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opinion Panther Prowler • Jan. 24 2020
Docuseries captures a cat killer er
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Reese Kelem Photographer An internet killer is caught, but not by the police. “Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer” is one of the newest Netflix true crime documentaries was released on Dec. 18, 2019 on Netflix. In three addicting episodes, it walks the viewer through a Facebook group’s hunt for a man who posted videos of murdering cats. Don’t F**k with Cats has a 8.2/10 on IMDb and a 63% on Rotten tomatoes. The words to follow contain spoilers and can be disturbing to some readers. Over winter break, I surfed Netflix more times than I am willing to admit. The trailer for Dont F**k with Cats popped up repeatedly, and I did not consider checking it out until I read the words underneath: “Hunting an Internet Killer.” As a true crime junkie, I had to see what this documentary was about. However, knowing that it was about cats getting killed, I was very hesitant. Luckily the show only shows parts of
the murder videos, but not the actual murder. The first episode out of three was quite sad because of those poor kittens dying, which made me sick. The cat killer is real. His name is Luka Magnotta, the perfect embodiment of entitled insanity. As an aspiring model and actor, he spent his spare time posting YouTube montages of photos of himself, spreading fake press about himself, and committing heinous crimes that resemble the actions of famous movie killers like in Basic Instinct. After killing a multitude of cats, he eventually killed a man named Jun Lin and filmed it. Deanna Thompson, who had the alias Baudi Moovin on Facebook, was the primary interviewee and a prominent person in the Facebook hunt for Magnotta. Her genuine, self aware personality as well as her role in this story
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inspired me to route for her. Thompson and John Green, the other primary Facebook investigator, were the dynamic duo of the investigation, and what they accomplished made me proud of them even though I question why these adults spend so much time on the internet. Don’t F*** With Cats is a journalistic masterpiece. The sources they interviewed, the quotes, the strict chronological structure, and the cliffhangers at the end of every episode tied me in. It is inspiring as a journalist to see a documentary that is so well done. I got more and more emotionally invested, especially with every instance the Facebook group failed to get through to the police. It seems like nobody listened to them until it was too late.
“To Catch A Predator” should be revamped
Emma Schoors News Editor “To Catch a Predator” is the kind of show that the world needs on air right now for a multitude of reasons. The basic premise of the show is about catching internet sex predators who try and meet underaged girls, often 13-14 years old, that they talk to online. It follows the explicit chat-logs of the show’s planted decoy “girl” and the predator and shows the eventual meet up with the decoy at her “house”, which is actually a chosen filming location equipped with cameras. Upon arrival, the predator is greeted by Chris Hansen, the show’s host, who gives a line of questioning so embarrassing that they often ask to leave or bolt out without a single word. Their attempt to escape is foiled when they are arrested by police waiting outside the house. Confrontational shows like this are prime examples of what watchers love to consume: funny, awkward at moments, serious and educational at the same time. Hansen’s perfectly-timed questions are satisfying and to the point. In an episode where a man named Marvin had asked to meet an underaged girl at her house and immediately stripped naked upon entering, Hansen asked him to explain himself. When the predator attempted to brush it off as nothing, Hansen shot back with “Marvin, you’re naked!” The show broke the barrier that online anonymity can have, bringing creeps into the infamous light. Many of the predators would text the decoys sexually charged language and extremely inappropriate photos, yet when they arrived at the house and got caught they would act like they were being set up or that it was just a joke. When pulling up the concrete evidence of the chat logs, they are often read aloud their own predatory texts. This is the nail in the coffin for most of them, and when they realize they have no escape to what they have done.
While the show’s final episode aired in 2007, the concept has never been more relevant. As technology advances and talking to people online is just as typical as talking in real life, it would be even easier to catch these predators in the act. If “To Catch A Predator” is not revamped, a similar show with the same directness and humor is much needed in today’s digital society.
Emma Schoors/ Prowler
Your body will change but your worth will not Prasheetha Karthikeyen Features Editor I’m lucky;I’ve never hated my skin; it’s never been a source of insecurity for me. I’ve always been proud of the cultural history that it held. With primarily lightskinned female movie leads and skin lightening creams thrown at young Indian girls like me left and right; I’m the one in a million who’s made it out unscathed. s. Those with lighter, “more beautiful,” skin tones, are treated as superior and regarded higher, while their darker counterparts are barely treated as people. Throughout the world, unjust beauty standards inhibit young people, leading to my interest in the rising body positivity movement: the idea that it is okay to be unconventional. As one of countless young, impressionable teenage girls out there struggling with body image, this perspective, upon finding it, was both new and refreshing. Typically, the movement refers to positive body image regarding weight. With it comes various negative opinions from people no one asked, many of which express “concern” about the health of portrayed individuals. Surprisingly, the vast majority of the criticism comes from people with no medical experience. Personally, I don’t see any harm in promoting acceptance and love of your body, regardless of size. I don’t think I know a single girl that isn’t insecure about at least one part of themselves, so I truly believe that presenting the diversity that makes us all unique promotes self-acceptance. You can condone body positivity while promoting healthiness; much like people, being healthy isn’t one size fits all. Telling girls (or anyone) that their personal worth is defined by more than a number on a scale is empowering and fills us with a sense of purpose. But body positivity is multifaceted. Beyond weight, the movement incorporates other aspects of the human body, like body hair, acne, stretch marks and skin color. After being exposed to more Indian media, I’ve been thinking about different views of skin in society and I realized that I don’t hate my skin; I hate the way society sees my skin. This revelation ended up turning my perspective around on numerous insecurities of my own, and I think it is an important lesson that has helped me on my own journey of positivity. I know that hearing a simple phrase doesn’t magically take away years of ingrained self-loathing; it definitely hasn’t for me. But recognizing that the time you lost to that is no fault of your own, but rather the fault of unrealistic, unattainable standards set by society, is the first step in accepting yourself as you are. Instead of trying to change that, let yourself be free to work towards the best version of yourself.
