DiscussMormonism.com

Just wondering what Tim thinks of all this, now that it's all said and done. The offending images were removed, and this board was down for a day, but the "Devilish Rogue" meme went quasi-viral (at least on the 3 or so boards with threads devoted to the drama), resulting in even more pictures with even nastier captions (and, so it appears, the creation of a "Juliann" template on the same site), and all this on a website where the contributors are anonymous and there is no accountability for content.

At the end of the day, Tim, was this even worth it?

Always let sleeping dogs lie. He's lucky this didn't hit the chans.

MrStakhanovite wrote:He's lucky this didn't hit the chans.

tru dat!

At the same time, isn't this a question we should be asking ourselves too?

Was poking fun at some random apologist of little or no consequence really worth the drama that ensued?

What, after all, is the point of being mean to a guy who has had almost nothing to do with this board, only to have it lead to all of the trouble and worry it caused people?

Law suits, even frivolous ones, are no laughing matter. It is a drain of serious time and serious money.

Put yourself in this guy's shoes for a second. Granted, he seems a little off kilter, but he has feelings just like anyone else. You find out that your personal life has suddenly been made the stuff of ridicule on a public discussion board that anyone can access. People you don't even know are insulting you and your beloved family members.

Is it any wonder that a person might panic, call an attorney, and take any steps he can to shut it down? Should we assume or expect that any given person will be cool-headed about this kind of thing?

I am not slinging accusations at anyone or calling anyone on the carpet. I am suggesting that we exercise restraint and refrain from cruelty, not only because it is right, but also because it can have terrible consequences, which we have been thus far fortunately spared.

What did I miss?

Kishkumen wrote:At the same time, isn't this a question we should be asking ourselves too?

Was poking fun at some random apologist of little or no consequence really worth the drama that ensued?

What, after all, is the point of being mean to a guy who has had almost nothing to do with this board, only to have it lead to all of the trouble and worry it caused people?

Law suits, even frivolous ones, are no laughing matter. It is a drain of serious time and serious money.

Put yourself in this guy's shoes for a second. Granted, he seems a little off kilter, but he has feelings just like anyone else. You find out that your personal life has suddenly been made the stuff of ridicule on a public discussion board that anyone can access. People you don't even know are insulting you and your beloved family members.

Is it any wonder that a person might panic, call an attorney, and take any steps he can to shut it down? Should we assume or expect that any given person will be cool-headed about this kind of thing?

I am not slinging accusations at anyone or calling anyone on the carpet. I am suggesting that we exercise restraint and refrain from cruelty, not only because it is right, but also because it can have terrible consequences, which we have been thus far fortunately spared.

For what it's worth, I do think we went way too far in poking fun at SGW, myself included. I don't know what I would have done in his situation, but I don't blame him for reacting the way he did.

Runtu wrote:I don't know what I would have done in his situation, but I don't blame him for reacting the way he did.

Well, with all due respect to me dear friend Runtu, blame doesn't really even belong in this conversation.

What we need to focus on is much more practical: Given the fact that human psychology has a range that includes all manner of unpleasant things, it is wisest not to provoke people one does not know.

Why? Because you never know what might come of it.

Kishkumen wrote:Well, with all due respect to me dear friend Runtu, blame doesn't really even belong in this conversation.

What we need to focus on is much more practical: Given the fact that human psychology has a range that includes all manner of unpleasant things, it is wisest not to provoke people one does not know.

Why? Because you never know what might come of it.

That goes without saying.

Runtu wrote:That goes without saying.

Yeah, I would like to think that it does, but now we have invited a neurotic twerp into our lives whom I could have done without knowing.

It is very true that one cannot always anticipate the affect that teasing and mocking may have on an individual's psyche. Less stable individuals may act out in some way in real life. While over-the-top teasing may turn into bullying and that is unacceptable, the sort of mundane teasing that occurs on many internet boards really can't be held responsible for over-reactions on the part of less stable individuals. Something is going to set them off, and it could be anything.