threatening conditions
One last little tiny note on what some people are calling Crackergate — the communion-wafer thief, the wrath of some Catholics, the counter-wrath of P. Z. Myers, yadda yadda yadda. (I don’t even want to insert the links any more.) Said thief says, I think, that he has been receiving death threats, and some people are truly shocked by this.
But here’s the thing: everybody who is anybody on the internet (or in media culture more generally) gets death threats, and they come from all directions. Michael Moore gets them; Michelle Malkin gets them. I know I’m a net-nonentity because I’ve never received any. (I keep telling myself that they’re probably caught in my spam filter. Makes me feel better.)
Consider this: one of my favorite movie reviewers, David Edelstein, has gotten hundreds of abusive and threatening emails over the years from people who disagree with his judgments. One guy in particular wrote, “I only wish harm to you and your family” — and why? Because Edelstein had given a bad review to The Mummy Returns. That’s right, chew on that one for a little while: somebody out there is cherishing fantasies of great suffering for the Edelstein family out of deep devotion to The Mummy Returns.
Seriously, though, it’s got to be highly upsetting to get an email like that, and worse to get one whose threats are more straightforward and explicit. But such rage has become so commonplace, especially online, that it’s impossible to take the threats seriously. In one sense that’s reassuring; in another it’s deeply, deeply sad.
Alan, with your having weighed in on topics as varied as Harry Potter, Atheism, Anglican infighting and Catholics at Wheaton, I’m a little surprised that you haven’t received any death threats yet. Keep writing; I’m sure it’s just a matter of time.
I guess speculations, declarations and expressed wishes regarding the destiny of your eternal soul don’t count as death threats because there’s no way you’ve avoided those. But in their own way, they express just – or nearly – as much vitriol and generate as much sadness.
— Karl · Jul 16, 08:21 PM · #
Thanks for the encouragement, Karl — and you’re right, I have frequently been told, more in sorrow than in anger of course, that I was either going to Hell myself or leading many good young Christians thereunto. Or both. So there’s that. Hey, I do feel better about myself!
— Alan Jacobs · Jul 16, 08:31 PM · #
I kill you! I kill you ass! You ass will be kill! Stupid opinion make me want kill you!
— Sanjay · Jul 16, 10:04 PM · #
Alan, if I could give you money, I would. I’ve been thinking this for years. Thanks for putting my thoughts in writing.
— Klug · Jul 16, 11:13 PM · #
Klug, I appreciate the kind words, but if you really want to reward me, follow Sanjay’s example. Sanjay, dude, I am so feelin’ the love.
— Alan Jacobs · Jul 16, 11:27 PM · #
I would kill you but your not kill worthy…. yet. Do something that enrages me.
— cw · Jul 17, 12:27 AM · #
You better watch your back, Jacobs. Better?
— Klug · Jul 17, 04:34 AM · #
Hey “Alan”
You are the scum of the EArth — no the scum of the BLOGOPSHERE! I hope that yoiu die a painful and amusing death, in front of many witnesses. And GodWilling, I hope that your death comes at the hands of one of the all the people you have wronged. If this is what you call blogging than you had be better off blogging your WILL! Consider yoruself warmed.
— Justice · Jul 17, 07:39 AM · #
Personally, I’m still in the intellectual man-crush stage. I haven’t yet reached bitterness and rejection.
— Intellectual stalker · Jul 17, 10:58 AM · #