As I contemplated this week’s topic, all seemed good with the world. It was a Friday and the early spring sun was shining through the apple tree despite a frosty nip in the air. It was the last day of educating from home, and I had a light teaching day, thankfully, as we have all had our fill of remote learning.

But then, out of the blue came a thunderbolt that rocked me to the core. Before I proceed with this genuine tale of woe, a dash of background information: on a Facebook group, the admin banned all what he deemed to be ‘anti vax’ posts, and threatened to cast out those with an alternative opinion to his.

His post proved divisive, despite most agreeing with his authoritarian stance. Those who disagreed were tarred and feathered publicly, and the comments could be deemed to be of a bullying nature. I did not comment, but then wrote the following on a separate Facebook group: "The group virtue signalling and stifling of free speech worries me. As Evelyn Beatrice Hall said in Friends of Voltaire ‘I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it’."

But then came the thunderbolt. I sat here, cup of tea in hand and the weekend within touching distance when I received a private message from an individual who had seen my musings. It read: "I almost took my life last night because of the (other group's) post. I felt singled out and bullied. I did not mean to offend; I was not rude, and I just wanted to share my opinions on freedom of speech. I suffer with borderline personality disorder and PTSD and I care a lot about people. I hope you understand the admin's actions almost killed me. I am not a bad person."

Brett Ellis says there is no excuse for witch-hunting on social media. Photo: Pixabay

Brett Ellis says there is no excuse for witch-hunting on social media. Photo: Pixabay

I then got into conversation with him in which he stated he was publicly called "a joke" and "a conspiracy theorist" as others again took up their positions behind the keyboard as they fed on the carcass of alternative opinion.

Now to many, and I include myself in this considering the level of ire I often receive for these writings, the abuse could be deemed to be not ‘that’ bad. And yes, there is an argument that, if someone is that vulnerable, then maybe they should not engage in online debate. But I counter: why not? Why should this person, as a release, not be given a platform? Be free to air his views, if those views are aired respectfully? It seems the problem is not his standpoint per se, but the inability of large swathes of society to entertain an opinion that differs even slightly from their view of the world.

Collectively we, and the large social media companies such as Facebook, should be sitting contrite in the corner and asking how it has come to this? Yet still, we continue with the herd mentality and feeding frenzy against the minority view.

Personally, it sickens me and has left me contemplating removing myself from this toxic, wretched pit of online depravity, and finding another activity in which to plug the downtime chasm.

I contacted the admin of said group, who is refusing, even after a suicide attempt, to take the post down. Something needs to happen, and it needs to happen now: If we don’t change, we are in for the long haul of angst caused by hurtful comments, as we wring our hands and tighten the noose around those who dare to think just a little differently to us.

  • Brett Ellis is a teacher