16 year old girl threatened with rape for challenging Bachmann.

[Adios]

Child posts

Internet froths

Child cries


that's what I'm talking about. We're going to see this happen a bunch more in the coming year, with increasing degrees of support or outrage depending on whether the kid annoyed us personally. There will even be a short-hand slang word for this phenomenon. But I think that's still a few months off.


By the way, this article is not about the girl getting trolled, the point of the article is to make you say "Supporters of Michelle Bachmann are would-be child rapists."

We're not talking about people being garden-variety mean on the internet. We're talking about people threatening a child with rape because she wrote a letter they disagree with.

This *is* garden variety mean for any woman who manages to get the attention of the wrong parts of the internet.  Men can expect death threats instead.  The problem is a lot deeper than the politics.

I would rather get rape threats. Please include recent photos and a short bio.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

It's interesting .. we've seen a few stories like this in the last year, haven't we? Jessi Slaughter and Rebecca Black come to mind. It's like we haven't collectively established the appropriate response for a child being super annoying on the internet.

I agree that it's badwrong to troll kids, especially threaten them with violence. I also think that regardless of age, when you post something controversial on the net, you should be prepared for the fallout. (please do not read that as excusing people for being rude to kids) People were real jerks to Jessi Slaughter, but on the other side of the coin, she also shouldn't have told anonymous that she was going to "pop a glock in your mouth and make a brain slushee." This is why I wish there was a course in elementary schools about how to use the Internet and how to relate to the Internet.



@Nigel: I did not say we shouldn't criticize or condemn people

I guess I'm unclear about what you ARE saying. What's the complaint you're making, exactly?

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Child posts

Internet froths

Child cries


that's what I'm talking about. We're going to see this happen a bunch more in the coming year, with increasing degrees of support or outrage depending on whether the kid annoyed us personally. There will even be a short-hand slang word for this phenomenon. But I think that's still a few months off.


By the way, this article is not about the girl getting trolled, the point of the article is to make you say "Supporters of Michelle Bachmann are would-be child rapists."

We're not talking about people being garden-variety mean on the internet. We're talking about people threatening a child with rape because she wrote a letter they disagree with.

This *is* garden variety mean for any woman who manages to get the attention of the wrong parts of the internet.  Men can expect death threats instead.  The problem is a lot deeper than the politics.

Requia, once again being both pedantic and missing the point at the same time. 

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Child posts

Internet froths

Child cries


that's what I'm talking about. We're going to see this happen a bunch more in the coming year, with increasing degrees of support or outrage depending on whether the kid annoyed us personally. There will even be a short-hand slang word for this phenomenon. But I think that's still a few months off.


By the way, this article is not about the girl getting trolled, the point of the article is to make you say "Supporters of Michelle Bachmann are would-be child rapists."

We're not talking about people being garden-variety mean on the internet. We're talking about people threatening a child with rape because she wrote a letter they disagree with.

This *is* garden variety mean for any woman who manages to get the attention of the wrong parts of the internet.  Men can expect death threats instead.  The problem is a lot deeper than the politics.

I would rather get rape threats. Please include recent photos and a short bio.

It's not about the type or severity of the threat. It's about the context which elicited the threat. Physical threats are being used increasingly as a political silencer.

[Adios]

Child posts

Internet froths

Child cries


that's what I'm talking about. We're going to see this happen a bunch more in the coming year, with increasing degrees of support or outrage depending on whether the kid annoyed us personally. There will even be a short-hand slang word for this phenomenon. But I think that's still a few months off.


By the way, this article is not about the girl getting trolled, the point of the article is to make you say "Supporters of Michelle Bachmann are would-be child rapists."

We're not talking about people being garden-variety mean on the internet. We're talking about people threatening a child with rape because she wrote a letter they disagree with.

This *is* garden variety mean for any woman who manages to get the attention of the wrong parts of the internet.  Men can expect death threats instead.  The problem is a lot deeper than the politics.

I would rather get rape threats. Please include recent photos and a short bio.

It's not about the type or severity of the threat. It's about the context which elicited the threat. Physical threats are being used increasingly as a political silencer.

I know, was just having a smartass moment.

[Phox]

Child posts

Internet froths

Child cries


that's what I'm talking about. We're going to see this happen a bunch more in the coming year, with increasing degrees of support or outrage depending on whether the kid annoyed us personally. There will even be a short-hand slang word for this phenomenon. But I think that's still a few months off.


By the way, this article is not about the girl getting trolled, the point of the article is to make you say "Supporters of Michelle Bachmann are would-be child rapists."

We're not talking about people being garden-variety mean on the internet. We're talking about people threatening a child with rape because she wrote a letter they disagree with.

This *is* garden variety mean for any woman who manages to get the attention of the wrong parts of the internet.  Men can expect death threats instead.  The problem is a lot deeper than the politics.

Horseshit. We aren't talking about "the wrong parts of the internet". We're talking about political bloggers. People who, in theory, should be held to a higher standard than a youtube comment thread. It's a good thing that there isn't a history of violence associated with the Tea Party.... oh wait...

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Child posts

Internet froths

Child cries


that's what I'm talking about. We're going to see this happen a bunch more in the coming year, with increasing degrees of support or outrage depending on whether the kid annoyed us personally. There will even be a short-hand slang word for this phenomenon. But I think that's still a few months off.


By the way, this article is not about the girl getting trolled, the point of the article is to make you say "Supporters of Michelle Bachmann are would-be child rapists."

We're not talking about people being garden-variety mean on the internet. We're talking about people threatening a child with rape because she wrote a letter they disagree with.

This *is* garden variety mean for any woman who manages to get the attention of the wrong parts of the internet.  Men can expect death threats instead.  The problem is a lot deeper than the politics.

