What a dick.

January 14, 2002 4:53 PM

What a dick. Good advice: don't go to a party dressed as bin Laden. It may seem funny to you, but apparently not everyone else agrees.
posted by Counselco (41 comments total)

If Bush had in fact choked to death on his pretzel, and then someone had dressed up as a giant pretzel to a party, do you think that would be as bad?
posted by ajbattrick at 4:58 PM on January 14, 2002

Anyone dressed as a giant pretzel is just asking to be assaulted.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 5:05 PM on January 14, 2002

It seems funny to me.
posted by holloway at 5:08 PM on January 14, 2002

(well, as funny as a scream mask, a wookie suit, and a hippy, anyway).
posted by holloway at 5:09 PM on January 14, 2002

I'm a freakin' Nostradamus!
posted by machaus at 5:12 PM on January 14, 2002

I don't believe no one was arrested for assault. I don't care what you're wearing or what sign you're carrying, there's no justification in beating this guy up. Eventually, this sort of thing had to happen and I was expecting it last Halloween.

"Surely the Devil is more evil than Osama will ever be?"

I love this question. So is the media more 'real' than a Christian's theology? Have people 'reclaimed' the devil and put him in a campy image that has nothing in common with the theological devil? Will I get beaten up for dressing like the Ayatollah in an 80s revival party? The world may never know.
posted by skallas at 5:13 PM on January 14, 2002

One of his attackers said: "You have to be a real dick to want to look like Osama bin Laden. He got what he deserved."

That's right, he wanted to look like bin Laden for the purposes of a fancy dress party. He did not want to be bin Laden. Occasionally you've just got to look out for that little line that seperates fantasy from reality. It can prove really useful sometimes.
posted by MUD at 5:14 PM on January 14, 2002

I happened to pass the Leno show a few times in the last few weeks, and every time I do, I see a guy dressed as Bin Laden. Granted, he's usually being killed in some wacky way or another (I think the first time it was an electric chair...) but it seems in much worse taste than some dufus wearing a costume to a party. And yet nobody cares. But then, maybe nobody watches Leno. That seems more likely.
posted by Doug at 5:16 PM on January 14, 2002

The guy in the Osama costume may well be, as you so eloquently put it, a dick but that's no excuse to beat him up due to his appearal.
posted by revbrian at 5:37 PM on January 14, 2002

[appearal]

I miss the spell check so much...
posted by revbrian at 5:37 PM on January 14, 2002

The world has a real problem treating people like people. It really doesn't matter why he dressed as bin Laden. That isn't even the point. You don't beat people up for poor taste.
posted by ddmmyyyy at 5:40 PM on January 14, 2002

I think this article is lacking a lot of information for us to make any kind of judgement. It seems to imply that he came to a "formal bash" which I think of as a dress/evening gown thing. Coming dressed up as anyone is just stupid and I'm surpised they even let him in.

Later down in the article it talks about how the evening started well (once again formal "bash", everyone dressed nice except the crazy looking like Osama Bin Laden and everything is categorized as "going well"?).

It looks like everyone thought it was funny (or was annoyed and didn't say anything) until the old moloko came out which got everyone a little tipsy. When people get tipsy they vent anger.

I think it's unfair categorizing the man who dressed up like Osama without knowing more about the circumstances, his relation to the guests, and everyone's perceived sense of humor.

This is the kind of stupid, "look what happened" things that the "Weird News" section caters to and doesn't have enough substance to have any discussion behind the hypothetical.
posted by geoff. at 5:55 PM on January 14, 2002

He was attempting to be humorous. Whoever beat him up is the "dick".
posted by {savg*pncl} at 6:24 PM on January 14, 2002

Geoff: the paper clearly describes the event as "fancy dress". What nobody's yet commented on is the fact that it happened in New Zealand. One doesn't (well, okay, I don't) usually think of New Zealanders as violent idiots.
posted by Hogshead at 6:34 PM on January 14, 2002

Well, I understand the guy not filing charges, but I still think the guys who beat him up should spend some time in jail. I mean there are some crimes where the state punishes you even if your victim doesn't file charges. At least here in the US. Spouse abuse is one, and murder, obviously.
posted by delmoi at 6:48 PM on January 14, 2002

as hogshead said, the party was "fancy dress", meaning a dress-up, or masquarade party.
posted by nprigoda at 6:49 PM on January 14, 2002

Anyone dressed as a giant pretzel is just asking to be assaulted.

