Have Internet Sleuths Gone Too Far in Posting Identity of Soldier Believed to Be Shown Tossing a Puppy Off a Hillside?
Internet sleuths came out in droves. Using the name given in the video, they tracked down the individual they believed to be the culprit and began posting his name and personal information, with links to websites with his picture and profile. A search of the marine's name finds hundreds of webpages with postings by people outraged at his actions. Many of these are devoted to displaying as much personal information about the soldier as possible.
It's a bit frightening the speed with which this soldier was outed. It's even more frightening that he was outed with no real confirmation that it is him. What if the person in the video ISN'T the person that has been named? Regardless of how you feel about his actions, what are the repercussions of encouraging violence against this young man? What about the person with him in the video? Should he face punishment as well?
Would it make a difference if the dog were already dead and the soldiers were merely enjoying a sick joke? (It's tough to tell from the video, but the dog does not appear to be moving, and the yelps could have been added in later.)
As heinous as this video is, the person who committed this disgusting act should be disciplined by the government, not an internet mob. Hopefully the young man who did this will have enough honor to step forward to take responsiblity for his actions and for dishonoring our military.
Published by Crutnacker
Freelance writer and business professional from Louisville, Kentucky. Husband, father of one beautiful daughter and three annoying cats. Lived in Maryland, Boston, MA, and Louisville, KY. View profile
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3 Comments
Post a CommentOh, I forgot to add...you really did a great job capturing this incident & some of the repercussions here. Very well written. I'd not yet heard about the incident & appreciate the "tip." Great article! Kim
I think you describe enough of the video so I don't have to watch. Unfortunately, these young men are engaging in pretty creepy behavior, when judged from the warmth and safety of our living rooms or desk-top settings. Where they are, deprived of sleep, safety, and sanity in the middle of a war, does in fact result in some bizarre behavior. Yes, it IS scary how quickly this can escalate. When I was in the Army in Germany (almost 35 years ago,) the MPs with whom I worked used to chase the large rabbits around with their jeeps. I remember they actually "nailed" one once, and ended up jamming it through the gear shift, screwing the knob back on top. They never got caught and it was never filmed, but what seemed like a sick joke back them is pretty disgusting now. Personally, I never liked chasing the rabbits with the jeeps. But young folks in large groups do some weird crap like this...whether in college, the military, or ???
Animal cruelty elicits a strong emotional response. Many animals have difficulty moving when held like that, and the fading sound of the puppy's yelp seems to correspond with his increasing distance from the camera. If this act is confirmed, it would be a military matter. Personally, mob mentality has never drawn or impressed me. Good report.