones or seek the nearest shotgun or call for the lynch team. God did not make you or I his judge, jury and executioner here on earth. Respect all human life. We are all human beings before we are Black or White, Man or Woman, Tall or Short, Christian, Muslim or Jew. Notice how the commandment that condemns killing does not have any clause that goes..Thou shall not kill, Unless its a..........
Man, is such a confusing being ..Man here signifies Man AND Woman...before all the women in here start screaming Amen. I remember years ago on my journey to school, we drove passed an accident scene. Apparently, the car's driver had suddenly stepped on his breaks to avoid hitting a goat causing the car to somersault and land in a ditch. From the moans and cries coming out from the car i could tell some people were still alive despite looking badly mingled, good Samaritans from villages came to the aid of the accident victims with their axes and cutlasses. Carefully cutting through metal to rescue the victims. Our car didn't wait for us to see the conclusion of the rescue effort but I left that scene moved by the genuine compassion I saw in the faces of the local women and the dexterity the men put to making sure they got people out alive.
Sadly though, along the same route I heard some innocent passengers lost their lives to young men brandishing cutlasses and axes at a time of religious intolerance. I couldn't help but put the two side by side and wonder what changed in the heart of these men, if our first instinct is to help the helpless why kill the defenseless?
However there's a flicker of hope, I know.
-If only we can think for a second before we say those words that burn our fellow man
- If we can learn to forgive freely, forgiveness is not foolishness.
- If we can take hold of grievances more loosely and not take everything personal.
- If only we can just love each other more truly, After all, ALL MEN ARE BROTHERS.
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