Published 15:01 IST, November 20th 2018
Jack, don't put people in a box
It is deeply worrying to see the CEO of a platform that ostensibly stands against hate speech posing for a photo with a poster like this in his hand.
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An apology was required, going by Twitter's standards, seeing as it says that it is a platform open to all voices and is against hate speech, especially that which is targeted against specific sections and minorities. Brahmins make up 5% of the population and are a minority. This kind of constant demonising of a community, very often with violent pictorial descriptions of what should be done with Brahmins, frequently floats around on Twitter.
It is deeply worrying to see the CEO of a platform that ostensibly stands against hate speech posing for a photo with a poster like this in his hand.
I think it is important to take a stand against hate speech of any kind and to challenge it, which is what Twitter users have done. It is deeply disappointing that the CEO of Twitter is in a position like this.
Also, remember that India is a country that voted an OBC to the highest office of the land via a historical mandate, so we have made strides in the last 70 years -- the reservation policy, SC/ST Act are all to take us to a path of equality and reconciliation, and this kind of rhetoric only deepens the divided.
Tomorrow, if there was a terrorist attack by someone from a minority community and poster targeting said community came up on Twitter, we would oppose it and we should.
Targeting, stereotyping and hate speech against a community has to stop. In this, Twitter has an important role to play and its CEO posing with a poster, the contents of which may be defined as hate speech, are deeply worrying.
13:45 IST, November 20th 2018