The whole premise of this column has been to show the disgusting underbelly of the Internet and in turn the human soul, but I wouldn't be a responsible writer if I let an example of everything good about the to internet go unnoticed.
Anonymous though rumored to have launched the first cyber attack to physically harm people, (posting flashing gif images on a epilepsy support forum) and single handily making Rick Astley relevant again, they did something Valentine's weekend that warmed the heart more than any hallmark card or overpriced rose.
The Internet Hate Machine saved Dusty.
An Oklahoma teen uploaded a YouTube video depicting him and another teen viciously attacking his black cat Dusty.
The two laughed like maniacs while a sad and broken cat mournfully cried.
In the video two teen locked a cat in a shower stall, picked the cat up by the neck and slammed it into the tile wall and then punched the cat .
The offending video was brought to the attention of the random board of one of the group's anonymous image boards, their cold hearts melted and a glimmer of humanity shone through.
The two broke the most vital rule of the internet, not Rules 1 and 2, but they messed with a kitty on Anonymous's watch. Anonymous might not think the internet is serious business but those guys do not screw around when it comes to their kitties.
Not only did the group get the offensive video off YouTube and the teen's channel deleted, they went above and beyond what many people would have done.
They went through great lengths to have Dusty the cat rescued from his abuser.
When the video hit YouTube and the Anonymous websites people from all over the world, Europe, Africa, Asia and South America all pooled their resources together to help a little kitty that couldn't stand up for itself.
Calling themselves "Operation Dustyice " to locate the boy, it took the group three hours to identify the teen and alert his mother to the abuse.
Not satisfied with teen just having his dirt bike taken away the group went to the news outlets in the teen's Oklahoma town.
The town's Sheriff Kenny Stradley, was called into the station to view the video and arrested the two boys in the video; they also found more abuse videos of another cat, Patches.
The teen uploaded the initial abuse video on February 16th and by the next day the boys were arrested and charged with two counts of animal abuse.
Dusty was taken from the house on Sunday and the second cat was rescued that Tuesday.
The Anonymous run Neverforgetdusty.com has a link for those who wish to make donations in Dusty's name to the ASPCA so more abused animals can be rescued and cared for in a less unorthodox matter.
What touches me so much about this story is that none of these people had to do anything for this cat. It wasn't their cat and in the scheme of things the cat's happiness and well-being will have no bearing on their lives.
It took thousands of people helping a little to make a world of difference for one poor creature.
They are anonymous , and thus will never get any recognition for the work that they did, they won't make any money and most likely never even get to see the cat they did so much to save. Their efforts in the long run will benefit hundreds of animals yet to be born.
I can't ignore the irresponsibility of some who posted the name , address and email of the teens in question along with their families' information.
Animal abuse is horrible, but the act of outing the sick children will basically have the same effect as registering them as sex offenders. The next time anyone searches that teen online, they will know him only as the "Animal Abuser".
I don't personally feel sorry for this at all, because the tool did broadcast himself punching a cat and slamming it into a tile wall for "fun" and calling himself the "Animal Abuser."
I do think that branding him the animal abuser for life won't help much with any possible rehabilitation.
The damning video like, Mr.Hands, is going to be around forever and its always going to point an accusing finger at him.
This may insure a lifetime of joblessness and suspicion making him all the more deranged.
Of course, this child is all of 14- years-old and already a hateful, racist and violent being, so it's a toss up that any help for him could ever even come.
Though the two teens are reportedly going to be tried as juveniles according to www.kswo.com, there's an online petition with almost 9,000 signatures from around the world demanding they be tried as adults.
I think they have already been tried and convicted as adults in the court of public opinion all over the world. So justice…and then some has been carried out for Dusty.
Anonymous might want us to never forget Dusty because his rescue shows just how swift and accurate they can attack and take down a target, but I'll always remember Dusty for reminding me that no matter how bleak the soul, there might be some goodness left in there.
Thanks to Dusty I think there might just be hope for us after all… if we could care this much when other humans are abused. © Copyright 2009 Observer
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