Happy Slapping

[natalie_1982]

Did anyone watch this on Trevor McDonald last night?  I'd never heard of the 'craze' before and actually felt sick, angry and frightened by the end of the programme. 

However, I can't help feeling that, for someone like me living on a pretty rough Council Estate having never heard of it, by showing what they did last night it will encourage people to try it that have never seen / heard of it before.

[natalie_1982]

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/050511/344/fimfw.html

http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/men/news/s/158/158130_happy_slapping_programme_rescheduled.html

See the above links if you're not sure what it is.  The prog. last night was so violent it made me feel ill.

[ck1]

That was truly shocking, especially as the slapping part seems to have lost some its appeal and has now progressed to using weapons and setting peolpe on fire. I think what was even more unbelievable was the way the kids are actually recordig evidence of what they are doing, they have absolutely no fear of the police or any possible repercussions. Even John Prescott seems to have come pretty close to being a victim, maybe that will have some impact on trying to stop this outrage

[smudge]

I didn't see the programme natalie, but have read about it in the paper this morning, also your threads.

It's absolutely disgusting & anyone caught doing it are nothing other than sick bullies, out to intimidate & hurt people. I do hope they get their come-uppance one day.......!

[londondave]

Saw some of these a few months ago and thought it was a stunt amongst friends. I would like to see a clip of a victim turn round and stab the slapper in the head.

[natalie_1982]

On the programme last night they showed clips of a man that had his ear drum perforated through a slap, a man who had fallen asleep at the bus stop so they kicked him and set fire to him (he is now scarred from his neck/ chest area and all around his body) and kicking (with both feet - kind of martial arts stylee if you know what I mean) in someone's face.

[smudge]

Natalie - after reading that, I'm glad I missed it.

It's something that would play on my mind for days, so God knows what the elderly/infirm people thought watching it, let alone the able bodied.

What comes around goes around & hopefully, before long, they will pick on the wrong people! - ggggrrr!

[netibiza]

Could someone explain to me what "happy slapping" is as I've never heard of it.

[Aschenbach]

 ITV put real 'happy slapping' cases (mostly kids) alongside more isolated and severe assaults like the setting alight and bus attack to get the show more headlines. The only thing in common was the filming of attacks.

 Viewers will probably become paraoid and, yes I agree, may even get slapped because the program has given other people the idea.

[smudge]

Hi netibiza - if you read Natalie's threads, it will explain what Happy Slapping is.

I'd never heard of it either until I read the paper this morning!

[butter1]

I think this happy slapping is disgusting and it makes me nervous to think what the world will be like by the time I have children... very scary.  I don't think I would like to bring up children if it's just going to get worse from here on.

[BigDogsWang]

What really made my blood boil was the teenagers they interviewed proclaiming 'it's funny man, half of them are asking for it'
Even if they do pick on the wrong person one day who ends up giving as good as he gets, it won't stop these little sh*ts from doing this kind of stuff. Listening to the two half wits who set that guy on fire was chilling. They were almost psychotic.
I wish they wouldn�t show these sort of programs, as not only does it upset and infuriate people, but it also instills a fear of teenagers. And I know some very good hearted decent ones who would also be shocked at this.

[jake-the-peg]

This sounds horribly familiar. Wasn't Clockwork Orange withdrawn after copycat thugs beating up bystanders for kicks.

Then we had the "You've been Tangoed" business with school kids slapping each other.

I guess the filming it on mobile phones is a new twist to random violence

[BigDogsWang]

Programmes such as Dirty Sanchez don't help (they referred to it in the programme). I used to watch Jackass which was really quite funny, but Sanchez was just about inflicting pain on each other. It was the cheapest nastiest TV of it's kind and could quite possibly be the reason behind this 'craze'.

[flaming]

I did not see the TV programme reporting about the TV programmes mentioned.  I did read about the horrifying bus stop incident in the regular Press.  It is responsible reporting that will get the other programmes taken off, plus any clamour - if there is a clamour - to take off the other TV programmes which are encouraging this new horror.  The authorities and police would like to keep a lid on it, to prevent copy-cat crimes, but by doing this, in the past, horrors have grown until it's too late and a lot of people are still suffering in the 'lid kept on' areas.  Anyway, I don't think they can keep the lid on it, as those involved have their own ways of spreading news.  Its getting to the point when one feels a prisoner, in the evenings particularly, as even healthy and agile young ones can't do anything against this.  Is this 'Dirty Sanchez' programme still being transmitted?

jake-the-peg:  The film 'A Clockwork Orange' was a  film depicting such bad things that Stanley Kubrick, the Director, was sorry that he had made it and banned it from being shown.  He died a couple of years back so people who wanted to could show it again.  I noticed from the schedules it was on late-night TV recently.  Goodness how many bad people have been made worse by the film's influence.

[El D]

No, clockwork orange was withdrawn after a suspected copycat murder and kubrick decided to withdraw the film himself before it was possibly banned. I have watched it and I certainly did not feel like perpetrating these acts.

A lot of people have never heard of this craze, one suspects it is an incredibly rare event sufficiently shocking to attract the national press. Please do not succumb to the daily mail attitude of fear. Fear is what causes a lot of other 'bad things'.

[Bangkok]

Kubrick refused to compromise and cut certain of the more violent scenes out. 

[flaming]

Surely a Director refusing to allow his film to be screened amounts to a ban?   I am sure distributors were mindful of the probable law-suit he would have brought against anyone who flouted his instructions.    I do not think there was any other ban, and after his death people felt free to show it again.  Just because YOU didn't want to do things depicted, it doesn't mean that others did not, or will not.  As a matter of interest I read about the bus-stop case in The Times.  If I didn't have 'fear' i.e. natural caution and thoughts of self-preservation I'd be a goner the way things are going round here.  It get's irksome looking over one's shoulder or being suspicious of a group of young blokes coming along the path .  I had my bag pinched last autumn. Lucky it was just the bag and I didn't put up resistance.  A woman who did at Euston station was run down by the thieves and killed by their get-a-way car.

[Kay]

I was absolutely mortified whilst watching the programme and must admit I had to switch over as I found it too upsetting. Those poor victims all targeted by useless thugs who follow each other like sheep! I truly hope that this insane,violent and pointless "Fad" soon wears off.

[El D]

Natural fear and awareness of your enviroment is fine, letting your life and actions be dictated by fear is not. Do not confuse the two.

[Little Lady]

Can't believe they do this sort of thing now what is it coming to?!! I feel deeply sorry for anyone who has been targetted and hope that these people get their comupance as they certainly deserve it. I feel sick just thinking about it and gladly didn't see last nights programme although i jave seen a clipon the news which i found quite disturbing. Little @�$&'s Grrrrrrrrr!!!