hate tanks

I believe that those who make a mission of targetting the rights of others or of denying facts in order to promote a rigid, hateful agenda are suffering from either: a personality disorder, a characterological defect, some degree of psychological damage, the aftermath of indoctrination unopposed by reason, or a combination of these.

Some seriously damaged individuals, like Cho Seung-hui, resort to overt violence when overwhelmed by internal demons. Others resort to hate propaganda, often taking advantage of the Internet, principles of free speech, or rap music to spread their antisocial message.

Let's start with the Internet, which provides inexpensive opportunities for hate-propagation crawled blindly by search engines. Some websites are set up so as to appear to be the e-carnation of legitimate organizations promoting something positive. Closer scrutiny typically reveals that these websites focus only on attacking the rights of minority groups or of belittling science in the name of religious dogma.

It could be argued that my mimbling and wimbling provides yet another example of hate-propagation. I readily admit that I am irritated by illogic, ignorance, and bigotry. However, all of these irritants are correctible negatives – that is, illogic ought, for the sake of society and the responsible individual, to be replaced by logic, ignorance by knowledge, and bigotry by tolerance.

As for religious practice, there are milder forms of religious belief that are compatible with logic and tolerance. If individuals need some form of spiritual succor, denominations exist that are not associated with literal insistence upon rigid dogmatism and intolerance, and that permit a peaceful coexistence between logic, knowledge, and spiritual comfort.

Here's an example:
"founded in 1982 with one overriding mission: to generate empirical research on issues that threaten the traditional family, particularly homosexuality, AIDS, sexual social policy, and drug abuse . . . published scientific material."

Positive buzz-words: empirical research, published scientific material, traditional family.
Negative buzz-words: homosexuality, AIDS, sexual social policy, and drug abuse.
Secondary gain: "donations accepted"

The individuals responsible for these attacks probably delude themselves that they are acting in the interests of society and not out of hatred. Those who read and contribute to such sites may delude themselves that they are good, Christian people.

As a member of a traditional family, I am in no way threatened by homosexuality and much less at risk from AIDS than from the traditional killers (heart disease, cancer, etc.). The hate tank in question appears to be promoting only an anti-gay message, and shows no signs of promoting legitimate, empirical, scientific research.

Quo Vadis?
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