Days before the midterm election in the United States, culture wars have inflamed and divided the electorate. Similarly, a deep divide is reflected in different ways throughout the world. Just as all phenomena have their roots and causes, so does this pervasive divisiveness. It is deeply rooted in unskillful speech. The world witnesses this each day in the words and tweets of the United States President, who uses racially charged and violence-inducing comments for political gain. Such speech divides, spreads fear, fuels anger, inflames. Such speech also reflects broader cultural sentiments. A prominent Buddhist discussion forum contributes to this divisiveness. It is DhammaWheel.com, a board run primarily by its owner David N. Snyder, who appears to share Libertarian views, and Paul Davy, a right wing disc jockey who created DhammaWheel.com together with Mr. Snyder nearly a decade ago.
Over the years, these two have presided over a forum which facilitates discussion of Theravada Buddhism, but not without bickering, scapegoating, racially charged commentary, a backdrop of right wing politics, disparagement of other religions, and other forms of unskillful speech that are opposed to Dhamma. In the age of Donald Trump with all of its incivility, false speech, fear mongering, and attacks on migrants, women, racial and ethnic minorities, journalists, political opponents, judges, independent investigators, Democrats and others, it is time to return to the foundational practice of Right Speech. This is a call for those who love Dhamma to be mindful of those in our midst who participate in and facilitate politically popular false speech, politically popular harmful speech. Some examples:
Anti-Semitism
There should be no disagreement that conspiracy theories that paint George Soros as a mastermind behind an alleged global plot are thinly disguised anti-Semitism. The recent attempt on Mr. Soros' life, and the recent mass-slaying of 11 at a Jewish synagogue in the United States, illustrate just how dangerous such rhetoric can be. Yet Mr. Davy uses DhammaWheel.com to support and spread George Soros conspiracy theories, and Mr. Snyder lets him.Anti-Muslim and Anti-Rohingya
There should be no disagreement that the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya population in northern Rakhine State in Myanmar, at the hands of the Buddhist majority, has been a crime against humanity. Yet DhammaWheel.com facilitates anti-Rohingya sentiments. More broadly, DhammaWheel.com repeatedly has attacked Islam and Islam-derived Bahai. The DhammaWheel.com attacks on Bahai are hard to explain. But they have received attention.
Anti-Civility
Donald Trump has been a contentious topic on DhammaWheel.com since his 2016 election. Purported "threats to free speech" also have been a contentious topic. All of this has resulted in wholehearted support on DhammaWheel.com for the idea that individuals are not accountable for their own spoken or written words, but rather that individuals are only accountable for their reactions to the hurtful words of others. As a further result, name-calling, online bullying, and other forms of abusive conduct on DhammaWheel.com are encouraged by the example of the forum's administration.
Falsehoods and Disdain for Credible News Sources
Some forum members have tried to call out falsehoods, only to be shouted down. DhammaWheel.com administration has, like Trump, sought to cast doubt on credible news sources, has attacked the so-called MSM, and has sought out opportunities to support Trump's version of reality. What has any of this conduct on a Buddhism discussion forum to do with Dhamma, or truth?
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People who identify as "Buddhist" would be well-served to own their role in perpetuating the politics of fear and division, and the culture wars which now roil. There should be no place for anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim views, bullying, spreading falsehoods, or other such harmful conduct -- especially on a discussion board that presents itself to the world as a place for Dhamma discussion.
"Whenever you want to do a verbal action, you should reflect on it: 'This verbal action I want to do — would it lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both? Would it be an unskillful verbal action, with painful consequences, painful results?' If, on reflection, you know that it would lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both; it would be an unskillful verbal action with painful consequences, painful results, then any verbal action of that sort is absolutely unfit for you to do. But if on reflection you know that it would not cause affliction... it would be a skillful verbal action with pleasant consequences, pleasant results, then any verbal action of that sort is fit for you to do.
"While you are doing a verbal action, you should reflect on it: 'This verbal action I am doing — is it leading to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both? Is it an unskillful verbal action, with painful consequences, painful results?' If, on reflection, you know that it is leading to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both... you should give it up. But if on reflection you know that it is not... you may continue with it.
"Having done a verbal action, you should reflect on it: 'This verbal action I have done — did it lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both? Was it an unskillful verbal action, with painful consequences, painful results?' If, on reflection, you know that it led to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both; it was an unskillful verbal action with painful consequences, painful results, then you should confess it, reveal it, lay it open to the Teacher or to a knowledgeable companion in the holy life. Having confessed it... you should exercise restraint in the future. But if on reflection you know that it did not lead to affliction... it was a skillful verbal action with pleasant consequences, pleasant results, then you should stay mentally refreshed and joyful, training day and night in skillful mental qualities."
"Ambalatthika-rahulovada Sutta: Instructions to Rahula at Mango Stone" (MN 61), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 30 November 2013,
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.061.than.html
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.061.than.html
There are these ten topics of [proper] conversation. Which ten? Talk on modesty, on contentment, on seclusion, on non-entanglement, on arousing persistence, on virtue, on concentration, on discernment, on release, and on the knowledge & vision of release. These are the ten topics of conversation. If you were to engage repeatedly in these ten topics of conversation, you would outshine even the sun & moon, so mighty, so powerful — to say nothing of the wanderers of other sects.
"Kathavatthu Sutta: Topics of Conversation (1)" (AN 10.69),
translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 30 November 2013,
And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying, abstaining from divisive speech, abstaining from abusive speech, abstaining from idle chatter: This, monks, is called right speech.
"Magga-vibhanga Sutta: An Analysis of the Path" (SN 45.8),
translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 30 November 2013,
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.008.than.html
translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 30 November 2013,
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.008.than.html
He speaks the truth, holds to the truth, is firm, reliable, no deceiver of the world. ... Thus reconciling those who have broken apart or cementing those who are united, he loves concord, delights in concord, enjoys concord, speaks things that create concord.
"Apannaka Sutta: A Safe Bet" (MN 60),
translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 30 November 2013,
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