The story I am about to tell you illustrates the point made at the end of my last blog perfectly….. That of whether or not members of the public should be given the chance to express their opinions by leaving comments on online new stories.
Last week, my uncle witnessed a young man walking across a busy four-lane motorway on the outskirts of Manchester. He was hit by a car in the fourth (fast) lane. It is very likely that he died instantly.
After hearing the horrific details of the incident from my uncle, I turned to the internet to see if I could find anymore information about who the man was and what had led to him being on the motorway. I’m not embarrassed to admit that I am the sort of person who needs (should that be wants?) to know the grisly details, but my intention was really to find answers for my uncle, who was extremely shook-up by the incident.
The information I found in a Lancashire Telegraph news story (which I found using none other than my friend, Google) was even more upsetting than I expected. The person on the motorway was a 16-year-old autistic boy from Burnley – just 15 minutes down the road from me. The poor confused boy, who was trying to make his way home, must have been terrified.
Peter Lincoln, who was killed on the M60 motorway.
I will spare you the details of what happened, according to my uncle. Peter Lincoln has lost his young life, his family and friends have lost a loved one – details of how do not matter and are, frankly, none of our business. The Lancashire Telegraph has respected the boy and his family, and has also respected its readers by sparing them unnecessary detail.
It is therefore very disappointing that some people have still felt the need to leave nasty comments online, below this tragic story. I should point out that, having worked at the Telegraph, I am aware that the web editor does remove any nasty and hurtful comments from the site. However, responses to those comments are still there for everyone to read and indicate the sort of things that were said in the removed comments.
I am shocked that people – especially people who had never met the boy or his parents – could consider it acceptable to post such vicious comments on the worldwide web for everyone to see. Of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinion on anything and everything, but a person has died, a family is grieving – back off and have some respect!!
I think the best way to sum up my feelings on the issue of whether or not members of the public should be given the opportunity to leave comments on any website is to use one of the Telegraph reader’s comments:-
“There are times when it is best to keep personal opinions to yourself and this is one of those times!”
What do you think? Please feel free to express your opinion by leaving me a comment…..
People should learn just when their personal opinion isn’t necessary or even acceptable. The story of that poor boy is one prime example of when a community should support a needing family and not upset or agitate them. Speaking as a brother to a disabled boy, i know the chores and difficulties of keeping constant responsibility for not just yourself, but for them also. So i too believe that when a tragedy like this happens, people need to support or back off, because it isn’t just a tragedy to them, it’s a part of their life being destroyed.
Some people need to know when to keep their opinions to themselves and spare a thought for this poor boys family and friends.I know the ins and outs of this story and it is terribly unpleasant the details in which this young lad died. If some a**ehole feels the need to leave an abusive or negative comment then we are in a sorry state of affairs
I completely agree with Matt and Adam’s comments.
At the end of the day people are just plain ignorant. I work in a borough where 45% of the population is from a black or minority ethnic group. The local papers website is always full of rascist comments that should not only offend BME groups but white people too – they are disgusting! The editor does eventually remove them but this does not bring cohesion to a borough that has such a diverse community.
The opposite argument to that is, and I do not agree with it at all, but that everyone has freedom to speech.
Topcat’s comments had obviously been removed by the time I checked out the article, and quite rightly so, as Peter’s family and friends would have seen them. Not only have they lost a loved one but then they have to put up with mindless sh*t from some ignorant person who has nothing better to do than write cruel and upsetting things on a blog that is so full of love and memories of a young lad who was involved in a very tragic accident.
The persons responsible for the derogatory and hurtful comments on the Lancashire Telegraph website should take a long, hard look in the mirror and think about the enormity of their actions, and the ignorance displayed by them.
Undoubtedly, some people are easier to get on with than others as this is the very nature of the world we live in. And when someone dies, they are almost always portrayed as the nicest person their close family and friends has ever known. But the rationale behind this, is that it would not be moral to point out character flaws when one has passed away. The abusive commenters might care to wonder why they acted so irrationally, and did not keep such defamatory ideas and opinions to themselves.
