I have been vocal about my experience of radicalisation and how I escaped from that mindset. I have also warned others about the dangers of extremism and violence. However, this has not been easy for me. I have faced a lot of backlash and hostility from people who disagree with me or hate me for what I used to be. Some of them even threatened to kill me, which made me change my travel arrangements when I was invited to give talks. I used to take the train, but now I drive everywhere.
I soon realised that blocking and reporting the haters online did not make them go away. They would just create new accounts or find other ways to harass me.
So I did something that most people would not do. I started engaging with them. I know it sounds crazy, but hear me out. I believe that having difficult conversations and stepping out of your comfort zones is the only way to make a difference. Sometimes, all it takes is to give someone time and respect to listen to what they have to say, even if it goes against your own moral compass.
The first couple of screenshots show how one of the haters approached me. He was very rude and aggressive, calling me names and accusing me of being a traitor.
But after a while, you can see in the third screenshot that we started talking a bit differently. I was able to find out why he targeted me and what his grievances were. And the last one shows that I left the conversation open for him to continue tomorrow. Maybe he will change his mind about me, maybe he won’t. But at least I tried.
