January 27, 2008
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A Threat
In my last post, I quoted a written comment that someone left to a teacher on an evaluation sheet. Here is the quote:
“Joe Disponzio is a complete a**hole (edited). I hope he chokes on a d*** (edited), gets AIDS and dies. To hell with all gay teachers who are terrible with their jobs and try to fail students!”
Now the guy didn’t say he was going to kill him. He said he hoped that he would choke while performing oral sex and that he would get AIDs and die.
Was that a threat?
Comments (77)
Actually…I dont think so…:]
NO!!!
No,ill wishes but not a threat.
No, it was crude and defamatory, and not at all germane to the man’s worth as a teacher. I wouldn’t consider it a threat, however.
Kathi
No…….
only if he’s hoping the teacher gets aids from him. otherwise it was just a terrible thing to say.
Not a threat.
It would be if it was gonna be HIS penis the teacher would choke on… but since I doubt that’s the case… it’s not.
were I the teacher, I would be willing to let my lawyer decide.
No, just him proving himself to be an idiot.
Can’t people learn to say how they feel more gracefully?
Its sad really.
I wouldn’t call it a threat, but just really sad how cruel we can be to each other.
It strikes me as a wish/prayer/curse
nope, just a creatively juvenile comment.
Nope, not a threat. But incredibly cruel nonetheless. Nonconstructive and hateful.
For the statement to be a threat, we would have to be able to infer intent.
From wording, we can guess with high confidence that the writer of the evaluation doesn’t intend to carry out his wishes and that he’s probably an average, disgruntled under-achiever. If the same words were, however, written by a person with a history of violence and a history of carrying out his dark thoughts; then the course evaluation may be inferred as a threat.
no, probably not
Not really a threat. At the very least insulting and juvenile, and were I the teacher I might use my prerogative to ensure that student failed that examination. So insulting, juvenile, and stupid. A triple-threat. (Er… not that kind of threat.)
Not a threat but obviously very ill intended.
Board line…wishing ill on someone can backfired on you.
Not a threat, just malicious.
No, it wasn’t a threat
no, he wouldn’t be choking him or giving him aids.
No, not a threat. Perhaps harassment, if you squint… but certainly a supreme form of douchebaggery.
No, just showing it’s a stupid dumbass who wrote it.
meah, not a threat.
(PS probably just a typo, but it’s AIDS with a capital S at the end…just checking
)
Nope, for it to be a threat, you have to say specifically “I am going to” or “I will” or some form of that. That’s from experience.
For instance, if I said “I hope you die in an electrical fire because you can’t hear the smoke alarm with that retarded screamo blaring you stupid fucker,” that’s not a threat. However, if I said “I’m going to start an electrical fire in your house and watch you die,” that’s a threat. Personally I think the former has more affect, anyway.
Not unless this kid has AIDS and was hoping the prof would suck his cock and thus spread AIDS to him.
No, just a terrible thing to write.
Is all.
Technically no, but fags are going to hell.
@PSUnited1 - That must include you too: Not as a “fag”, but as a “fucking retard.”
No, that was not. He did not say he would harm him, he only hoped he would be harmed.
you can’t call something that someone “hopes” or “wishes” for a threat.
It’s only a threat if it is an implication of something someone will definitely do or plan to do to someone else.
No
things like that are almost taken by the perception of the victim. like school bullies (again, most of the time). doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.. if the antagonized feels threatened, then yes, it is a threat. if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.. it really now count for something in the legal system.
No. A threat implies whoever said it is going to take some sort of action against you. “I wish you would die” is just saying if you happend to meet your untimely demise they wouldn’t mind. “Fuck off and die” is a suggestion implying they would prefer you choose a path in life that ends in your untimely demise. “I’m going to kill you” is a threat saying they intend to bring your untimely demise to fruition.
According to the dictionary: “An expression of an intention to inflict pain, injury, evil, or punishment.” So clearly a threat requires some implication of action on the part of the person making the threat.
Basically what I’m saying is this guy flipped out over nothing. It was a shitty thing to say, but that’s all.
Definitely not. The university was out of line in getting a handwriting analysis. What do they hope to do, end all homophobia by prosecuting one person?
-David
Not a threat, he didn’t threaten to DO anything to the teacher, but expressed a wish that the teacher would fall ill.
Sad how people still blame the victim of an STD – most of them are in loving relationships and unwittingly contract a disease they do not want.
No it wasn’t.
NO.
No, but that student is clearly an idiot who can’;t take responsibility for his own work and grades.
It’s not a threat. In extremely poor taste and bigoted, yes, but a threat, no.
Merely a hopeful wish.
“I’m going to kill you” is a threat.
‘Don’t do that, or else’ is a statement/threat depending on what comes after ‘or else’
No…I’d call that more along the lines of a death wish.
no, but he should still be expelled for disrespect
I wouldn’t consider it a threat, more like a ill wish..Still dumb though..
No, just a really nasty sentiment.
@elvesdoitbetter - nice definition.
No.
Of course not. It shows great stupidity, because this kid obviously thought nobody was “smart” enough to find him. Ha! What’s posted on the internet, is OUT THERE for all to see, and trace. Lesson learned, I hope.
No.
No, but someone might consider it hateful, and feel threatened by it. A person really should limit their college evaluations to course related comments, although the school should NOT have broken anonymity, unless it is a stated policy right on the form. Always always always whenever I have done these things, it is emphasized that it is totally anonymous and noone will ever know who made what comments and evaluations. IF the school is going to reserve the right to break that promise for any reason, they need to say so explicitly on the form.
Nope. Kinda hostile, but not a threat.
no. just a angry statement
Not really lots of people say stupid things when angry and don’t actually mean it.
not a threat but that was pretty rude..
No. However, it was hateful and if the school is going to look at anything it is the boy’s attitude toward homosexuals.
No… just saying what he wish would happen to him. Not what he’s thinking about, wishing what he could do to him.
whether or not it was a threat, I hate when people take the word gay and use it–not about orientation but as an insult!
People would not be happy if we started using STRAIGHT in the same connotation. . .
then again, heck, we take God’s name in vain.
we take ANYTHING in vain. . .
Nope. It’s like hoping someone goes to hell.
Is this the first time everyone agreed on the answer?
nope.
not a threat, but unnecessary, cruel and hateful
no
Nope. but it was sexual harassment (harassment based on sexual orientation) and verbal abuse in written form.
Not by my definition of a threat.
Not unless the guy who wrote it is going to be receiving, has AIDS, and intends to choke the teacher. ;]
Nah, not unless he said, “I hope he chokes on MY dick” but of course this kid is an obvious homophobe so the chances of that happening are pretty small. =]
Not really. But since that guy DID get a threat, definately worth investigating him.
No. Only wishful thinking. What I wonder is why he felt the need to voice his fantasies. A closeted gay perhaps?
technically, no.
Well, yes and no.
He is hoping he would choke…and die from it, in a roundabout fashion…wishing ill on someone is nearly the same thing as a threat. However, I don’t think he meant it in a threatening way. His comment was stupid and he should have not put the professor’s personal life into his evaluation of his teaching skills. They have nothing to do with each other.
I hope that in an uncertain post-apocalyptic future, the rads you would’ve sustained from walking the crust of the earth with improperly worn protective garb poisons you with radiation at a slow enough level that you live our the rest of your days on what’s left of earth!
(I’m sorry, did I just threaten you?)
no its a mean wish/curse upon him
Nope. If he had said “my” d***, then maybe.
no…childish ranting
No but, not nice.