HACKED

So, after returning from a week long International Convention with my lovely youth group, I found a not-so-lovely surprise tonight. As the regional Communications VP, I am responsible for managing our regional website. Tonight, I received a phone call from my friend in New Jersey, who is the Comm VP for his region.

"Have you checked your regional web page recently?"
"Uh. Not in the past day and a half. Why?"
"Well.. you might want to. You got hacked."
"WHAT?!"

Lo and behold, our two beloved regional websites were hacked by pro-Palestine groups/individuals. Being the amateur web manager that I am, I have absolutely zero idea how to fix this and have contacted all the expert people from the International office. I will hopefully have it fixed by tomorrow.

There is little doubt in my mind that the person responsible was influenced by the current conflicts occurring in Israel and Gaza. While some may say I am biased towards supporting Israel (and maybe I am), I still think that this kind of free speech and act of protest is disgusting. I am ashamed for not being able to fix it and disgusted by the images and words this hacker put on my website. I sat at my laptop, literally staring at the same image hoping that I could figure out to fix it. I'm trying my hardest to forget what I saw, but I don't think it will be quite that simple.

And this isn't the first time this has happened either. The web page was also hacked by anti-Israel groups last year. It's an ongoing battle. Passwords can be changed but there will always be someone desperate to make a statement. The important thing, I think, is to not let it get to me. Regardless of the message, these statements are insulting, the means in which it is accomplished is insulting, and I'm disgusted with the overwhelming amount of ignorance that can still be found in the world today. But the important thing is to work and fight past it. If it's not a hacker on a website, it's graffiti on a wall. And if it's not about Israel, it's about some other form of hate.

What a wonderful way to start the new year...