Why Is an Atheist High School Student Getting Vicious Death Threats?

[haele]

14. I think the anonymity of the internet and social media adds to it.

People will say the most vile and hurtful things casually if they think no one would be able to hold them responsible - that is, no one standing next to them or in physical proximity will be able to point out how evil or hypocritical they are to their face.
They don't care if someone comes up to them two or three days later and gets in their face about it - they can just come up with all sorts of excuses or denials then. It can be blown off, because more than likely, they've forgotten about their manufactured outrage and emotional puffery.
They just don't want to have physical witnessess, because that "looks bad" that they could be that out of control and animalistic. And there's the possibility of a tactile response right at that moment.

Haele