Over the past couple of days, many people have been talking about the Cleveland shooter livestreaming himself driving around and shooting people at random. It didn't take long for people, and media outlets, to begin spreading information that this man was killing people in the names of the Black Lives Matter movement, or the Islam Religion.
This is simply not true, and this kind of thinking is extremely dangerous
This man supposedly was killing people in order to get the attention of his ex-wife and mother, because they refused to call him back. This man's reasoning was selfish and terrifying.
That should not be related in any way to the Black Lives Matter movement or the Islam religion.
So why is it so dangerous to spread false information like this?
Well, it spreads fear of things that simply should not be feared. The Black Lives Matter movement is not a dangerous or violent one, and to say that this man was supporting that movement incites fear in those who do not understand the movement. It also gives a bad name to the movement, despite the fact that this man clearly was not involved with the movement. It also gives a bad name to Muslims and promotes Islamophobia. People of color and Muslims already deal with so much hate, and many live in fear on a daily basis. Spreading this information only fuels that.
In situations like this, the best thing you can do is research everything. Do not place blame on someone or spread false information based on suspicion alone. That kind of action is what leads to unnecessary fear and hatred. In this day and age, misinformation is very, very dangerous. Things can get spread so quickly due to how easy it is to communicate via social media.
That is why you should be very careful with what you post, and don't believe everything you read. There are people out there who post fake information just to raise suspicion of movements and to promote fear when it is utterly unnecessary. Be careful what you say. Be wary of everything you read. People tend to believe everything that they read on the internet, and this often leads to warped thinking.
Many people feel the need to blame someone or find a person to fear in situations like this. However, the Black Lives Matter movement is not to blame, nor are Muslims. The only person to blame here is this man who is shooting innocent people. Do not let propaganda trick you into thinking that you should be scared of something you have no reason to fear.
