Internet Outrage

So, today I am extra ranty. Well, not at maximum, but still...

I made the mistake of commenting on a Comment Is Free piece in The Guardian.

Now, usually I steer away from this as it is guaranteed to get my dander up. I was weak. I succumbed.

It really is becoming the Daily Mail of the left. Or just idiots, I just can't decide. It doesn't really matter what the piece was about, but for the sake of completeness it was about Sarah Catt. She's the lady who ordered drugs off t'internet to induce labour at 39 weeks gestation. The baby hasn't been found. She was convicted this week of Administering a Noxious Substance with Intent to Endanger life (s23 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861) or Administering Drugs to Obtain an Abortion (s58 OAPA 1861) depending on which paper you read. She was given 8 years.

I think it's up to 650 comments so far. Mostly speculation and faux outrage. It seemed to suit most people to ignore basic facts: she wasn't convicted of murder; she would have received Legal Aid; she did get credit for a guilty plea; she did have a psychiatric report and she was legally sane.

Whilst I may not agree with a lot of the comments, I do appreciate that this type of case attracts many differing opinions and reactions.

What boils my piss is people who do not understand the basic facts and choose to ignore them because it suits their argument. Any comments left stating bald facts with citations to back them up are pretty much ignored.

I guess people like believing what they like to believe. Facts are an annoyance to be skimmed over. Or they like a spurious argument because something else irked them today and they fancy being ranty and cross. ( and yes, I am aware that I fancy being ranty and cross in this, but I'm not subjecting anyone else to it or expecting agreement to an opinion post)

It is the internet after all, but still, never let facts get in the way of a good argument eh?