Most of these efforts are being ignored, or close to it -- but one has collected hundreds of "likes" at this writing, as well as becoming a repository for memes that make light of slaughter.
A cursory Facebook search this morning turned up somewhere in the range of thirty pages minimum devoted to Holmes. Some of them are negative, like one titled "I Would Give Up Batman For James Holmes To Get The Death Penalty," but the majority appear to be focused on shock value, as witnessed by descriptions of Holmes as a "monarch," an "entertainer" and a "comedian" -- this last designation being among the most popular.
Many of these pages have attracted likes in the single digits, with a few in the forty or fifty range. However, the largest one I've found -- it was shared over the weekend by a clearly disgusted fan of the Westword Facebook page -- has 417 likes.
Most of the posts have been written in what the page's creator seems to believe is Holmes's authorial voice. Here's the latest:
I want you guys to understand this. Whatever you have to say to me, I don't care. Whenever you report me. This page isn't affected. (I've been reported over like a billion times and nothing has happened). And if you are going to try and report me, stop wasting your time by telling me and others. I don't give a shit. Also, I don't believe in karma, and I don't believe in hell. Please keep this in mind when you post. Unless its something smart or funny, Please know; I'm just going to laugh at you and all you're doing is wasting your time. Thanks.
Also on view are a number of photos and memes attempting to extract the blackest of black humor from this horrific situation. Some examples:
As for the comments generated by these images, they vary between delight and censure, with the latter ahead right now. Here's an example of one juxtaposition:Zane C. Price lived in Aurora for 8 years. if this happened in your town, you wouldn't find it so funny. if you were supposed to be there, you wouldn't find it so funny. if you had friends hurt, you wouldn't find it so funny. ever think of it like that?China Carbon: Well Zane, I'm sure we all wish you WERE there, then you'd really have something to fuss about....
David Morales: China you are a fucking idiot, I was there at the shooting. One of my friends died in that theater, a few of my friends are injured. Does being at the shooting give me a good enough reason to fuss about it or are you going to say something smart to me too? Why don't you shut your mouth and show some respect. Don't go around making smart comments if you weren't there.
Still, this one is our favorite:
The amount of comments against this kind of humor is actually a positive thing. I'm glad that although many people cannot spell or use grammar, they are still not as fucked up as I thought Americans were. ♥ oh and whoever made this page needs to be sterilized.
More from our Television & Film archive: "Aurora theater shooting: Seeing The Dark Knight Rises the day after."
