to tell someone what I think if they put something racist or something which I disagree strongly with on Facebook?

[weewifey40]

has happened a few times recently.
I hate sitting on my hands, forcing myself not to post, when I want to tell them what I actually think.
3 examples:
friend from school put something about immigrants taking jobs. I wanted to put her right. Didn't. Silently seethed.
American relative put something about guns and their 'rights' and she also thinks abortion should be illegal and contraception should be charged for. Again, I silently seethed.
An ex work colleague put a racist joke up about female muslims. I did say something..quite restrained, but definitely said it was wrong.
When is it right to give your real opinion? If someone puts something political or controversial up on Facebook, is it fair game? Or is it best to leave well alone cos they're entitled to their stupid, crass, ill formed opinion?
AIBU to tell 'em what I think?

Certain things I challenge by politely saying somethings not really on,others I full scale rant at then unfriend.

But I have a stock reply that I use when ever I see the r word and that's

"Your a festering wank badger tosser knob jockey cunt ,I no longer wish to associate with oxygen thieves, next time I see you in RL let's pretend to be strangers and avoid each other" I then unfriend and ignore.

What I don't understand is why people don't simply google a link to hard facts and just post that on the offending FB page.

You don't have to start a convo, you don't have to start an argument, you don't have to spend hours trying to enlighten said offender...just post the link.

It might not do any good in terms of changing that person's opinions, but it'll do a lot more good than saying nothing and just staring thread after thread on MN about how annoyed you are.

^^ That by the way is not just to the OP....it's to the huge amounts of MNetters who start very similar threads to this.

If you're not prepared to at least let them know they're being distasteful (putting it mildly) I don't see the point in coming to MN to be patted on the back for thinking racist people are wankers.

I would definitely challenge, loudly, if it was something racist, sexist or homophobic, and then delete them, not wait to be deleted. I don't agree with "everyone's entitled to their opinion, you might not agree with it, but that doesn't make it right or wrong" politically correct bullshit that people spout nowadays. If you are racist, make comments about gay people or nasty comments about women, then you are wrong, and I will tell you so.

I'm in a quandry over my Mum, who I discovered yesterday had been posting what I think is racist stuff (sharing a BNP status, stuff from 'proud to be British etc). It is a profile I keep just for her as I cant trust her to not be nosy and snide but I may just close it down and she will no longer get to see photos of DS.

Yanbu, although ime it depends on the person as to what reaction you get! One now ex friend put up racist comments, couldn't see that his comments were wrong, i deleted. Another friend used the R word in a status, i commented (that she wouldn't call someone a nigger so please don't call them a retard) and she deleted the status - and is still a friend.

I try to challenge lightheartedly and with humour - people are entitled to express their opinion freely no matter how offensive i find it - but the reaction is what i judge on iyswim

Presumably, HillBilly76, when people emigrate to another country they look for employment? Which is why they end up having a job, strangely enough.

If you wanted to go and live in Spain, or the US, or Australia, (for example), I'm sure you would (unless you were retiring) be looking for a job there, so that you could support yourself.

Or is it different for British people who emigrate, compared with those nasty forriners who immigrate here?

Depends what it was that they were posting. If it was something that would generally be considered offensive then yes, I'd call them on it.

If it was something a bit more subtle, or something that was definitely their own opinion then I might be a bit more restrained, although I would likely want to distance myself from them.

If it was a close friend, then I'd probably speak to them in person about it rather than post on a public forum and end up with a potential online slanging match.

I would challenge. If it is something you would challenge of they said it to your face, why would you not do so on FB?

But i don't use facebook, and i don't underrstand why people would post things they would not say, and NOT expect to be fair game. What you say online is not consequence-free, and they need to be reminded of that.

It depends on whether you need to challenge each and every single ignorant utterance or whether you've other stuff to do with you time.

You can probably join petition of the day if you're bored.

kim - The Saga Forum closed because they did not want their business name to be 'brought into disrepute' with some of the remarks on said Forum. They did not do it because they were being politically correct, nor for any ethical reason, - they did it because they thought their business would be affected.

I belonged to that Forum and was horrified that such a large organisation couldn't deal with one or two nasty people posting. To the detriment of all of us who enjoyed the Forum.

If it bothers you that much you should either hide their newsfeed or defriend them. No matter how much you disagree with someone on facebook, if you've got nothing nice to say, say nothing. There's nothing more irritating than rude arses that want to aggressively lecture everyone else to death because they have liked or shared something that they personally disagree with.

Anyone looking at my page knows I'm pro abortion, gays, anti war etc, they can see pictures of me at rallys and know what meetings I've been to. I know that a lot of my friends and acquaintances on facebook are pro life, religious, different political opinions and have a very different outlook on life. I would never be rude enough to lecture or insult them on their beliefs and I wouldn't tolerate them getting hysterical over mine.

Facebook is a place for you to define your own interests and what is important to you, share your own thing and stop obsessing over what others are doing. Hide or rid anyone with a differing opinion if you can't cope with that. Nobody cares for your opinion on their page, that's what your own page is for.

Thezebra

What you say is interesting. This is where i don't quite get FB. Have no desire to put myself out there in such a non selective way to people who aren't my real friends.

Prefer to do it anonymously......