Half Empty or Half Full

 I read something in the news that boggled my mind. Can perspective be so skewed that we no longer see the truth. Is the glass half empty or half full? Can a woman be an activist who speaks at a national democratic convention or a cold blooded murderer? Below is the article from Fox news. There are many more articles of outrage, but I thought that only one was necessary. The emphasized words were done by Fox News, not me. The text is verbatim.

Donna Hylton was known as inmate #86G0206 for 27 years. She was behind bars for her role in the grisly murder and torture of Thomas Vigliarolo, a balding New York businessman found stuffed inside a steamer trunk and left to rot in Harlem. Hylton and six others let him die "in the most heinous circumstances," the prosecutor said at their trial in 1985. On Thursday, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) hailed Hylton as one of "America's most impactful community leaders" and asked her to participate in a video reading of the Preamble to the Constitution during a televised portion of the convention. Her appearance has left some people puzzled and others furious, wondering why the DNC would rally behind a woman who was involved in the brutal rape, torture and murder of a 62-year-old man.

In a Thursday night tweet, Hylton said she has been on the receiving end of social media threats since her appearance.

"Getting hate messages and very un-Christian attacks on @Twitter. Learned a valuable lesson years ago from my Pastor *Give Unto Ceasar (sic) that which is Cesar's* With that said, hope those filled w/hate find some peace. Stay focused #DemConvention," she wrote.

Her tweet prompted quick support from some followers but also opened up Hylton and the DNC to a tsunami of criticism.

Adnan Khan wrote: "F$&k these bots and the cowards who don't have a picture or use their real name. Look where you are! You clearly have more value than them. They should google me next. And the 10million+ of is [sic] out here after me. We could do this all day."

Rodney H. tweeted, "The vitriol I'm seeing directed at my friend and colleague from dense, white racists is infuriating. Please go find something better to do with your time than harass a Black woman doing libertion [sic] work."

Others sought to remind the public of her violent past.

One user wrote, "Did anyone notice listed under the DNC's "America's most impactful community leaders" was Donna Hylton? She's a classy 55-year-old woman convicted for the kidnapping, rape, torture and murder of a 62-year-old Long Island real estate broker in 1986."

Twitter user @Covidhomeschool weighed in: "You are the furthest thing from a Christian. Pretend all you want about loving Jesus. People who torture and murder do not go to heaven. There is no making up for what you did. Yet, you are monitizing [sic] off it! Just shows how you really are not sorry. Hell gates await you!"

Full/Empty? Activist/ Murderer? Right/Wrong? Up/Down? It's all perspective, my friend and perspective can be dangerous.