His comments had violated the law and was not tolerated in our pluralistic society. The one year imprisonment sentence is a punishment for Chow, as well as a warning for the community.
Like highways, social media sites allow free and speedy message conveyance. However, just like highways with speed limits and safety regulations to avoid accident, social media sites have its own rules and regulations to prevent uncontrollable remarks from hurting social harmony and national unity.
The problem is, there is a sound system to regulate safe driving on highways and drivers are required to first obtain a driving license through studying, practising and examination. The online highways, however, lack a sound system and no license is required for Internet users, who are also not taught about network responsibility and morality.
Some social media site users have got addicted to the freedom and pleasure provided by the Internet until they have even forgotten that freedom comes with responsibility and the obligation to abide by law.
Such remarks have contradicted religious holiness, hurt the feelings of Muslims and stirred up religious and racial sentiments. A person's ignorance has caused extensive damages. If it is not given legal sanction and moral condemnation, it might indirectly encourage other extreme and uncontrollable remarks, which could lead to very serious consequences.
Similarly, other extreme remarks that can often be found on social media sites, from extreme racist remarks that are offensive to other religions to vicious personal attacks, must also be controlled and subject to legal sanctions.
Particularly in the pluralistic environment of our country, racial harmony and religious understanding must be protected by law and developed through education.
Traditional relationships, including mutual respect and expression of goodwill, as well as the efforts to narrow differences and strengthen consensus are essential to strengthen social cohesion.
However, modern relationships are partly established through the Internet. The Internet highlighted differences in people, amplified oneself, reduced tolerance and sacrificed understanding. Various remarks based on self interests and stands are scattered all over the online world, intensifying contradictions among people, while racial and religious relations have become subjects to vent emotions and attack.
To reflect on the currently deteriorating racial and religious relations, the unhealthy Internet culture and sinking moral values must be reviewed. The sentence for Chow is a warning to remind the people that it is personal convenience and freedom to use the Internet, but everyone must comply with legal and moral needs to avoid social confusion and disorder.
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