The Sword Review AttackedBill SnodgrassNotice that The Sword Review was a little under the weather? Our site was hacked as part of a protest against a Denmark newspaper for running a cartoon. And we don't even know anyone from Denmark. More... Editorial
On Sunday, 2006-02-19 (CST, USA), The Sword Review was attacked, an effort claimed by two people calling themselves "The Sweet Devil" and "ViP HaCKer." They were protesting the publication of a cartoon in the Denmark newspaper Jyllands Posten. It amazes me what some people will do.
Do they think this is going to make us feel sympathetic for their cause? It makes me mad! I want to get even with them, not help them out. This kind of attack doesn't help at all! How, she went on to say, can these attackers expect anything but an angry and vengeful reaction from their actions? How can they? Thankfully, she and I recognize that "The Sweet Devil" and "ViP HaCKer" are just two people who need God's love as much as anyone else. They do not represent all people from their faith background. They represent the attitude of some within their faith group, but to cast all from that group into the same light is no different than saying all whites in the USA are bigots trying to oppress Blacks around them. (Yes, I used "Black" intentionally, as my friends from church have directed me to do, despite Ivory tower wisdom to use more hyphens. I used "Black" to respect the friends I live with, not to disrespect anyone—today of all days is not the day to do that.) No, I will not elevate the actions of these two individuals to a status attributing their attitude and strategy to entire nations, or faith groups. I am sure there are as many who share these two's beliefs that are mortified by their actions as I am. My response to this is somewhat different than some would expect. I am, indeed, angered by the time I lost to this attack. But my reaction is to call for action that may not seem congruent with the event. I call for action from those sharing the attacker's faith traditions to speak up against such mindless, pointless aggression. No group can be elevated by the tearing down of another group. Tearing down this community did nothing to satisfy the demands of those attacking it. I call for action from those in ANY group, too. Whites have stood by for generations watching discrimination against Blacks and said nothing. Indeed, there is a selection of Whites who would like to see Blacks torn down. Those who keep silent on the matter are assumed to be part of the oppression-minded like-pigmented group. For Whites to stay silent in the face of racism is no different from the silence of those from the attackers' faith group in light of this and other attacks. Where silence is allowed to go on, injustice is done. As non-bigoted whites need to let their voice be heard, so too should tolerant people of all groups speak out against social malevolences around the world. "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." ---Edmund Burke Our world needs to see the love of God in action. If we react to an attack by thrashing out at all people similar to the attackers, we have not shown God's love. I will not develop thoughts here with regard to what should or should not be done to the two who attacked this community of diverse people. At this time, I know I would fall short of a meaningful and dignified response. I'd like to hold them accountable for their actions. But I will not lash out at all people in general from the attackers' tradition. Neither, do I think, would Christ.
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