I cannot imagine that the authors of these comments would be happy if the shoe was on the other foot either. Imagine if you will that it was their son who had tragically lost their life and other people were casting aspersions and being nasty about him. They would not take kindly to the insulting prose, of that I am sure. Perhaps, in the future, they should think about whether their actions reflect them in a light they would like to be portrayed in, and whether they would like to receive the comments they posted in the position of being parents of the dead boy.
It has to be said though, that these comments do point to a more sinister side of human nature, and a lack of respect not so common in our forefathers. One cannot imagine a war hero being defamed and abused publicly in this way, nor even a humble coalminer. The advent of digital and online media has definitely aided freedom of speech, but one has to wonder whether such autonomy is a good thing on the whole, especially with such vindictive, evil human beings able to access their computers.
My only hope is that such comments can now be put in the past and the parents of this boy be allowed to bury him in peace and mourn without more vile intrusions into their silent grieving from such uncaring individuals.
I also agree with the comment you quoted.
There is such thing as empathy, and if you are capable of feeling it, you know when and what to speak. People devoid of this skill ( can I call it a skill? an ability maybe? ) should be banned from participating in public discussions, for I believe they leave their nasty comments fully consciously, and solely for the pleasure of hurting others. What is the reason for it? No idea. It seems sick to me.
I don’t really see how anyone has the right to comment upon an event like this, if they had nothing to do with the incident, did not know the person involved and until reading about it, did not know of their existence, then what makes them feel that they have any occasion to offer their personal opinion? Whatever the circumstance it is no-one else’s business and to publicly state your negative thoughts is sickening.
Comments seem to form the basis of much controversy in local papers especially.
On the one hand, as Nichola Mansfield pointed out, everybody has the right to freedom of speech. We live in a democracy and it is vital that the public have the chance to air their views.
For journalists in particular, comments can be very useful. They can get feedback on their stories, they can follow up possible leads and they can view the reaction to their work.
However, journalists are now having to deal with comment on their stories and are hearing an answer to the question instead of forming a rhetoric.
Also, should everybody have the chance to air their views if their views insight racial hatred or extremism. I don’t think so.
You will always have people willing to comment in a horrible way on tragic events. What recent technology has allowed however, that creates a problem, is the opportunity for these views to be published and read by anyone and everyone.
I’ve just read the comments on the Lancashire Telegraph website. The horrible comments had been removed but I got the jist from the replies.
I too think it is sickening how some people can be so insensitive in the event of a death but I would like to turn it around and point out all the good comments on the site.
There are plenty of comments with people sending their thoughts and prayers to the family, their deepest sympathies and generally saying how sorry they are for the loss of a young life.
Most of these people don’t know Peter, or his family, yet they have taken the time to feel empathetic and let the family know how they feel.
Many comments have been left about Sophie Lancaster (the poor girl killed for being a goth) and I have been left with my faith in mankind restored. Some of them spoke of crying when they heard the story. Some have joined campaigns and made goth groups in support. Others have held tributes. All for someone they don’t know.
Ignore the bad comments, it is not worth worrying over them. Put your energies into the people that care. There are more than you think. It is just a shame a tragedy has to happen to show it.
What a horrifying and tragic story. It’s hard to say which is most tragic, the story itself, or the way in which it is handled by those to whom the situation itself has no real bearing.
On the one hand, I completely agree with Victoria Gill, that yes, the good comments should outshine the bad, however, it’s hard to think that if this was my family, I would accept the bad just as readily as the good.
Nichola Mansfield is quite correct, in my opinion, when she states that everyone holds the right to freedom of speech, but I personally believe that everybody also holds the right to retain their dignity and respect, even in death. Furthermore, I believe that those grieving this tragic loss should also be granted the peace and privacy that they not only request, but also deserve at such a hard time.
I completely agree with airing one’s personal views, but to such a vile and upsetting extent that it belittles a person and their loved ones, even in death? I don’t think so.