In The Pit several people expressed their anger at Newsweek for publishing a story about Korans being flushed down the toliet. Many of them feel Newsweek is responsible for the ensuing riots as well as the deaths but few of them are directing their ire at the rioters or the holy men calling for blood. I feel their anger was directed at the wrong source. Being angry at Newsweek for their lack of responsibility is fine but they’re not the ones calling for blood or rioting.
I don’t want this thread to be specific to the Newsweek article. When I first heard the Brandon Teena story I reserved most of my anger towards the law enforcement officer who dismissed her allegations of rape and did nothing to bring her attackers to justice. As bad as his behavior was you’d think I’d be more angry at the ones who actually raped and murdered him.
So I have a theory about why we misplace our anger. I suspect it’s because we expect bad things from certain people. I expact bad people to rape and murder and it doesn’t really anger me in the abstract any more. I expect the police to be helpful and take rape allegations seriously no matter who makes them and it angered me greatly when they didn’t.
Am I way off base here? Is it possible that some people are more angry at Newsweek because they expect Muslim Clerics to make threats and for riots to follow those kinds of stories? Do people have a tendency to misplace their anger?
Marc