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The Facebook Comment That Ruined a Life

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Re: The Facebook Comment That Ruined a Life

#11

Post by rosser »

pgsandstrom wrote: post #4
darklajid wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

English as a second language. The former makes sense, i.e. I can parse that. The latter causes me to stutter and look confused when I read that. Explain? Difference and meaning of the latter version? I ignore the whole 'went to jail for a random FB comment' crap. That's just sad but not surprising any more.

"i hope you fucking bring in hell" is meant as "I hope you give them hell".

You have no definitive proof of that, and I think your assertion is as laughably specious as the prosecution's in this case.

Re: The Facebook Comment That Ruined a Life

#12

Post by StavrosK »

Is he charged with anything? I only saw a reference to a "terrorist threat", what kind of fucked up country is one that gets you ten years in jail for joking about committing a crime? Don't you actually have to commit the crime to go to prison, usually?

Re: The Facebook Comment That Ruined a Life

#13

Post by zacinbusiness »

billyjobob wrote: post #9

Wow, I didn't realise US police were that bad. After reading this I don't think I could ever feel safe enough to visit the US. Sounds like you'd have a better chance of getting justice in an African dictatorship where at least the dont-rape-me bribe would be affordable. Tourists really should be warned about this, because it's not the image the US tourist boards present to us at all.

Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia - fear these places.

Re: The Facebook Comment That Ruined a Life

#14

Post by thaumasiotes »

darklajid wrote: post #3
pgsandstrom wrote: post #2

> When a person writing under the profile name "Hannah Love" responded with "i hope you [burn] in hell you fucking prick," Actually the comment was "i hope you fucking bring in hell you fucking prick". That is a pretty significant difference.

English as a second language. The former makes sense, i.e. I can parse that. The latter causes me to stutter and look confused when I read that. Explain? Difference and meaning of the latter version? I ignore the whole 'went to jail for a random FB comment' crap. That's just sad but not surprising any more.

Native US English. "I hope you burn in hell" is normal. The comment as written, "I hope you bring in hell you fucking prick", is nonsense. If someone asked me what it meant, I'd be confused, but I wouldn't assume that "bring" was a typo for "burn".

Re: The Facebook Comment That Ruined a Life

#15

Post by cinskiy »

Well nobody today thinks twice about posting something on the internet, especially youth, and while they should, it's still OK, because it's the way social messaging and posting works, and everybody else should be more or less OK with that too.

10 years for trolling is way over the top, just fine him already and let him go.

Re: The Facebook Comment That Ruined a Life

#16

Post by Cthulhu_ »

hmsimha wrote: post #8

While they're at it why not arrest every musician, poet, and writer who ever penned dark or violent writing.

There's a notable difference between writing a book and publishing an announcement that you're going to go on a killing spree. The former is relatively benign, the latter has far too often been done right before a killing spree. The former is done over time, in relative peace; the latter is done in the spur of the moment.

It's like writing the Anarchist's Cookbook about how to make a bomb, and writing a tweet about how you're going to plant a bomb in Boston in a couple minutes. The latter is a direct threat and requires immediate action. Most of the time, it's too late even for that.

Personally, this dude should've known better and restrain his impulsive internet lulz behavior.

Re: The Facebook Comment That Ruined a Life

#18

Post by rplnt »

billyjobob wrote: post #9

Wow, I didn't realise US police were that bad. After reading this I don't think I could ever feel safe enough to visit the US. Sounds like you'd have a better chance of getting justice in an African dictatorship where at least the dont-rape-me bribe would be affordable. Tourists really should be warned about this, because it's not the image the US tourist boards present to us at all.

This is not an isolated case either. I don't mean facebook-comment-wise, but rather wtf-wise. From Internet, through airports and car stops to interacting with random strangers. Lot's of horrific stories where you end up in the justice system, while done absolutely nothing that breaks the law or would endanger someone in any way.

But maybe because the US is so big it's bound to happen sometimes? I don't know, but USA is certainly not on my want-to-visit list (though it's on a wish-to-visit along with Pakistan).

Re: The Facebook Comment That Ruined a Life

#19

Post by kevingadd »

StavrosK wrote: post #12

Is he charged with anything? I only saw a reference to a "terrorist threat", what kind of fucked up country is one that gets you ten years in jail for joking about committing a crime? Don't you actually have to commit the crime to go to prison, usually?

Outside the internet, death threats are serious business and usually a crime, regardless of whether you have the actual intent or ability to kill someone.

Likewise there's that tired old example of yelling fire in a crowded theater (though i don't think that applies here)

Re: The Facebook Comment That Ruined a Life

#20

Post by dirktheman »

I think anyone agrees that this whole situation has been blown out of proportion on a massive scale. But threatening to shoot up a school, in the light of recent events... really? What if he actually DID shoot up a school, and afterwards people discovered that authorities WERE warned?

People need to realize that what you post on the internet can be interpreted different than what you actually meant. Besides, threatening with an act of terrorism is never funny, and always a bad idea. My El Al (Israeli airline) flight was delayed once because some prankster thought it was funny to say 'I have a bomb' to the flight attendant while boarding. He was thrown in jail and had to pay for delaying the flight.

In this case, the punishment doesn't fit the crime. I do wish people would think twice before making threats as a joke, though.

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