Indiana University students mistake priest for klansman, freak out. Which says dire things about the students knowledge of society in general, but here’s what bothers me. What is inherently threatening about a person wearing a white robe? “He defies my narrowly construed social norms, I’m scared!” I’m not saying ignore personal safety, but maybe pause and take a closer look. Could have been a klansman, could have been a priest, could have been an imam, could have been a dude that wanted to wear a robe today. And if that had been a Muslim, oh the intersectionality.
Some light reading: Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds. The internet just makes it easier for the madness to spread.
Not So Fast 