LOL... as-salted.... oh man, that's bad...
posted by lotsofno at 7:26 PM on January 14, 2002

It seems to imply that he came to a "formal bash" which I think of as a dress/evening gown thing.

He noted there were at least a couple people dressed as the devil, so I think it's safe to assume they meant a costume ball.
posted by mdn at 8:16 PM on January 14, 2002

We had a little prick pull this stunt at my high school back on Halloween... When asked to defend his reasons for dressing up as bin Laden (not in those words, I assure you), the guy came up with some ridiculous line ( and this is absolutely true) about the United States not doing anything to help flu victims. He said that since 5,000 people died of the flu each year, the U.S. deserved the WTC attack.

I realize that this guy was a paragon of stupidity, but it's also been my experience that anyone who dressed up as bin Laden (or made jokes along similar lines) was an insensitive little jerk.
posted by Yelling At Nothing at 9:48 PM on January 14, 2002

Speaking of spellcheck..

OmniWeb uses Mac OS X's built in spell checking to highlight misspelled words as you type in form input fields.

In this field, it has highlighted href, http, omnigroup, and omniweb. :)

This browser also uses OSX's anti-aliasing, making it the most beautiful browser on any platform, many think.
posted by benh57 at 9:51 PM on January 14, 2002

benh57: You managed to stay away long enough for 46 links and 916 comments to be posted?

Matt, it's time to change the tagline to "almost as addictive as Flintstones chewable vitamins".
posted by mr_crash_davis at 9:56 PM on January 14, 2002

Truth be told, I didn't have the cookie on in OmniWeb till today, so i was probably hitting the site using OmniWeb without mefi knowing. :)
posted by benh57 at 10:47 PM on January 14, 2002

One doesn't (well, okay, I don't) usually think of New Zealanders as violent idiots.

No? I have to admit this movie isn't a documentary, but OTOH New Zealanders don't strike me as a particularly non-violent culture.

Personally, I think dressing up as Bin Laden to a halloween or - in this case - a costume party - is a natural way to ridicule and trivialize Bin Laden. There is little most of you and I can do to actively participate in the search for Bin Laden, so we might as well laugh at Bin Laden instead of fear him.
posted by cx at 10:49 PM on January 14, 2002

it all depends where you are in new zealand. this chap was at a party in west auckland. whilst not as bad as south auckland (where forementioned movie was based), it still has a reputation for being rather wild.

what makes it odd to me, is that as a general rule, new zealanders have been fence sitters with regards to bin laden. sure, he's considered bad, and the wtc stuff unforgiveable, but nobody's really got all that strong feelings about it.

i'd say it would have been a bunch of rugby boys (nz equivalent of american jocks perhaps?), getting more and more drunk, and looking for a fight. some poor chap dressed as bin laden just happened to look like the closest target
posted by titboy at 11:40 PM on January 14, 2002

'Ben says he won't press charges as it may look like a victory for the real bin Laden.'

If we press charges against people who assault us then the terrorists have won!
posted by rory at 2:07 AM on January 15, 2002

I'm sorry, this is a really tenuous link, but I just couldn't resist the opportunity to post my favourite Bin Laden-related flash file:

Hey Mr Taliban

Although everyone's probably seen it before...
posted by chrismear at 2:35 AM on January 15, 2002

He deserved a slapping, and he knows it. Stop with the crap about 'no-one deserves a beating' or 'the person who beat him up is a dick'.

He did something stupid and got slapped for it. It happens to us all at some point in our lives and we gotta put our hands up and say 'Hey, I was a dick and I got punished for it'.

