By Boris Darmanović, editor-in-chief of the CdM portal
I remember the life in the 90s, when we were going out as teenagers and when for some people, carrying a “handgun in a holster”, with or without permission, was the most normal thing to do. As part of the evening’s repertoire, there were those famous night raids, after which the number of all those confiscated guns was usually zero. The nights continued, sometimes with shootings, sometimes with murders. It was all completely normal although nothing was normal.
Here we are, nearly a quarter of a century later, when threats to the family of a public figure, the media or a politician have become our new normal. In most cases, no one reports it. The latest example of threats to our analyst, Mr Ljubomir Filipović, who has been engaged in a political struggle all alone by using the media, CdM, Twitter and Facebook in the town of Budva, where attacks on the unlike-minded are nothing unusual, represents a fresh and good example of what the public word actually reveals.
I talk with Ljubo every day and I know that he’s not so scared, nor is this something strange to him. He probably drinks his coffee while reading the outbursts of profanity. He then moves on to the praises, as I also know there’s a much larger number of those who back him than the unfortunates who threaten him. However, silence should stop. I know very well why he was silent. I completely understand him. He wouldn’t mind if I say I know he didn’t want to be one of those who brand themselves martyrs, who immediately go to embassies to cry, ask for a donation, present themselves as the only fighters for justice needing support in terms of logistics and funds, as they’re ready to continue this fierce battle but with certain compensation.
Knowing this, he probably found the idea of it quite repugnant.
However, he should not stay silent. It’s how some bad people, like those I’ve mentioned in the beginning of this text, were encouraged to do what they wanted to do. The threats Mr Filipović received today are just the part of the repertoire on social media for the unlike-minded. We see that politicians rush to organize press conferences, they get security guards, while “persons” are immediately brought to justice. Are they really scared or not – it’s difficult to say, but it’s evident that they’re using it.
The purpose of this and other texts about the threats to our columnist and analyst, are not donations, but aim to stir action against this phenomenon and people who utter their threats and insulting words, often bragging about them in comments on social media, and in my opinion, thinking about “pulling” something else afterwards. If we don’t raise our voice against that now and stop them immediately, who knows what they could do after being so encouraged.
Euphoric reaction over someone’s victory apparently hasn’t subsided, it was just hiding and waiting. The “energy” of the post-election victory is still present and was just silenced for less than an hour by someone’s order. But, where there’s a will, one can do anything. We shall see.
