Beating Someone Up for YOUTUBE? C’mon Now

April 11, 2008 Posted in News, Wired

You know, I can understand being an angst ridden teenager. I can also understand being angry with someone who might have been provoking me on a social networking site-like Myspace. On top of that, I can understand being jealous of all of the totally rad videos on YouTube that get tons of plays and I can relate to the desire to create something that becomes incredibly popular.

BUT, beating the sh*t out of a cheerleader in your class who MIGHT have been (nothing has been proven) provoking you on Myspace is NOT COOL.

Eight teenage girls in Florida recently did something so disgusting that even angry outcasts would have cringe. They lured Victoria Lindsey, a pretty cheerleader, back to one of their homes. They had a video camera set up and then they proceeded to beat her for 35 minutes. They beat her so terribly that she was knocked unconscious and then dragged off into a car. Once in the car, she was driven to a second location and told that if she ran to the police… she would receive an even worse beating.

All eight teens have been arrested, and thank god that they have because this is some really gross horse sh*t.

I don’t care how angry you are at someone else. I don’t care how pissed you are that someone left a nasty comment about you on your Myspace page. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, excuses this kind of animal behavior.

I’ve been thoroughly sickened by this story ever since I heard about it a few days ago and the nausea is spreading like wildfire, but I don’t think it’s fair to blame Myspace or YouTube for this. These girls are just bratty kids who wanted to beat the hell out of someone and doing it for the world via video was the icing on the cake. Tons of people out there use Myspace for the right reasons. Tons of people out there who want popular videos on YouTube just videotape their kid…laughing…or something.

THIS video, however, is embarrassing and gross.

What do you think about how these girls behaved? How do you feel about the fact that they used YouTube to exploit this horrific act?

82926 Comments2008-04-11+17%3A30%3A47Elizabeth-Baruch+College on "Beating Someone Up for YOUTUBE? C’mon Now"

Laura says:
Fri, 11th Apr 200811:01 am

I read about this and could not believe it. I saw a new report that showed part of the video and was just shocked. What kind of people do this. Nobody deserves that. That is teenage drama way too far.

Jess says:
Fri, 11th Apr 20084:44 pm

It is wrong on so many levels, it really is both upsetting and just plan sad. I refuse to watch the video because that is just giving them what the want, people to view the video.

But seriously, what has happened over the years? It seems that kids are getting angry and angry, and taking it out on each other, from school shootings to hazing to beating someone up for a video on youtube?!?

…I mean what is next?

A.L. Hart - Universi says:
Sat, 12th Apr 20087:59 am

Theres a similar thing happening here in England, which started a couple of years ago. It's called 'happy slapping' where groups of young people (predominantly) hunt out a vulnerable person to beat up and film it with their phone. I think it just started out as smacking someone on the face and managing to catch it camera while getting away as fast as you could but now it's expanded to such severity that unwitting individuals are being attacked for no appaent reason.

It is disgusting and unfathomably stupid as to why people would do such acts. Society is going down hill…it has been for a while and i'm not just saying that because I am cynic.

giz says:
Sat, 12th Apr 20088:57 pm

I know this may sound terible and like I'm a desensitivized person, but it's true on some levels:

bullying really gets to those who live with it for years, and all the crazy acts of kids in the news?

caused by years of bullying. it's so encouraged by sterotyping supported by the media (not that they're to blame, but culture affects the young, no?), and many people take it lightly.

as someone who has been teased for a lot of her life, take my word it hurts.

topeka says:
Mon, 14th Apr 20086:04 pm

seriouly, some teens are so carzy about online dating now! _millionaireloves.com_ is the most highlighted one. and they literarily recorded lots of their personal vids to attract the wealthy and celebs playing on that site!!

Jes says:
Tue, 15th Apr 20086:31 am

HA! And then Doctor Phil producers posted $3300 bail for one o fthe girls to get her story, then weren't allowed to talk to her.

Our society is in the gutter man. I hope those girls get the living shit beat out of them in jail.

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