Speaking of bummers, a few months after my brother died, Entertainment Weekly and other media outlets released his autopsy online before his family was ever notified. Thousands of people flocked to various comment threads to stress that “he deserved it” and “what an idiot” and “didn’t this happen months ago???” Oh, and, my personal favorite: “Anyone who sticks a needle in their arm deserves to die and elicits no sympathy from me.”

You are correct, person on Facebook: There is truly no sympathy from you. No bad things will ever happen to you. You will never experience pain and suffering. Your life will always be as it is: idyllic. Continue to sprawl out on your puffy white cloud eating cotton candy and grapes from the vine as you look down on the rest of us. Rest assured, you are in excellent company!

According to a Washington Post article from January 2016, Lenny Pozner, the grieving father of a six-year-old boy who was murdered at Sandy Hook in 2012, was harassed online by people who believe the “tragedy was an elaborate hoax designed to increase support for gun control.”

In the article, Susan Svrluga reports that “Pozner said he gets ugly comments often on social media, such as, ‘Eventually you’ll be tried for your crimes of treason against the people,’ ‘I won’t be satisfied until the caskets are opened…,’ and ‘How much money did you get for faking all of this?’”

The abuse was so brutal that Pozner founded a victims’ rights group to bring awareness to this issue. The mission statement reads in part:

“The initial goal of the organization was to end the continued harassment and intentional torment of the victim’s families, who suffered abuse and additional anguish after being targeted by online hoax and hate purveyors. As additional mass-casualty events occurred, and the families of other victims similarly became targets, and reached out for help, the organization mission expanded to include them.”

It goes without saying, BUT THIS SHIT IS INSANE. No one should endure the horrific loss of a child — period. Ask my mother. But, to then have to deal with the irrational wrath of online sociopaths? This is the shit that makes me want to dig a hole in the ground, climb in, and stay put forever.

During a speech in 2016, President Obama shed some tears on TV as he reflected on the 26 children and teachers who died at Sandy Hook — Noah Pozner being one of them — and how little has been done since then to curb gun violence. Instead of seeing empathy and compassion, many saw manipulation and politics. It was yet another polarizing moment. People took to the internet and conservative media outlets to admonish him for his “performance.” For example, the author of a particularly thoughtful piece titled “FUCK YOU OBAMA” wrote: “All of a sudden, in true PROGRESSIVE PLAYBOOK fashion, he trots out the dead kids of Sandy Hook like the pimp he is to advance his gun control agenda, thinking FAKE tears are a nice touch for his lapdog lamestream media. GOD IS WATCHING, YOU COCKSUCKING SCUM.”

A question, sir: Is it so far-fetched that the father of two school-age daughters would feel empathy for 26 slain children and their families? Couldn’t they just as easily have been yours or mine? Isn’t this what empathy is? Putting myself in someone else’s shoes with the knowledge and awareness that I, too, am human and, therefore, susceptible to this tragedy or any number of tragedies along the way?

Maybe people are just shitty. Or maybe it’s the internet’s fault. Or maybe people are just shitty and it’s the internet’s fault.