Grimlock ♥ Ultra Magnus

In this article, he says she went too far because, "Mr Hawkin said he "thought it was pretty obvious it was an empty threat, but I guess she didn't" and he feels Ms Ford could have messaged him, instead of sharing the message."

So, he threatens to rape and bash her, but she went too far when she said he said these exact words?  

"Mr Hawkins said it would now be a lot harder for him to find work in the 4,000-strong town he lived in.

'It has effected what my community thinks of me... and basically she has wrecked my life over a stupid empty threat that I definitely regret saying to her,' he said.

'What she did to me sharing my inbox to her knowing all of her followers and such would attack my Facebook is on par if not worse then my message to her. 

'Basically it has effected me dramatically and caused a burden over my life."

From this article.

So, he believes that there should be no consequences for threatening someone.   Or at least not for him.   His argument that everyone else was doing it, and she didn't name them doesn't hold water: just because the whole world is doing something, it does not make it okay.    Or any less illegal. 

"On Friday, Ford confirmed to Fairfax Media she would be making a formal complaint against Mr Hawkins to South Australian police."

And: ""Police would encourage anyone who is the victim of this type of offending to report it to police so it can be fully investigated," a police spokesman said."  

Both from this article.

I bring this up because threatening and harassing someone is not okay.   There is a difference between, however, a threat and pointing out that someone said something.   That is, me saying that an author made a misogynistic remark, or pointing out flaws in their books?   Some authors consider this abuse.   It is not.   It is criticism of art, or at most passing on the information - which, y'know, is what journalists do.   

Actually saying that someone should die, or be harmed, or raped, is quite, quite different. I haven't said it as much as I should, so let me say it again: I don't support it.   Even when it's from people who started out by simply critiquing a book?   I don't support it.   

I don't say it.   I don't say that I think authors should die, or even stop writing.   No, I take it back: I do think some writers should stop writing, and some of them would surprise people as they're massively popular.  I believe these works are dreck. 

I don't respect the writer's skills as a writer, but I do respect other things: their right to live in a safe environment, even online, the people who read these books, and most often times the writers themselves.   (So long as they aren't spouting off offensive shit, like comparing abuse victims to trolls and witches.)   Just because I find they're lacking in one skill set, it doesn't mean I want to see bad things happen to them.

But this whole attitude of 'I can say whatever I want, pouts, what, you're going to do something not at all as bad that exposes me? O_O' is just upsetting.   We see it too often when writing reviews, particularly for some who write critical reviews. 

Enough.   Enough of it all.   

Feel free to reblog.