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Ever Been "happy-slapped"?

The internet is truly a powerful tool! Apparently, it is pretty fun in France to run around with your buddy who has a video camera and pick a unsuspecting member of civilization out and "beat the tar out of them" or as they say "happy slap" for kicks and the camera. As a result you get to know you totally dominated a unsuspecting and most likely helpless person for the amusement of yourself, your buddy and your internet friends! However, as only France can do, they have now gone to the illogical conclusion of making it illegal for non-journalist (commoners) to video and distribute violence on the internet. I had never heard of this practice, but now you can read about it and what France has done to combat it:

https://www.macworld.com/news/2007/03/06/franceban/index.php

The thing that gets to me is that the have now made it a constitutional issue. Why not just make "happy slapping" a crime and give it a different punishment than normal assult and battery, since it is premeditated? Also, why not ensure that anyone that does enjoy this "sport" and is caught will be shipped off to a prison where likely they will be "happy slapped" a few times? Does this act truly deserve the right to take away citizen journalist right to present things like Rodney King's beating on TV? I understand the thought behind the law, but couldn't they just made it a serious offense and guaranteed jail time?

quothappy-slappedquot Ever

I think this is very wrong. There could be many witnesses who could film and act of violence towards someone else and can be used as proof in persecuting the individual/s involved.

Ever Been "happy-slapped"? History & Civil Business Politics

What a ridiculous pastime. It's happening in the USA, also, according to a TV news show I saw recently. Not necessarily attacking strangers, but violent beatings being taped and uploaded. Why would these kids want to do that? Sick.

As far as the government making it illegal for "commoners" to video anything publicly, this is in itself a crime against freedom. Are they saying I can't video tape my family on vacation somewhere? Absurd!

quothappy-slappedquot Ever

The question I have, but have not been able to get any data on, is how frequent is this happening. I mean to warrant a constitutional change, this should be a pretty common occurrance. This really is pretty much carte blanche, if you will, for the French military, police and government to act in violence with little reprocussions because it cant be backed up with pictures (which are of course worth a thousand words) unless there is a certified journalist covering the event. Seems like a slippery slope indeed, if you get one runaway precinct that decide how to "take care" of their criminals.

Edited: Vincenzo on 8th Mar, 2007 - 9:42am

quothappy-slappedquot Ever

Farseer said:

This is not only happening over there but also here in this tiny island! I saw youtube videos of Trinidadian kids at school filming with their cel phones these ridiculous slaps.