Haters gonna hate... the rise of everyday angry folk

IN my job I have a lot of haters. People who don’t like what I have written about them: a relative or a friend, who has appeared in court for whatever reason. They’ll call me names, accuse me of being a liar or making things up.

Heck, a couple of years ago I wrote a piece explaining how judges reach the sentences they do – attempting to inform people that they are bound by guidelines set by the Government and don’t choose to jail or not jail defendants willy nilly or by licking their finger and sticking it in the air.

And guess what response that received from the online community?

That I was in the pay of the courts and had been forced to write it to defend them.

There are internet trolls out there – and they know who they are – who, for whatever reason, have chosen they dislike either me as a person or what I write and seemingly choose our comments section to air their grievances.

Imagine being that type of person; someone whose own life is clearly so bereft that they choose to log on to a website they say they hate, read a story – and then do nothing more than attack the author or the organisation.

But this week, among the haters who, quite frankly, I don’t give two hoots about, I received a very strange email. It was from a man who took issue to not what I had penned – the substance or accuracy of the tale itself.

He simply told me he didn’t like my introduction, saying it “made no sense” even though clearly it did.

As I sit on the train to Derby and type this piece ahead of a busy day at court, I am yet to reply to the man. And quite frankly, why should

I? He has sent me an unsolicited email, not offering me advice, guidance or a pointer but, to coin a phrase, simply slag me off for some reason.

When I told this to my wife while we were out walking, she replied: “Everyone’s angry these days” which, sadly, I believe has a ring of truth to it.

Mental health issues appear to be on the rise and people are looking for an easy target.

In my role I am that target, and I understand that, but I

don’t see why I should just sit back and take the punches.

I recall once receiving a Facebook message from the grandmother of a young man whose court appearance I covered. I can’t recall the exact wording but it included a lot of expletives and phrases such as “disgrace” and “at least my grandson is young and has his life ahead of him – you’re old and will be dead soon”.

Charming talk, I am sure most – but clearly not all of you – will agree. If my train is late, do I instantly try and use the internet to find the driver’s Facebook account and then message him or her directly telling them they’re “a disgrace”? When the striker for my football club misses a sitter do I find his Twitter or Instagram account and tell him he “should be sacked?” Of course I don’t, because I am a rational and rounded human being.

But it appears the everyday angry folk are doing so in increasing amounts, and people in professions like mine seem to offer the easy target. If that is what makes people happy or fulfilled then let them carry on. Until then, I’ll exercise my right to carry on not reading or replying to their barbed words and messages.

It appears the everyday angry folk are doing so in increasing amounts, and people in professions like mine seem to offer the easy target