The next batch of incels/supremacists/hate mongers are being indoctrinated as you read this. It's your teens, your husbands, your friends.
Boredom + Unfocused Anger + Online propaganda = a breeding ground for hatred.
Fight early and often with empathy. Challenge black and white or all or nothing thinking.
Promote critical thinking skills as often as you can - hatred short circuits logic like no other.
Please don't be complacent. Once you lose them, it's hard to deprogram.
-Hobs
^^^^
I hate hate hate *hate* being right about this. The murderer says that he first started becoming radicalized 2 years ago.
Almost 2 years ago to the date I made the above post.
It still applies, don't keep being shocked that this happened. COVID isolation and being hyper online has ruined a lot of people.
It's a lot harder to deprogram someone the longer they wallow in the propaganda.
Don't keep asking how it could happen, ask when is it going to happen again.
@Hobyrim This is actually terrifying to me. My youngest son coming from a military multigenerational family and lost his father, grandfather, still is close to his older brothers but they intimidate him and his cousins but man I worry. But then I see him volunteer with younger kids and animals but wow. I worry about him going to college in another state, going into military, you can see how in a group cut off it could happen.
^^^ Three months later and I am sure you are all seeing the effects of boredom and constant being online with bad faith "people", trolls, and bigots.
I can't stress the importance of actual human contact to those most vulnerable to this. Keep your teens and young adults as engaged with reality as you can.
If you aren't seeing how fast Q Anon can radicalize people, you aren't paying attention.
Those vulnerable are hurting.
From CDC