Patriotism is no excuse for online verbal violence

Taiwan singer Christine Fan poses with her baby twins. [Photo/Agencies]

Taiwan singer Fan Fan was recently scolded by some Chinese netizens for not being "patriotic", because she posted pictures of her twin toddlers on her micro blog on Sept 3, the day marking the 70th anniversary of the victory in the war against Japanese aggression. She later apologized for "displeasing some netizens". Comments:

In fact, it is those self-proclaimed patriotic netizens that need to apologize to Fan, because their ignorance has offended her right to share the joy of parenting. Such a rude and impolite mindset has reflected that some of us only act on impulse and ill-will, in a bid to present their love for the country. Fan has every right to post her happy life online on the day of the commemoration activities, regardless of her original intention.

Qianjiang Evening News, Sept 6

Of course, we should not judge Fan's personality or criticize her for being unpatriotic simply because of her post. But this does not mean she is 100 percent innocent when it comes to her responsibilities as a celebrity. They might be right or wrong about her post, yet people should be allowed to doubt her love for the country. As a role model, people such as Fan need to pay attention to their behavior in the public arena.

nen.com.cn, Sept 6

As society is evolving and citizens become more rational, extreme comments can no longer make easy inroads into the public's awareness, except online. Although featuring transparency and diversity, the Internet has also brought out the worst in some people, leading to the prevalence of a highly destructive kind of verbal violence. Fan's apology will only fuel the online hysteria and provoke more baseless criticism of her.

Cao Lin, a senior commentator with China Youth Daily, Sept 6