I woke up to death threats this morning.
I got up to check on the overnight oatmeal, noticed my phone was blinking, and picked it up to see "CLOBBERING TIME." Twice. Oh, yay. Dennis Markuze has figured out that I'm an atheist and added me to his target list. Death threats are about to become a regular part of my life.
Yes, I know he's a nutjob in another country. It doesn't make it any better. It much simpler to take a philosophical view of paranoid fixations when they're not pointed at you. Yes, I know he's been threatening people for years without any action. It doesn't make it any better. Everybody who's acted on that sort of delusion has had to start somewhere. The first time I got a death threat online, the person who did it claimed it was just a prank played on a friend's unprotected computer. It doesn't make it any better. Trusting someone who's just said you should die is perhaps the apex of stupidity.
It doesn't make it any better that none of the threats I've received have been phrased as "I'm coming to get you." It doesn't make them any less threatening that they're not stated in the kind of language that makes authorities jump up and do something. The person who asks me how I'd like to be raped and killed in an argument about gun nuttery has made up his mind about what I deserve every bit as much as the person who says he's coming to do it himself. He wouldn't get in the way if someone else decided to act. He just hasn't crossed whatever barrier of anger or insanity keeps him sitting ineffectually in front of his computer. Yet. Those are temporary states. Not comforting at all.
It doesn't make it any better that none of these people are really upset with me personally. It doesn't make it any better that someone who wants me dead doesn't know what socialism is. I can take no comfort in the idea that I'm not what someone calls me. None of the labels that have been slapped on groups to justify their killing have been applied fairly, but that hasn't stopped people from justifying killing that way. In particular, finding any comfort in the idea that a label is unfair ignores the fact that all it really takes for me to "deserve" whatever I get in the eyes of my political enemies is to be different than them. Historically. Currently.
I'm probably safe. I'm probably fine. That probably won't change with every new threat I receive.
That still doesn't make it any better.
January 20, 2011
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7 comments:
A perfect beginning to a new day.
I feel that I have to say something even though I have nothing to say that's any use. I had this guy (or at least somebody with the same preoccupations) drop by my weblog once, breathing fire and smoke, but that's hardly the same as being actually targeted. You do put it quite clearly: it is indeed easier to look at something like this philosophically when the paranoia is not fixed on you.
<expletive>
I hope I helped.
Bleah!
Bob, you did help. Thanks.
Well. Whomever the mouthy troll thinks he is, tossing out threats like big-@ss firecrackers....pretty much makes him a pathetic excuse for a Christian. Wait a sec, I shouldn't use the appellation Christian in the same sentence as I mention the imbecile. I get that a public profile invites engagement, but...wow. You'd think a "this is why I think you are wrong" discussion would at least provide credibility! Golly, anyone can be a cyberbully!!
For the record, the fact that I practice Christianity gives a little insight to the theists point of view. We've established that Jesus didn't think bullying and threatening people was Very Nice at All. And any sin you commit in your heart is stamped on your soul too, so this troll doesn't seem to be taking very good care of his. In fact, Christ had a pretty dim view of hypocrisy, I think he actually said the pagans were better off than hypocritical 'believers'.
Find me - I still miss you :-)
Hugs!
Shari, this one is pretty special. I'll explain in more detail when we get coffee.
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