Message boards and discussion forums are often found on websites to spur debate about issues. These can be limited to the subject matter of the website, or they can be very general.

If you're a regular internet surfer who takes a keen interest in information about Pakistan on the web, you may have encountered nasty, negative and hostile messages about the country in these forums and boards.

Whether it's people linking Pakistan to terrorism, conspiracy, corruption, and more, or those who just plain hate anyone and anything Pakistani, there is plenty of negativism. That's why you can and should provide the alternative voice in this arena.

It's important to remember that the messages on message boards and in forums are usually kept there so that visitors to the site can read them even beyond the date they were posted. This means that the impact of a good word goes beyond just refuting one nasty post. Rather, other visitors to the site in the future have the benefit of getting a more balanced view of the issue that has been posted about.

It's natural to want to respond in an equally hostile manner to negative of messages. But this will only play into the hands of those who want to paint Pakistan and Pakistanis in a less-than-favorable light.

There is a way to respond that will not only minimize the damage and provide balance, but also leave you, as a representative of Pakistanis, looking better than the fool who wrote the nasty post.

First, you need to read the original message a couple of times, especially after your anger has subsided from the initial hostility of the poster. Look for the main point of attack. Remember, while some or a lot of the post is garbage, it may contain a grain of truth.

For example, if a post contains a rant against how filthy Pakistan is, and says all Pakistanis are dirty (fill in the blank with your choice of the expletive), then this is your hook. Sad to say, many parts of Pakistan are filthy. This is the truth in the post.

Second, try to find out if there are any groups or individuals in Pakistan working to clean up their part of the country and the environment in general. If they have a website, note down its address.

After you've tried to find this information, write the first draft of your response. You can be as hostile as you want in your first draft, but do NOT post it on the message board.

Once you've written your first draft, pick out the material that you want to keep in it. Remember that what you write will not only be read by the person who's post you are responding to, but by many others as well, possibly even individuals from around the world.

Then start writing your final draft. Here are some tips:

1. Do not attack the person, whether it is on a personal level, or by insulting his/her religion, culture, ethnicity, etc.
2. Acknowledge the truth of what they have written (i.e. that it's true, many parts of Pakistan are unfortunately, not well kept).
3. Admit that something must be done about the problem.
4. Give the information you have found about the group in Pakistan that is fighting against the stated problem (i.e. groups that are trying to clean up their neighborhoods).
5. Provide a link to an article about that group's work or to their website so that all who read the post can visit the site.

It's important to be informed about good news coming out of Pakistan in order to promote the positive. You can do this by signing up to Pakistani news groups and lists, or subscribing to a newsletter for a major publication like the daily English-language Pakistani newspaper Dawn. In addition, do searches on a weekly basis of major news sites like www.worldnews.com, www.cnn.com and www.bbc.com to find news about Pakistan, by typing in the country's name in the sites' search engines.

Look for news about Pakistanis not just in Pakistan who are making a difference, but also those in America who are positively affecting the lives of others, whether it's the cab driver who saved someone's life or a group of young Pakistani-Americans raising funds to support good causes in Pakistan.

You don't just have to post positive messages about Pakistan when something negative is written though. You can regularly highlight the good news coming from Pakistan by posting the links for positive articles on message boards.

And if it's a slow news week and you can't find much positive about Pakistan here are some quick postive facts you can use:

1. Despite the level of poverty, the number of people who die of hunger in Pakistan is minimal in comparison to other developing countries.
2. Pakistan has regularly assisted in humanitarian missions around the world. Two examples in the last decade are in Somalia and Bosnia, where Pakistan provided military and humanitarian assistance.
3. Pakistan has accepted what is probably the largest number of refugees in the world from Afghanistan since 1979. It has not only provided refuge, but Afghanis have become a fabric of Pakistani society.

Date/Time Last Modified: 6/17/2002 3:48:32 PM

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