There’s been a news story about a recent death threat made by a Penguins fan against Alex Ovechkin. The Capitals organization turned over a message board comment to the authorities. It was made by a 17 year old kid, in which he said that, “I’m killing Ovechkin. I’ll go to jail. I don’t care anymore.”
Let me preface by saying that I’ve had death threats issued against me. Not anything regarding this website…but a personal situation back when I was in college. Death threats aren’t cool…but are we ready to start prosecuting kids scrawling on the Internet?
I’m sure my buds at The Pensblog caught a bunch of flak and received their share of nasty emails in response to their post from yesterday. People will say that they’re classless individuals who don’t care that their fanbase is threatening players. Because you can really kill someone over the Internet. From Chambersburg, PA, which is more in Flyers territory than anywhere.
Now let’s investigate the idiots at the Washington Capitals’ official message board, the beacons of justice that turned in the supposed “death threat.” Major props to the faceless felons at the Penguins’ official board for finding some of these gems. Turns out, throwing out “death threats” to Sidney Crosby is completely kosher. And the Caps’ message board moderators are deleting specific threats in order to protect their own.
Check this one out. “Murder Sid the Skidmark.” Looks like someone hates our captain enough to wish murder. Because using the word “murder” is better than using the word “killing.” Split hairs, fools.
And this is the one that really got me fired up. You won’t find it on the message board, as it’s been deleted by the Caps board moderators. Why are they trying to hide it? It states, “I hope Crosby gets sniped walking to his car and they blow up the pens arena after the caps players leave.” Let’s evaluate.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve never heard of an Avalanche fan asking for Sid to make an appearance to kids at a high school and have some students shoot him in a classroom rampage. I’ve never heard Rangers fans ask for someone to fly a plane into the Igloo to kill Sid. Hell, I’ve never heard Dallas Stars fans ask for someone to shoot Sid next time the team travels next to the Texas School Book Depository.
You root for a team from the city that gave the nation one of the scariest sniper situations in recent history, and you casually drop “I hope Crosby gets sniped” like it means nothing.
So where are the authorities to snatch up the computers of these “death threat makers?”
The 17 year old Pens fan was stupid enough to write down an unfortunate series of sentences on the Internet. The Capitals organization is having this investigated, using money and resources to shut up a kid and show how awful Pens fans can be. And anyone with half a brain can tell you that message boards aren’t exactly a place of rational thought and careful compliments. Yet these “threats” are obviously limited to unstable Penguins fans.
But if the Capitals organization truly believes this, then who knows what else will start getting prosecuted? Maybe I’ll have some suits from Bristol, CT knocking on my door to wonder why I said that ESPN is “dead” to me.
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