Are we really that hateful?

It seems like every other week now we hear insensitive remarks by public figures aimed at stirring discontent along racial lines.

Then, there are groups of ill-intent individuals bent on inflicting communal hatred with provocative actions, like desecrating animals considered sacred to another religion.

It is now the holy month for Muslims all over the world - a month of strengthening faith and patience.

But certain quarters might be lurking around, seeing this as an opportune time to stoke religious discord with jeering and insensitive actions, like how it happened in previous years.

And communities that feel victimised by such actions will retort with more insult, anger and retaliation, exacerbated with more absurd and racist comments, sometimes, uttered by the people we put in office.

How many of you feel tired of the state of affairs in our country?

I do, and from time to time, an unsettling feeling of fear creeps up on me. Are we headed down the gutter?

Then again, I can’t accept in entirety that things are as bad as it seems because I am constantly reminded of the good things I see around me - that the majority of Malaysians are not intolerant, hateful beings, and we live in such a diverse but beautiful country.

Go take a walk at a Ramadan bazaar today; you’ll see people of different races, colours and nationalities walking alongside each other, enjoying the sights of sumptuous delicacies.

I take a look around my office, where 98% of my colleagues consist of a single race and religion, and they certainly do not make me feel I’m less worthy or throw derogatory remarks just because I make up the 2% ‘dan lain lain’.

Sure, every community has a different way thinking, belief and we may not grasp the full understanding of one another, but it clearly doesn’t appear that we are all out to get at each other, or throwing a cow’s head, in recent context.

There many factors on how news organisations determine the newsworthiness of a story, and like it or not, racist, provocative events make headlines on any given day.

The effects of such news items will then be extrapolated in the social media realm, fuelling more angry and hateful comments – which is expected. However, as much as discourse is necessary towards a more civic and open society, these comments have no interest in finding a solution to the issues.

Personally, I have taken a stance to not share/like/re-tweet any piece of information that perpetuates hate, bigotry and intolerance – not because I don’t care; I just don’t want to give more space to these voices which I deem pointless.

Maybe it is time for the sensible, reasoned and moderate voices to drown the echoes of extremism.

The problem is that the voice of moderation is never as loud as the radical ones. But I think we can all help ensure that only the voices that should be heard, be heard.