Mom who posted son's medical bill on Twitter receives death threats - Sensationalist Headlines

[QUOTE]At first, the comments were almost entirely supportive. With the exception of the guy who thought that Ethan should have been more personally responsible (in utero, I guess, although I’ve never been sure how best to explain that concept to an 8-week-old fetus), the vast majority of people were either in shock at just how high the lines on the bill had added up or else they were staunchly on our side. People were ready to fight for a kid they’d never met, and they were sharing their stories with me in the hopes that I’d fight for their children too.But as more and more people saw the original tweet, the tide seemed to shift. I was still seeing lots of people on our side, but as articles were churned out and shared, it was clear that people weren’t reading much past the headlines. They came at me swinging, picking fights I’d never asked for. They called me ungrateful, a thief, a lazy mooch, an attention whore. The attacks became increasingly personal and increasingly violent. Strangers were telling me it would have been cheaper to make a new kid, as if anyone in the history of the world could ever replace this bright light of mine, the boy who loves animals and can’t keep himself from kissing babies and always wants to sleep with one arm wrapped around my neck. I was offered a .22 bullet, although I’m still not sure whom he meant it for, me or my child. One man took me up on the challenge I’d posed in the thread and declared that my son just wasn’t worth keeping alive anymore. There was even a percentage of the comments dedicated to the belief that I was a foreigner or, worse, a terrorist, which is when I started asking news outlets to use my full name: Alison, not Ali, since people seemed unable to believe that I was, in fact, a white chick from New Jersey.[/QUOTE] [URL]https://www.vox.com/first-person/2017/7/7/15934752/health-insurance-heterotaxy-twitter[/URL]

Jesus H Christ. Sometimes I wonder how some people can find enough venom in themselves to spew it all out at somebody they perceive as a soft target. What they've done is disgusting and pathetic.

What a bunch of pricks. Someone's life was saved without ruining an entire family. Be glad instead of throwing death threats their way.

[QUOTE=Zonesylvania;52447727]Jesus H Christ. Sometimes I wonder how some people can find enough venom in themselves to spew it all out at somebody they perceive as a soft target. What they've done is disgusting and pathetic.[/QUOTE] They are not defending themselves against someone who is sick. They are not affecting them and they never will, they shouldn't get to decide who lives and who dies in something that is absolutely preventable.

This is modern day America. The GOP, right, and Trump administration has given these degenerates the voice and confidence they needed to come out of the woodworks. You can see it any comment section on any news article.

[QUOTE=The Rifleman;52447750]This is modern day America. The GOP, right, and Trump administration has given these degenerates the voice and confidence they needed to come out of the woodworks. You can see it any comment section on any news article.[/QUOTE] Nah. People arbitrarily getting possibly hundreds of death threats for their unfortunate circumstance is hardly anything new. It just sort of happens and I couldn't tell you why. I will not pretend I know why either.

[QUOTE=BlueFlytrap;52447786]Nah. People arbitrarily getting possibly hundreds of death threats for their unfortunate circumstance is hardly anything new. It just sort of happens and I couldn't tell you why. I will not pretend I know why either.[/QUOTE] What world do you live in where getting hundreds of death threats is normal?

[QUOTE=RainbowStalin;52447832]What world do you live in where getting hundreds of death threats is normal?[/QUOTE] Previously criminal and constitutional defense. All sorts of bizarre stuff happened. It was disgusting honestly.

[QUOTE=The Rifleman;52447750]This is modern day America. The GOP, right, and Trump administration has given these degenerates the voice and confidence they needed to come out of the woodworks. You can see it any comment section on any news article.[/QUOTE] The GOP or anyone else hasnt granted these people soap boxes or justified their beliefs. They have the internet and access to social media so they feel their voice is one that should be heard and that their opinions should be shared. Nobody in that comment section would threaten that woman or her child in person, or tell her that her child isnt worth saving. Assholes on the internet have always existed; shifting the blame to politics or current conditions is just retarded. These people have existed long before Trump was in office or the GOP was in full swing. [editline]8th July 2017[/editline] [QUOTE=RainbowStalin;52447832]What world do you live in where getting hundreds of death threats is normal?[/QUOTE] The internet. It happens every single day. Its not pretty but its the norm. You've never played a video game and gotten death threats?

