Show us the underage goons in these all-too-common violent viral videos
Every other day the world is treated to another vicious video of a teenager being attacked at school while onlookers giggle and record with their phones. (And I use the word “treated” sarcastically because the videos are usually disgustingly disturbing.)
Early in 2013, a video from New Jersey showed a video of a 14-year-old victim getting the snot kicked out of her at school, killed herself days later.
Days before the N.J. video, there was one in the U.K. where a group of girls surrounded another and (how descriptive can I get here?) kicked the crap out of her, ripping out her hair and leaving it on the street — this time with an adult female encouraging and instructing the mob how to attack. Seriously.
Of course, the images are uncensored when they’re uploaded to social media platforms, including YouTube – contrary to the rules each has about posting content where people are violently attacked.
When news outlets show the viral videos, the kids’ faces are blurred. I understand why the victim is protected — it’s obviously embarrassing as hell — but for the perpetrators, why should they be shielded?
It can be argued that “they’re just kids” but, I’m sorry, if they think they’re MMA-fighting bigshots and have no problem capturing their thuggery on camera for social media “likes” then it should be fair game to identify them as the goons they are.
And best of all: humiliate the parents in the process. Yup, nothing wrong with mom and dad getting a reality check, too. I’m not a parent so I already know I’m subject to the “you wouldn’t understand” argument as a dismissive way to shut me up on commenting about parenting.
In reporting, we must use the words “alleged” and “allegedly” to say a person did something without “saying” they did it — wink wink — but, come on, it’s on video. There’s no alleging anything. We see them doing it. The justification is that “innocent until proven guilty in a court of law” prevails so we, the reporters and the audience, can’t draw that conclusion since we’re not the official jury. Only a court can proclaim guilt, they say.
Perhaps these misfits shouldn’t be afforded so much protection when they act worse than animals. They think it’s cool to orchestrate attacks and brag about them online. And let’s be honest, that’s the only reason they feel the need to post it. There’s no other reason than to look cool.
Well, as adults, many times we get no sympathy when we make a poor choice and it blows up in our face, so how about that rude awakening happening at an earlier age?
These street fighters aren’t delicate angels that need to be handled gently. After all, they don’t even treat their peers with that respect. I say we show their faces, name their names, and reporters start knocking on doors to interview the goons’ parents.
I’d much rather hear from a humiliated mom and dad than a devastated one who lost their kid to such a senseless tragedy.