(also, scrapping is a way of life with Aussies and Kiwi's)
posted by Frasermoo at 3:12 AM on January 15, 2002

I have to agree with Frasermoo. Let's face it the bloke should be beaten for being such an attention seeker. The sad aspect is though in twenty, thirty years time it will be an acceptable attire to fancy dress functions, in much the same way as it is with people dressing up as Hitler. A man who killed millions rather than thousands, and without doing any injustice to the twin tower's victims were led to their deaths gassed and tortured, rather than wearing braces and snorting coke in their leather chairs.
posted by moolafoo at 3:58 AM on January 15, 2002

Thanks.

If anyone disagrees and I am sure they will.

Go back and read this.
posted by Frasermoo at 4:04 AM on January 15, 2002

Frasermoo-He deserved a slapping, and he knows it. Stop with the crap about 'no-one deserves a beating' or 'the person who beat him up is a dick'.

steer-clear of frasermoo if you disagree, you probably *deserve* a slapping...
posted by asok at 5:00 AM on January 15, 2002

Bite me hippy.
posted by Frasermoo at 5:15 AM on January 15, 2002

ASOK obviously eats lentils and wears a kaftan. A man who feels that a conscience must separate him from the beasts on this planet. I have to disagree with him, your genetic make up has the anger gene built in. I can list a lot of examples of when we all get moody, but cannot be bothered. Aggression I am afraid is part of us, and whether we like it or not people will use it in varying degrees. You from your reply makes me believe you are a sanctimonious 'do-gooder' in the shape of Ned Flanders, someone who takes great pride in trying to cure the ills of the world, who preaches being a vegetarian while wearing his leather shoes, who argues about war while each night you beat yourself with a coathanger for having thoughts about the old woman down the road, someone who would quote the bible, but whose last reading material should is about to get a fine in the children's library.......... I have seen your type in the great book of stereotypes, and it aint a pretty picture...
posted by moolafoo at 5:48 AM on January 15, 2002

moolafoo, before you get called out on the carpet by someone else who will be ruder... asok is a jerk and all, but your reaction is a bit out of line too. Chill out, ok? (And you may want to put an email address in your profile so nobody goes and starts a huffy metatalk thread about you.)
posted by darukaru at 6:45 AM on January 15, 2002

while each night you beat yourself with a coathanger for having thoughts about the old woman down the road

I'm sorry but that line is genius.
posted by Frasermoo at 7:13 AM on January 15, 2002

ned flanders eats lentils and wears a kaftan??
posted by danOstuporStar at 7:31 AM on January 15, 2002

I is back. Dear Darukaru or Derek as you are probably better known. 'Darukaru' for when you play Quake with your internet 'fraggers', and Derek when your mum calls you in for tea.

Derek you read American to me; I have yet met anyone who has been ruder so if you would like to join the queue get in the line. I have to re-write these discussions about four times before I feel I have watered them down enough for the American masses, so that 1.) I don't get sued for spilling a cup of 'caufee' on them because they didn't have the brains to read 'hot' on the cup, 2.) because I haven't got the cash to buy myself my freedom in your courts...........ah........ what's the point .... ? Where were we? 'Chill out' jesh these forums are for open discussion and I am airing my viewpoint. Makes me laugh your 'interpretation' of freedom of expression. I give you two words 'McCarthy' and 'Era'. Put me in a Metatalk thread (sounds like Granny's knitting hour to me anyways) and we can have a discussion.


Lots of love,

De Moolafoo
posted by moolafoo at 8:00 AM on January 15, 2002

party + beer + bin laden = ass whooping.
2 + 2 = 4

party + beer + bin laden != everyone is civil because violence is wrong.
2 + 2 != 5
posted by Modem Ovary at 8:06 AM on January 15, 2002

I think you deserve a Blue Peter badge for stating the obvious.
posted by moolafoo at 8:15 AM on January 15, 2002

rage on moolafoo, knock yourself out!
posted by asok at 8:41 AM on January 15, 2002

The name-calling and trolling portion of this thread has moved to MetaTalk. Bring your knitting needles!
posted by Sapphireblue at 9:48 AM on January 15, 2002

since this was a party, i'm assuming this guy didn't just show up not knowing anyone, right? So his friends and friends of friends kick him around? and you think HE is the dick? not that bright...OK, but calling drunken violence justified? I don't think so.
posted by th3ph17 at 1:24 PM on January 15, 2002