As if she didn’t already have enough to deal with this week in the wake of the tragic and untimely loss of her father, comedic legend Robin Williams, Zelda Williams has now left her ordinarily active realms on social media due to the horrific, cruel, but sadly not unexpected postings of a select few scumbags who besieged her with horrendous messages.
Along with the typical hate-filled diatribes we’ve for some goddamned reason come to expect from the haunting pits of desperation that the Internet – and Twitter specifically – harbours, two accounts in particular (who under no circumstances will be named here) sent photoshopped images of the late comic to his daughter, including one allegedly depicting him with bruising around his neck.
Though the majority of messages were positive and sympathetic, it’s the barbs of the few that so often stick. And thus Zelda decided to take a sabbatical from social media.
I’m sorry. I should’ve risen above. Deleting this from my devices for a good long time, maybe forever. Time will tell. Goodbye.
— Zelda Williams (@zeldawilliams) August 13, 2014
She also took to Tumblr to post something of an “official” statement regarding the whole situation.
“To those he touched who are sending kind words, know that one of his favourite things in the world was to make you all laugh. As for those who are sending negativity, know that some small, giggling part of him is sending a flock of pigeons to your house to poop on your car. Right after you’ve had it washed. After all, he loved to laugh too.“
Sadly (and, again, predictably) this isn’t the first time Zelda Williams has had to deal with rude dickheads on the Internet. Just two months ago, in a post entitled “Dear Trolls,” she teed off on the crap she’s had to put up with by simple virtue of being both female and on the Internet.
“I am not a ‘dyke’ or a ‘yid’. I’m not a man in drag nor a failed abortion. What I AM is someone who doesn’t have to put up with someone else’s shit and ‘take it’ like I keep being told.“
“Freedom of Speech is your right, but what you’ve misunderstood on your punch drunk mission to make being an insufferable asshat excusable is that it does NOT protect you from someone telling you you’re a racist, bigoted, bored prick giddily looking for digital excitement beyond furiously masturbating and crying.“
For what little its worth, Zelda, you goddamned rock. We all sincerely hope you find you and your family find peace during this unfathomably tough time.
And as for everyone else, I’m not about to sit here and be preachy and say be nice to everyone all the time always. But just maybe don’t be a dick. That’s generally a good rule.
Photo: Jason Merritt via Getty Images.
