“This reminds me a lot of a scene from 12 Angry Men.”

This comment is by Peter Houlihan on the post by Pauline Gaines Is Your Blog Stalked by Trolls? Here’s Why.

I find it hard to be hurt by what some idiot has to say about my posts, especially if the threats start. Reason being? They’re not really threats, the people making them are in no position to carry them out and, in all probability, don’t intend to either.

Its easy to write a dramatic opinion piece about the commentators who “threatened to set him on fire,” or “promised to burglarise her home,” but weighty language aside, neither thing was ever going to happen.

The reaction to all of this which is going on at the moment reminds me alot of a scene from 12 Angry Men. The jurors are sitting in the deliberation room discussing whether or not the fact that a boy screamed “I’m going to kill you” to his father is evidence that he did murder him. One juror in particular is adamant that the words are only ever used as a genuine threat up until he uses them himself in anger. People say things all the time that they don’t mean. If we were to take everyone as literally as anti-troll legislation has been lately then the world would be a very scary and hate-filled place.

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photo: movie scene / 12 angry men / filmsyougottasee