Feed the Trolls, Tuppence a Bag…

A little over a month ago, I wrote a half-serious post encouraging readers to avoid ableist language when making fun of stupid, annoying people.  I say “half-serious” because I still have mixed feelings about the use of “crazy” and “insane” to describe people as illogical or ignorant.

Apparently, one of my trolls felt differently, because s/he helpfully commented with this:

“this post is retarded”

Even better?  This person’s name is, apparently, “hi.”  In other words, this troll was determined to insult me by describing my post as “retarded,” but didn’t want to be that mean, so made sure to greet me cheerfully with a “hi” first.

I think this troll has more in common with my Comedian Troll than my Embittered Troll.  This troll has my Comedian Troll’s similar fear of capital letters that apparently extends to a fear of punctuation.  But I feel hesitant to classify this one as another Comedian Troll.

I thought about it, and decided that this person is a subspecies within the Comedian Troll species.  This is what we call an Ironic Troll.

The Ironic Troll is similar to the Comedian Troll but a little more focused in hir attack.  The Comedian Troll I had posted an anti-feminist “joke” about my making him a “sammich” on my Easy A review – a joke that was nonsensical and making little sense.  The Ironic Troll was a little more careful.  S/he wrote a comment saying my post was “retarded” in a post that decried the use of the word “retarded.”

Ironic Troll, I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume this irony was intentional.  As such, I must give you some credit for keeping your trollish comment on-topic and relevant.  Well done.

HOWEVER.  If your aim was to insult me, then I am afraid you failed.

What trolls don’t seem to understand is that I am not easily offended by people who try to offend me.  I am hurt when loved ones and people I trust throw around the word “retarded” like it means nothing, even knowing that I have a brother with a disability.  Thoughtless insensitivity can offend or hurt me, or fill me with contempt.

When a troll tries to provoke me just for the sake of provoking me, though…well, I just think that’s cute.  Aww, the troll wants attention so badly.  Let me scratch hir on the head and give it a cookie!

*gives cookie*

There’s a good troll.  Enjoy that cookie and run back under your bridge so you can torture those Billy Goats Gruff a little more.

*sniffle* They grow up so fast, don’t they?  Sunrise, sunset…sunrise, sunset…