Facebook Issues

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I have recently been verbally attacked (twice!) on Facebook. Both times it was by people who are not friends of mine, and don't even know me. Both times it was because I stated an opinion of a political or religious nature with which they disagreed. My statements were not directed at anyone in particular, they were merely replies to friends' comments. I did not post them with the purpose of inflaming anyone.
What really infuriated me (and yes, I was infuriated, even though I know that's not a reasonable response) was that both times the other person began saying all kinds of things about me that were not true. I mean FACTUALLY untrue. Both times it led to numerous posts back and forth, with me trying to defend myself from their barbs.
Can anyone help me understand why this happened? I mean, I have no problem with people disagreeing with me and stating their own opinions, but why the personal attacks? What's the point of attacking someone you don't know just because they have an opinion? Especially when that person is a friend of a friend?
Also, how can I disengage from these attacks when they happen? It's really embarrassing that all my facebook friends (which are people I actually know, many of them relatives) are seeing these stupid arguments, but I don't want to be anybody's doormat (figurative) either.
Oh, also I am not new to WP (if that matters). Just a new name.

Report them to Facebook. If you go on their profiles, even if they aren't on your friends list, there should be a link saying something like "report this user" (I'm not on Facebook anymore so I can't check the exact wording).

We all have our freedom of speech and I'm sure the arguments aren't any one's concern but the people that are having them

*stalkbook*

By all means, report them. Even better, ignore them. Nothing makes a person look foolish faster, then to simply ignore them. Their statement will hang there looking more stupid by the minute, with no response to dignify it. To engage in discussion with people whom you weren't addressing in the first place will only lead to what you described here. It's a no win situation. One of the reasons I hate FB is that it can be a landmine if you aren't careful. It forces me to only say very superficial things, for fear of starting a flame war. I love a lively debate, but the risk of contentious people responding is too great!

I would, as a general rule, stay away from religion and politics. People have very strong feelings towared both of those subjects. I don't talk either one unless we have similar views. It always ends heated.

It's also harder to control when you are typing and not in person. If they take something wrong it's harder to correct them because you don't have that real time on your side. Anything sensitive really needs to be verbally and in person. I learned that the hard way this past weekend.

I don't think reporting my friends' friends will help the situation.

Also, I do try to avoid political/religious statements on FB, but in these cases the topic was brought up by a friend. I merely posted very brief and (I thought) pretty inoffensive replies.
I have also been attacked (called out by name, in fact) just for "liking" a post
Maybe my friends just have psycho friends...hmmm, what does THAT say about me?

Block them. If they are posting on your wall, you can delete their comments and block them. You can also change your settings so no one can message you if they are not on your friends, you can also set it to no one can post on your wall except friends. You can also change the settings to friends only than friends of friends.


And if your friends are not sticking up for you by telling them to stop and you have your own opinions but that doesn't give them the right to be a bully about it, unfriend them.

It happens to me all the time, and it happens because people are ignorant and stubborn, and will violently and blindly attack anything and everyone that even for one minute threatens thier own views or makes them think outside thier own little bubbles that they spend thier lives in. People dont want to be challenged by thought, its easier to remain apathetic and ignore the truths and beleive the lies.

...because that is how kids in kindergarten act. You say something smart that makes them look dumb so they call you 'smartypants fartface' and on and on it goes. I ignore the 'friend' trolls - after all - if it is on a friends post, its just ignorant to argue like that for any reason.

Block. Ignore. Report ToS.

Or just don't post potentially unpopular opinions unless you are prepared for the backlash.

I have many far right leaning friends - I am a bleeding heart liberal. I only engage politically when I'm ready for the fight and I keep everything I say extremely, personally, respectful. And, when I run out of steam, I just walk away.

1. Would a normally functioning person see it as an attack? Sometimes I think aspies take things too sensitively because of how we process information and social issues. It helps if someonee agrees with you that someonee is actually being insulting.

2. Facebook is a hard world for an aspie, there are all kinds of rules we don't understand and so get ourselves in trouble.

3. People do all kinds of things online they wouldn't normally, even on facebook. Instead of wasting energy on people who act like nutcases, ignore them. I learned long ago the person I hurt the most by obsessing over this stuff is me.

My facecrack block list is almost longer than my friend list. I also do "preemptive" blocks on people I don't want to have anything to do with. If there is someone from my past I *don't* want to find me, I find them first. I block people we know in common whom they have on their friend lists and then I block them. It sounds nuts, but it has saved me a surreal amount of drama. I learned the hard way when I was "found and friended" by an estranged relative that I would have preferred to remain estranged from. Some people just don't belong in my life on the facebook level.

Block them. Just because someone is friends with your friend doesn't mean you have anything in common with them or need to concern yourself with them.

Question:
If I block someone who is a friend to my friend "Abby", then will that person still see the comments I make under Abby's status?

Nope and you won't see theirs, either.

My problem with facebook is different
Childhood friends dont want to add me they dont accept my friend request
Relatives dont add me especially my husbands side they ignore me
so i have blocked them out
I have blocked my relatives too....one nasty cousin added my hubby and was enquiring about me
i blocked her from my hubbys page also.
Even i get into debates and fights online but since i have added people of same interest
this is decreased to a large extend
yes but there are debates always and unnecessary ones
i guess its better not to add updates on facebook and avoid confrontation
nothing to gain from this debates