The rather weak original troll aside, on the subject of so-called 'happy slapping', I noticed something quite ironic a week or two ago. I was watching a British TV comedy show called "The Thin Blue Line". It was written by Ben Elton, and starred Rowan Atkinson (of 'Blackadder' fame) as Inspector Fowler, the commanding officer of a police station, who had all the best intentions but who was a stickler for tradition.
At one point, one of Fowler's officers, PC Habib, had arrested a car thief:
HABIB: "I've called Inspector Grimm, sir. He asked to be informed if we picked up any joyriders."
FOWLER: "'Joyrider' is not a term I will allow in my station, Constable. This young lout was involved in potentially liquidateous deliquency."
HABIB: "I'm sorry, Inspector, I was only saying..."
FOWLER: "I know what you were 'only saying', Constable. But it's not good enough. Crime is crime, and should not be trivialised. What next? Are we to refer to grievous bodily harm as 'fun punching'? buttault with a deady weapon as 'a laugh and a stab'?"
Remarkably prescient of Mr Elton, I thought.
But I have to agree with Inspector Fowler. 'Happy slapping' is easily as imbecilic an expression as 'joyriding', to describe something that causes distress and potentially injury or rest. 'Unprovoked buttault' would seem far more appropriate.
