No, really, it's not funny.

[Trigger warning for violence.]

Sometimes Facebook is reminiscent of YouTube comments, such as with this group that's making the rounds (spelling original):

DEAR LORD, THIS YEAR YOU TOOK MY FAVORITE ACTOR, PATRICK SWAYZIE. YOU TOOK MY FAVORITE ACTRESS, FARAH FAWCETT. YOU TOOK MY FAVORITE SINGER, MICHAEL JACKSON. I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, MY FAVORITE PRESIDENT IS BARACK OBAMA. AMEN.

CNN asked Facebook about it:

Similar imprecations were circulating online last year. But Facebook spokesman Andrew Noyes said that "while it may be considered distasteful and objectionable to some," the page doesn't violate the company's content policies.

"We're sensitive to content that includes pornography, bullying, hate speech, and actionable threats of violence, and we react quickly to remove content that violates our policies when it is reported to us," Noyes said in a written statement.

"Facebook is highly self-regulating and leverages its more than 400 million users to keep an eye out for offensive content," he added. "We encourage users to report such content, and we have a large team of professional reviewers who evaluate these reports and take action per our policies."

I suppose they don't consider it an "actionable threat of violence" since the people want their deity to cause Obama to die.

Anyway. It's not funny. I don't care how many people are all "it's just a joke, come on!" or "chill out" or insert your favorite "you're just a humorless killjoy" sentiment _(here)_. Violence isn't funny.

It's yet another example of what is so very wrong with our society: that "jokes" about wishing for (praying for, wev) the death of someone--anyone--is seen as funny and normal and people who take issue with the inherent violence of it are seen as the ones with a problem. That people who are concerned about violence being entertainment and funny (which jokes are supposed to be, are they not?) are the ones who should be shamed into silence for being "not fun" or "killjoys".

I loathed George W. Bush. I wanted little more than to see him resign (ok, never take office but...), take his whole poisonous administration and their policies and go live on pseudo-ranches far from any government decision making. That's MUCH DIFFERENT than wishing for him to die, even as a "joke". The fact that some people cannot, really, will not make this distinction and continue to find humor in wishing death upon people they disagree with is more than unfortunate. It's disgusting.

Violence is not funny. Full stop.


Oh, and, FYI to that group--it's "Swayze" and "Farrah".