Hate Not Here.
In our daily lives, it's so easy to take an insult personally and hold a grudge against a certain someone for a period of time. We're only human, and forgiveness can be more difficult than we imagine sometimes. That being said, we could all learn a lesson from army veteran Chris Herbert.
It seems that everywhere you turn these days, anti-Muslim sentiment plagues people's thoughts, words, and social media posts, from the most famous politicians to the many workers and neighbors around us, and even people that have no personal experience with people who practice Islam are quick to make misinformed decisions based on the rumors and lies they've read on the internet or heard on the TV.
Chris Herbert's life was changed forever after he lost his leg in Iraq, and given today's strong anti-Muslim feelings, he decided it was time to lash out against the hate spewing from people who are much less affected by terrorism than he has been.
Source: Facebook @Chris Herbert
Start the slideshow below to read Herbert's powerful message, then SHARE this simple truth to stop hate.
About Chris
Source: Facebook @Chris Herbert
From Portsmouth, England, Chris enlisted in the army when he was younger. He later lost his right leg while serving in Basra, Iraq in 2007, but has lived an active and fulfilling life as an amputee ever since.
In fact, before his viral Facebook post last week, Chris had previously been in the news for the hysterical photos he's posted online regarding the funny things he does with his missing limb, such as drawing faces on it or cleverly using it in a costume.
Islamophobia
Source: Facebook @Chris Herbert
Since Chris lost his leg in an explosion triggered by a Muslim man, many people might expect him to hold a grudge against the forces, country, or community that planned the assault. In fact, Chris wrote on his Facebook that some Islamophobic groups even thought he would make a good "poster child" for their hateful cause.
By this point, however, Chris had had enough of the hate-mongering, and he decided to take to Facebook to make his feelings clear once and for all.
The Post
Getting frustrated by some people expecting racism from me, because I got blown up. Here it is:Yes. A Muslim man blew...
Posted by Chris Herbert on Tuesday, December 8, 2015
"Point is, f**k off. I know who I dislike, and I know who I dont. I know who I appreciate, and I know who I dont. If you want to hate an entire race of men and women for the actions of a few d**kheads feel free, but don't push your views on me, thinking I am an easy target because one douchebag decided it was my day to die.
"Blaming all Muslims for the actions of groups like Daeshe and the Taliban, is like blaming all Christians for the actions of the KKK or Westboro Baptists Church.
"Get a grip of your lives, hug your family and get back to work."
Amen to that. In the days since Chris posted his awesome message, the post has garnered over 26,000 likes and 182,000 shares.
The Price of Fame
Source: Facebook @Chris Herbert
In the wake of his unexpected fame, Chris learned very important (and funny) lesson about cursing on social media, even when impassioned for an honorable cause. Looks like dad wasn't too happy!
Magic
Source: Facebook @Chris Herbert
One of Chris's proudest moments since his viral post (aside from the pride of calling for equality and stopping prejudice) was that J. K. Rowling urged her followers to read Chris's powerful message. Put positivity out there in the world and it will come back to you!
SHARE if you agree with Chris's message!