Derek Vander Voort

I have recently become the target—not the victim—of what is often called cybermobbing. Mobbing is a form of collective bullying in which a group repeatedly targets one person through ridicule, harassment, intimidation, social pressure, or coordinated efforts to discredit, isolate, or silence them. Online, it can take the form of pile-ons, repeated personal attacks, mockery, dogpiling, and attempts to overwhelm someone simply for expressing an unpopular opinion. There is an important distinction between being a target and being a victim. I have been bullied at different points throughout my life, and I have yet to meet the individual, group, or organization capable of intimidating me into silence when I believe something needs to be said—or when I believe people, institutions, or ideas I care about need defending. Some of the people I have confronted over the years have been far more powerful than me. Some were smarter than me. Some occupied positions that gave them considerably more influence and authority than I had. A few were genuinely dangerous. I spoke anyway. So, with all due respect, a crowd of angry JMU fans on social media does not particularly concern me. People are free to disagree with me. They are free to challenge my facts, question my reasoning, or make a stronger argument. In fact, I welcome that. Good debate requires disagreement. But ridicule, personal attacks, pile-ons, and attempts to intimidate someone into silence are not arguments. I won't stop speaking because a crowd gets loud or because several of you sit at home and post while I am at work or taking care of other responsibilities. If I am wrong, show me where I am wrong. If my facts are incorrect, correct them. If my reasoning is flawed, dismantle it. But if the objective is to bully me into stopping, history suggests that will be a very unsuccessful strategy. I will continue to speak what I believe to be true, defend the people and ideas I hold dear, and change my position when the evidence—not the mob—gives me reason to do so.