There was a story here a while back doing the media rounds about a video that was posted on Facebook which showed some teenage girls fighting over a boy. Basically, a group of trying-to-be-very-tough girls, some of whom had black hair and olive skins, ganged up on a girl with white skin and blue hair. It was unpleasant for all sorts of reasons but it was nothing more than a silly little fight between silly teenage girls and involved a few desultory slaps and punches and a total loss of dignity.
The most significant thing about it is that, like the Roastbusters situation, it unleashed a wave of outrage on social media.
On the Facebook site which posted the video - and thereby promoted itself - there were in excess of 8000 responses. Of the ones I read, a very small number were thoughtful, articulate and reasoned but the vast majority were hysterical, inarticulate and full of the most appalling mysogynistic and racist malevolence.
I read a few hundred of the comments - in the spirit of inquiry - enough to make me feel very worried about the mental health and general intelligence of the majority of the responders. The language of some people is truly repellent - it is infused with a malevolent rage that is in no way justified by the actions of the young girls it's aimed at. Just as worrying, in light of the fact that these people can vote, is their incredible stupidity - most obvious in the idiots who put their employment details on their FB pages. Do they really want their current or future employers to read what they've written?
Here's a little taste of some of the more offensive efforts. The spelling and grammar are original - anyone offended by swearing should stop reading now:
Allan Riley if I ever come across this sort of thing in my travels the lot of the low lifes will need medical attention especially the low life fat bitch she wouldn't have the IQ of an enamel piss pot. I hope the girl who received the bashing is okay.
Emma Jayne Sparks I bet they'll drop out of school, and live off the government for the rest of their lives... They're good for nothing, little bitches. With nothing better to do with their time, than be fucking mongrel whores, creating drama and thinking it's "funny". These girls give woman a bad name, fucking disgraceful.
Benson Hedges Scum bag pieces of shit. It's disgusting acts from a small minority like this and that of the "Roastbusters" going unpunished that tarnish the reputation of a nation full of kind, friendly, welcoming people. I hope your daughter knows she has the backing of a nation
Andrew Claxton Fuck the fat one is an ugly cunt. Pathetic bitches. Those are some girls ill gladly smash 4 on 1. Dont care that im a male. Scum like that deserve a face kicking
Dwayne Kennett fat bitch is my neighbour and now that i know it is her if i see her in a hurry she better not come near my fucking family filthy fucking bitch. hope you get done big time
Roscoe Pettigrew Im in new Plymouth... bring all them little cunts up here and I'll smash all their fucking heads in. Poor little chicky. Hope your daughter is okay honey.
Katherine Harris Sam Nowacki you ugly huck mole bitch. You are just a bullie you fat slapper, you and your bundy friends. All tough in a group aye you gutless cowards
Dana Barr Niggas for ya .
Nick Coulam fuckn filthycunts cook should have wiped you all out
Mathieu Vandevelde This ugly spook shouldn't be laughing with other people. Where can we find this fat cunt?!
Greg Thomas I'd shit down there throats
Dave Kennett wata crack hore fat ugly bitch
Ashley Green fucking wat a bunch of fat hairy fucken loosers for those who were beating on that poor girl I hope you all fucking rot in hell especially that fat one I hope u all read this and I hope you all die of something horrible low life peaces of scum
Eliyah Taramy Niotangi how fucking low ! you fucking little cunts ! think of karma you asses what if this had happened to your sister ? your mother ? or to your fucking daughter ?? huh wont be really tough now ae ?? fucking assholes ihope you all fucking get whats coming for yah !!! shit like this really pisses me off !!!
Steven Raaijmakers That's maoris for you…
Frank Power I can't believe how dumb these cunts are. Bash someone up and get it all on film????? Very smart. The whole lot of them need a bullet to the head. The world would be a better place without them.
Terry Bell you fucking ugly trollip's.. hand ya self into the police for that video bashing b4 you get bent over and dealt to you fucking ugly moles..
Caleb Julian What a bunch of hori trash lol. Shoot them all
Ruby Downey Stick the disgusting little wastes of space in prison, they're gonna end up there eventually anyway. I'd rather my taxes went on keeping them locked up than on the benefit.
Victor Thompson Some one kick that fat bitch in her stink vagina stupid slut
Michael Wigs Wignall You low filthy dirt bags, you fat low cunt will die with 5 hungry low life kids whist you struggle on the dole. I wish slow deaths on you all.
Ben Wiltshire Fucken sick black nigga bitches shoot em all
Kody Mckenzie Fuk the lot of them fukin nigger mutts my cuz Stephanie Mckenzie has all the backing she needs so run nigger run oi
Treyvon Manuel You girls are what I call dirty little cunts. Even the fat bitch that asks about her phone ! Sorry for the language btw but fuck I would so stomp on your heads for doing this you sad low lifed cunts
Daniel Stocker Fat Maoris what do you expect
Matt Garland Fucking fat whores need to get probed in the ass with a knife shot in the knees tounge choped off ears cut off fingers and toes and the shove them in a dumpster
I hesitated about publishing these comments for obvious reasons but I think that these people need to be accountable for their actions.
I know there are morons who have a sim card for a brain and whose mobile phones have become grafted to their sweaty palms, and that they say things on-line that they wouldn't dream of saying to someone's face. I know that blokey men and blokey women spur each other on to demonstrate their 'hardness' - seemingly oblivious to the fact that they're demonstrating exactly the same qualities and attitudes they're condemning in the people they are attacking. I know that there is a world of difference between what someone thinks or writes on a FB page and what they would actually do. But history teaches us that the more of them who are thinking it and saying it, the more likely it is that some of them will go beyond words into action.
I know there are morons who have a sim card for a brain and whose mobile phones have become grafted to their sweaty palms, and that they say things on-line that they wouldn't dream of saying to someone's face. I know that blokey men and blokey women spur each other on to demonstrate their 'hardness' - seemingly oblivious to the fact that they're demonstrating exactly the same qualities and attitudes they're condemning in the people they are attacking. I know that there is a world of difference between what someone thinks or writes on a FB page and what they would actually do. But history teaches us that the more of them who are thinking it and saying it, the more likely it is that some of them will go beyond words into action.
As a society we should be extremely worried about what provokes this sort of response and the speed with which some people descend into a blind rage. It should give us all pause. So I suggest that people share this - to make a stand for commonsense and common decency.
