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In reply to the discussion: Wow. Bravenak (DU member) going at it with Sarandon! [View all]Ms. Toad
(33,999 posts)Bravenak created a meme "apologizing" to sarandon for not telling her to fuck off earlier. It contained 9 images of sarandon with some variation of fuck you across them. Granted, she did not specifically tag sarandon in the tweet - but she did not "omit" her from it, any more than the high school bullies I encountered omitted me from the distribution of hurtful memes they created and circulated about me. When you broadcast something indiscriminately to the entire school (in my instance) or to the world (with Twitter) you are not omitting anyone, nor is it butting in to a conversation for the target to respond to a conversation you initiated with the broad audience. No one, even celebrities is obligated to remain silent in the face of vulgar attacks.
Bravenak was acting like a bully. I vividly remember the sting of cruel messages circulated to my classmates that ultimately, as they were intended to do, reached my desk. Sarandon responded with far more restraint than I did.
That is not to say that Sarandon did not invite criticism; but that does not turn her measured response into harassment, nor does it turn the response of the friends of the target of bravenak's bullying behavior into harassment.