Since 2009, a few hardcore Manny Pacquiao fans (referred to as “Pactards”) flooded the web with Floyd Mayweather, Jr depicted as a chicken or a Kentucky Fried Chicken mascot. (See examples)
On Monday, “Pacman” haters – undoubtedly many of them Mayweather fans – exacted revenge by spreading parody memes, as well as, television commercials of the ten-time champion knocked unconscious at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez. If you missed watching the Dec. 7 welterweight fight, here is the full HBO replay of the fight.
On Monday, parody memes of Manny Pacquiao spread on internet forums and social media sites following the boxer’s sixth round knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez. Photo credit: mixedmartialarts.com
Parody: Febreze commercial with Pacquiao
On Monday, the altered photos were posted on boxing and MMA forums such as East Side Boxing and MixedMartialArts.com, as well as, on social media such as Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. In the words of George Bernard Shaw,”Cruelty would be delicious if one could only find some sort of cruelty that didn’t really hurt.” However, these memes landed below the belt.
What made some posts troubling is that they not only made fun of Pacquiao’s knockout but also mocked his Christian religion. One meme shows the unconscious boxer spread out before Jesus and the 12 disciples during the last supper. The Philippine congressman regards himself as a born-again Evangelical.
Other memes refer to Pacquiao as the “2012 planking champion of the world”. Canadian singer Justin Bieber joined the bash by hurling insults at Pacquiao on his Instagram account on Dec. 10.
In the words of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, “The croaking raven doth bellow for revenge.”
Why do cyber-bullies spew such venom? Here are several reasons: The internet allows cyber-bullies to be anonymous, and therefore, free of accountability. Haters have been waiting to exact revenge on “Pactards” after years of enduring racist comments on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Since 2009, Mayweather has been depicted as a chicken or KFC mascot on countless altered photos. Such memes are typically laced with racially-charged undertones. Manny Pacquiao has long tormented Mexicans as well as Juan Manuel Marquez fans by defeating the nation’s best fighters, including Marco Antonio Barrera (twice), Erik Morales (twice), and Marquez (twice). Forums often go un-monitored by web administrators. Some people are just plain weird, dumb, or both.
Here’s some food for thought:
? If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why, revenge. The villany you teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction. — William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”