I would rather get rape threats. Please include recent photos and a short bio.

It's not about the type or severity of the threat. It's about the context which elicited the threat. Physical threats are being used increasingly as a political silencer.

I know, was just having a smartass moment.

You were funny.  I just didn't want to directly rebut Requia's dumbass pedantry, so I got around it by talking to you instead.

[Requia ☣]

Child posts

Internet froths

Child cries


that's what I'm talking about. We're going to see this happen a bunch more in the coming year, with increasing degrees of support or outrage depending on whether the kid annoyed us personally. There will even be a short-hand slang word for this phenomenon. But I think that's still a few months off.


By the way, this article is not about the girl getting trolled, the point of the article is to make you say "Supporters of Michelle Bachmann are would-be child rapists."

We're not talking about people being garden-variety mean on the internet. We're talking about people threatening a child with rape because she wrote a letter they disagree with.

This *is* garden variety mean for any woman who manages to get the attention of the wrong parts of the internet.  Men can expect death threats instead.  The problem is a lot deeper than the politics.

Horseshit. We aren't talking about "the wrong parts of the internet". We're talking about political bloggers. People who, in theory, should be held to a higher standard than a youtube comment thread. It's a good thing that there isn't a history of violence associated with the Tea Party.... oh wait...

The article would disagree with you there.   

[Phox]

Child posts

Internet froths

Child cries


that's what I'm talking about. We're going to see this happen a bunch more in the coming year, with increasing degrees of support or outrage depending on whether the kid annoyed us personally. There will even be a short-hand slang word for this phenomenon. But I think that's still a few months off.


By the way, this article is not about the girl getting trolled, the point of the article is to make you say "Supporters of Michelle Bachmann are would-be child rapists."

We're not talking about people being garden-variety mean on the internet. We're talking about people threatening a child with rape because she wrote a letter they disagree with.

This *is* garden variety mean for any woman who manages to get the attention of the wrong parts of the internet.  Men can expect death threats instead.  The problem is a lot deeper than the politics.

Horseshit. We aren't talking about "the wrong parts of the internet". We're talking about political bloggers. People who, in theory, should be held to a higher standard than a youtube comment thread. It's a good thing that there isn't a history of violence associated with the Tea Party.... oh wait...

The article would disagree with you there.   

Ever hear of censoring comments?

ETA: Those sorts of sites tend to do it all the time, when they don't agree with what you have to say.

[Telarus]

It's interesting .. we've seen a few stories like this in the last year, haven't we? Jessi Slaughter and Rebecca Black come to mind. It's like we haven't collectively established the appropriate response for a child being super annoying on the internet.

I agree that it's badwrong to troll kids, especially threaten them with violence. I also think that regardless of age, when you post something controversial on the net, you should be prepared for the fallout. (please do not read that as excusing people for being rude to kids) People were real jerks to Jessi Slaughter, but on the other side of the coin, she also shouldn't have told anonymous that she was going to "pop a glock in your mouth and make a brain slushee." This is why I wish there was a course in elementary schools about how to use the Internet and how to relate to the Internet.



@Nigel: I did not say we shouldn't criticize or condemn people

Wait are you saying, kid's aside, women who can't handle death and rape threats shouldn't post anything political, or anything of that matter, online?

I don't see where this interpretation of Cram's posts are coming from. Cram is examining the emergent phenomena of this child getting huge amounts of attention from a certain slice of the internet population, and comparing it to similar emergent phenomena (Hide Ya Kids, Hide Ya Wife!). That the attention is negative, and definitely undeserved, Cram takes as a given. But, "A Conclusion is simple where you stopped thinking" etc etc. He's looking for interesting patterns _below_ the level of "fuck those guys for messing with a 16yr old".

He's looking for trends, and therefore has to be slightly emotionally un-invested WHILE DOING THAT. That many of you read this as possible callousness is interesting.

[Cramulus]

I guess I'm unclear about what you ARE saying. What's the complaint you're making, exactly?

I'm not complaining or disagreeing with anybody. I'm just making an observation about something I think is interesting.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I guess I'm unclear about what you ARE saying. What's the complaint you're making, exactly?

I'm not complaining or disagreeing with anybody. I'm just making an observation about something I think is interesting.

Hm. It came across more like criticism than like observation, just so you know.

[Telarus]

I'd also like to point out that Rog also nailed an underlying trend:

That it has now become "acceptable" within certain circles to threaten a child with rape to shut her up and intimidate others from speaking their political views.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Child posts

Child wrote a letter to a politician.

child's father posted letter on cnn.com

where it would be x-posted on tea-party blogs and forums and receive comments and criticisms

some of those comments and criticisms were badwrong, but you have to expect that's going to happen when you communicate via mass media.

I'm not saying that people should live in fear of harsh feedback, I'm saying that when you hold up a megaphone, you should be prepared for people to shout back too

Sure.  She only got what she deserved.  2/3rds do, sooner or later.

And like I said, this will be one - two, actually - people who will learn to SIT DOWN and SHUT UP, and that's what we're all about, here in The Church™ and in America™.

Or she'll learn to stand firm for her beliefs no matter what. 

Sure she will.  Until these bastards post her fucking home address, and she and her family get hounded non-fucking stop (one of the threats, and the one most likely to be carried out).

But that's okay, right?  Because she will have clung to her beliefs as her family spends the next fucking 10 years in a fortress fucking mentality.

It's so simple.  Why didn't I see that?

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I'd also like to point out that Rog also nailed an underlying trend:

That it has now become "acceptable" within certain circles to threaten a child with rape to shut her up and intimidate others from speaking their political views.

Yep. That's really what this is about, IMO; the very disturbing trend for certain groups to neither denounce nor shun those of their own who use tactics that previously, almost everyone wanted to distance themselves from.