[QUOTE=Cyke Lon bee;52447846]The internet. It happens every single day. Its not pretty but its the norm. You've never played a video game and gotten death threats?[/QUOTE] No but I don't play much Mario Kart

Am I the only one seeing the flaw in making news articles based on tweets? All it takes is to quote few of the potentially hundreds or thousands of tweets (which mind you may or may not be doctored in some cases) and you can push any narrative you want. Like not to call out anyone or anything but this post [QUOTE=The Rifleman;52447750]This is modern day America. The GOP, right, and Trump administration has given these degenerates the voice and confidence they needed to come out of the woodworks. You can see it any comment section on any news article.[/QUOTE] Seems straight out of that MGS:R scene where Raiden sees people online calling out for blood when he meets Armstrong.

[QUOTE=Cyke Lon bee;52447846]The GOP or anyone else hasnt granted these people soap boxes or justified their beliefs. They have the internet and access to social media so they feel their voice is one that should be heard and that their opinions should be shared. Nobody in that comment section would threaten that woman or her child in person, or tell her that her child isnt worth saving. Assholes on the internet have always existed; shifting the blame to politics or current conditions is just retarded. These people have existed long before Trump was in office or the GOP was in full swing. [editline]8th July 2017[/editline] The internet. It happens every single day. Its not pretty but its the norm. You've never played a video game and gotten death threats?[/QUOTE] Receiving hostility in like, League or Overwatch is not at all comparable to situations like this. It's a different scale entirely.

You guys are fucked. Really. That's a fucked up health care system. How come there people who still vote the republicans knowing this shit happens thanks in part to them? Come on.

[QUOTE=The Rifleman;52447750]This is modern day America. The GOP, right, and Trump administration has given these degenerates the voice and confidence they needed to come out of the woodworks. You can see it any comment section on any news article.[/QUOTE] Right, I remember how civil and intelligent news article comments and Tweets were before Trump. /s Articles like these are so stupid, it's not news whatsoever that when you're exposed to any amount of internet publicity, people will send you "death threats". It happens every day to thousands of people, it's not news. It's shitty that it happens, but it isn't news.

Had an exchange that reminds me of this here on Facepunch a few months back. I've got an incurable degenerative disease that costs a lot of money to treat. When this came up during a conversation about healthcare, a user unironically suggested that I just allow myself to die because my life is not worth other people's tax money Money really does govern all things in this country. People would never admit it to your face but you know there are those out there who wouldn't flinch at the idea of others suffering if it means they get to keep (or make) some money.

[QUOTE=New Cidem;52447935]Had an exchange that reminds me of this here on Facepunch a few months back. I've got an incurable degenerative disease that costs a lot of money to treat. When this came up during a conversation about healthcare, a user unironically suggested that I just allow myself to die because my life is not worth other people's tax money[/QUOTE] I really hate people like that, so its okay for our government to waste money on shit like MOABs to kill, but its not okay at all to use that money to save a life of a follow countrymen. Do they just have a fetish for death or something?

I don't understand these people. They want a child to die but are probably against abortion. Hypocrites.

[QUOTE=The Rifleman;52447750]This is modern day America. The GOP, right, and Trump administration has given these degenerates the voice and confidence they needed to come out of the woodworks. You can see it any comment section on any news article.[/QUOTE] Death threats were also happening while Obama was the president. It just happens as the internet is availlable to everyone, including shitheads. But I would rather live in a world where these shitheads are allowed to spew their shit, than in a world where everything you ever post will be monitored, evaluated and prosecuted. In the end it is just words. [editline]8th July 2017[/editline] [QUOTE=usaokay;52447940]I like to go on CNN's twitter to see all of the dumbest fuckwits going off-topic and rant about how CNN is "fake news and "corrupt."[/QUOTE] You are no better if you believe everything blindly that comes from any news organization.

[QUOTE=New Cidem;52447935]Had an exchange that reminds me of this here on Facepunch a few months back. I've got an incurable degenerative disease that costs a lot of money to treat. When this came up during a conversation about healthcare, a user unironically suggested that I just allow myself to die because my life is not worth other people's tax money Money really does govern all things in this country. People would never admit it to your face but you know there are those out there who wouldn't flinch at the idea of others suffering if it means they get to keep (or make) some money.[/QUOTE] the republicans have successfully made even the right to be alive a political issue. of course all these people change their minds instantly when it's themselves or their own family on the line.

Its my personal opinion that in general, people are shitty and social media is cancer because it lets shitty people be shitty without putting any effort into it.

