How the hell does a corporation receive a death threat? Hell, I know people who would cheerfully gun down MasterCard or Visa without a moments hesitation.
I know it’s a wild and crazy idea, but have you tried Google? If one types in ‘Death Threats AIG’ one gets…well, I’ll let you try it out and see for yourself. Though of course, by putting in the caveat (or, if it was anyone of less nobility and compassion than yourself, one might say ‘weasel wording’) ‘Any evidence of actual actions being taken?’, which of course covers you since, as no lynch mobs have yet strung up any AIG executives or employees obviously means there is nothing to see here.
Of course, generally when someone is talking about ‘death threats’ they mean, well, you know, THREATS…which sort of precludes ‘actual actions being taken’, as that would sort of take things into a different realm from the whole ‘threat’ concept thingy. But then, you knew that…
-XT
At the risk of taking your question seriously rather than as oh so witty banter:
[
](The Times & The Sunday Times: breaking news & today's latest headlines)
[
](AIG chief worried about safety after death threats | Reuters)
[
](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/16/AR2009031602961.html?hpid=topnewse)
It’s not a joke.
It’s not funny.
Having to fear for your life is not a knee slapper even if you make 100+ K per year.
Having to worry that your children may be butchered because you work for a financial services company that seriously fucked up is not a laughing matter.
Yes, death threats.
No, not funny.
luci, please. There has been a lot of discussion in this very thread about death threats allegedly directed at the individuals still working at AIG. That said, even though I haven’t searched real hard, I haven’t seen any mainstream news sources running stories about police agencies investigating complaints of death threats against these individuals. This does not, of course, mean that no actual death threats have been communicated.
Your healthy skepticism, reasonably directed, is a thing to be admired. But
looks more like clowning around than like engagement and participation.
Hi, welcome to the Straight Dope Message Board.
Well, what you get when you Google is the number of times people have said something like “death threats”, as well as the number of times someone responds to someone saying “death threats”. Approximately as substantial a source as Drudge Report.
If somebody says “String 'em up!” I operate on the assumption that they are hyperbolizing, as well as perhaps hyperventilating. Poor impulse control, perhaps, or not real sharp, maybe, like people who use way too many caps in their posts. Very few mobs of torch-wielding peasants are permitted in gated communities.
So I’m angling towards the notion that the actual danger is pretty slight, and is being exaggerated for other purposes. You know what? Let’s go with the danger is non-existent, and its all a bunch of crap, offered in the hope that we will dab our eyes with hankies as we mourn the suffering of the over-paid.
So, maybe instead of challenging me to go find your substantiation, why not bring it yourself? Just a thought. You can post it as a “drive by link”, we’ll forgive it.
We’ve got a whole mess of people who are very, very angry. Some are eager to lash out. We do not want to give them an individual to focus that anger on.
You might as well paint a target on them.
Point taken. But the kind of crap I’m expected to take seriously is degrading my filters.
No, not funny at all. But there are always people who will help, rather than hurt. Here’s one guy who says he’ll shoulder their burden. I suspect you could find others who would do the same.
Well, ask and ye shall receive…and in your own preferred drive by link format (though Finn has already linked to several…I note that you have ignored that):
Linkhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/mar/21/aig-insurance
(Aren’t these drive by links annoying? I’m actually having fun though so I guess I can see the appeal…it’s a LOT easier this way)
And you base that on…?
-XT
I know we’ve had disagreements in the past Bo…but are you seriously contending that the level of anger directed at David Rees (a fairly obscure cartoonists) is comparable to that directed at AIG?? Seriously? And that his fatuous offer to ‘give me all the money you made at AIG and I’ll shoulder the impossible burden you’re living with’ is anything but tongue in cheek?
Seriously?
-XT
I think that this is truly the stupidest thing I have read in my 9 years on the SDMB. That’s saying something.
Charitable giving indicates criminal activity? Hmmm. Yeah. ok.
As for the whole “Vice President” thing, I’m a Vice President. At my previous firm I was a Senior Vice President. At the corporate level, I am nobody. Trust me, it is not a very prestigious thing. Just about everybody is a Vice President
Some of the same people that were so upset at Bush’s wiretapping, really have no problem with the government seizing the assets of public citizens, and inciting death threats against them while suggesting they commit suicide.
I seem to remember a lot of folks throwing around the term “cognitive dissonance” about that whole Bush thing. What do those words mean again?
Actually I am corporate lawyer so that cheap shot only makes you seem stupid.
I do know the difference between a VP and a CEO, the question is, do you know what they have in common?
The thing is my friend that both of them are what we call management. Management, collectively, answer to the shareholders. They are hired to manage and corporation on behalf of the owners.
As I said before managers, they are human after all, tend to look after themselves instead of looking after their employers. That’s called the “principal agent problem” or agency dilema.
For example an articlewritten in 2004 says things like this, and I quote:
So this whole situation isn´t exactly new. We saw it with Enron and, in my country, with many other corporations.
This poor soul was a VP of finance and he should have known that management (himself included) was crazy. And he didn’t do or say anything. That wasn’t the military, due obedience isn´t a defense (it isn’t even for the military as any argentinian repressor can say).
In my professional view compensation should be the least of his problems right now. He should be hiring a lawyer.
I am hurt, specially considering that I never said that giving back the money is and indication of criminal activity. It could be shame, but I tend to doubt it.
I only tried to imply that the letter was a bit contradictory. If he was the perfect employee why give the money to charity?
I’m sure none of the VPs at Barings Bank had any idea what Nick Leeson was up to.
I’m sure they were all hard workers and were entitled to the bonuses promised to them.
Come,** XT**, let us reason together. Or I’ll reason, and you can sputter…
Point Numero Uno: Death threats are actionable. Even in Texas, kind of thing you call the cops about, and they go arrest somebody. E-mails are eminently traceable (I know, I’m not even allowed to type the name “S*lma Hay**k”…). So, if these threats are to be taken seriously, then why are the no reports of lots of people being arrested? Or for that matter, anyone being arrested!
And if these reports are not being taken seriously, why do you insist that we must?
Point Numero Two-o: Wouldn’t this be just about the dandiest way for a PR firm to paint their clients in a sympathetic light? To provoke concern for the undeserving, by depicting their wives and children cowering in paneled basements, cringing in fear? Hell, its so underhanded and sneaky, surprised I didn’t think of it myself!
Note your links: see any reference for numbers? How many threats? No, all we have are reactions: Person A is reported to be “very worried”, Person B is reported to have heard someone say that someone was threatened… Facts? Details? Arrest reports? Nada.
Well, they posted guards! Sure, I would too, costs next to nothing, looks Real Serious. IF these are serious threats, shouldn’t they be actual cops?
Unless, of course, these aren’t serious threats. And you have us wringing our hands and gnashing our teeth over…nothing much.
Look through your links, tell me: how many threats? How many actions taken to counter this dread peril? If the police aren’t taking it seriously, why should I?
I would appreciate it if you explain how exactly you tell a “serious” death threat, from one that is not serious?
Well, if nobody is motivated to do anything about it, I’m inclined to put that in the “not serious” category. How 'bout you? How many times you read somebody threatening to kill those lefty hippies, and didn’t warn me?