Death threats ≠ funny | free speech

So there I was, putting together an insignificant post on machine tags and their ilk, when my feedreader stopped me in my tracks: Kathy Seirra’s latest post.

The news of this attack on Kathy has been echoed at lightning speed throughout the internet – it’s even been reported by the BBC – and roundly condemned. To write death threats and to threaten sexual violence in this matter is utterly unconscionable – it is disgusting in the extreme – and has understandably frightened the living daylights out of Kathy. It’s probable that the threats were not meant seriously, but part of some vile joke, but joke or not, they constitute nothing less than assault. What’s more, if you are on the receiving end of such verbal violence, how can you help but take them seriously?

I’ve had shagwitted asshats – juveniles basking in their anonymity – leaving personal comments on this site. Even they hurt for a brief while, but to receive actual death threats replete with graphic depictions is despicable and inexplicable. Quite right that the police have been alerted to the situation.

I can only hope that the outpouring of support for Kathy is setting her on the road to recovery and that the perpetrators are caught, named and punished.