Who the fuck looks at a little kid and says yeah he should die because muh taxes? The population of the US is 321 million the cost of the procedure is 231 115 231,115/321000000 is = 0.00071998442 literally 7 ten thousandths of a penny per person to save this kids life my math is probably wrong though

Frankly, if America says it can't afford to save a three-year-old with a heart defect because his family's not rich, and taxpayers feel like they're being "stolen from", that's fine, but it can also stop pretending it's a world leader or worthy of the title "greatest nation on Earth". You can't claim to be the best when you're more concerned about your tax bill than raising the next generation. And if someone feels that it's okay to tell a mom she should've let her son die a preventable death instead of getting expensive surgery to save him, I hope that person develops a sudden fascination with drinking paint thinner. [editline]8th July 2017[/editline] [QUOTE=Svinnik;52448042]Who the fuck looks at a little kid and says yeah he should die because muh taxes? The population of the US is 321 million the cost of the procedure is 231 115 231,115/321000000 is = 0.00071998442 literally 7 ten thousandths of a penny per person to save this kids life my math is probably wrong though[/QUOTE] Even if your math is wrong by three orders of magnitude those people can fuck off.

[QUOTE=CarnolfMeatla;52447964]You are no better if you believe everything blindly that comes from any news organization.[/QUOTE] I have a policy to tell people the reason I rate their posts Dumb, even if it should be obvious in this case: Opinions about news sources aren't a binary on/off. usaokay didn't imply blind trust into CNN whatsoever, much less corporate news in general. The people who unspecifically call a news organisation fake news or corrupt on Twitter are showing a blind distrust on their part though. I sometimes get a similar impression from your posts on here for that matter, but it's more along the lines of bias and unreasonable preconceptions than complete blindness at least.

[QUOTE=ElectricSquid;52447921]Receiving hostility in like, League or Overwatch is not at all comparable to situations like this. It's a different scale entirely.[/QUOTE] The only difference is that its on social media as opposed to a video game. Its the same shit only on a different platform. The death threats you receive playing Gmod are just as valid as the ones you recieve over twitter. This is nothing new and nothing worth writing news articles about.

[QUOTE=Cyke Lon bee;52448096]The only difference is that its on social media as opposed to a video game. Its the same shit only on a different platform. The death threats you receive playing Gmod are just as valid as the ones you recieve over twitter. This is nothing new and nothing worth writing news articles about.[/QUOTE] a "white chick from new jersey" mom with a formerly-dying child receiving death threats is absolutely not comparable to those in a video game. people don't join your gmod server en masse just to send you death threats. you do something to someone, piss them off, and at worst they'll bring their friends in. with social media, it's anyone who heard the story and reacted in that way. and why is it not worth an article on; because it's commonplace? then why can't an article commentate on that aspect?

And this kind of thing is why literally every other developed country has socialized medicine. I seriously cannot fathom why there are so many Americans who so ignorantly believe people should have to fork over hundreds of thousands of dollars to simply not die. I remember one American telling me that "Free healthcare is just one step closer to communism," and I was baffled at the ridiculousness of that statement.

[video]http://twitter.com/aliranger29/status/878429522533777410[/video] Die or possibly live a life where you could still be ill, but also now have unending debt Honestly, what is the difference?

[QUOTE=Anonymuzz;52448180]a "white chick from new jersey" mom with a formerly-dying child receiving death threats is absolutely not comparable to those in a video game. people don't join your gmod server en masse just to send you death threats. you do something to someone, piss them off, and at worst they'll bring their friends in. with social media, it's anyone who heard the story and reacted in that way. and why is it not worth an article on; because it's commonplace? then why can't an article commentate on that aspect?[/QUOTE] Its the same difference only on a larger scale. Writing an article about crap like this only justifies them in thinking that their opinion matters.

[QUOTE=Cyke Lon bee;52448323]Its the same difference only on a larger scale. Writing an article about crap like this only justifies them in thinking that their opinion matters.[/QUOTE] if 'its on a larger scale' then its not really the same is it

[QUOTE=Intoxicated Spy;52447951]I really hate people like that, so its okay for our government to waste money on shit like MOABs to kill, but its not okay at all to use that money to save a life of a follow countrymen. Do they just have a fetish for death or something?[/QUOTE] A disdain for the sick or the poor, I imagine. I always found it strange that the conservative right are typically hardline Christians, yet are so often morally bankrupt and unwilling to help their fellow man.