I was directed to this story via Boing Boing, wherein a woman who'd lost her camera was given contact information from a Park Ranger for the family who found it. What followed was surreal:

"Well," [the finder] said, "we have a bit of a situation. You see, my nine year old son found your camera, and we wanted to show him to do the right thing, so we called, but now he's been using it for a week and he really loves it and we can't bear to take it from him."

The family sent back the camera's cd with the pictures, but kept the camera and the memory cards, and refuses to send them to their owner. Period.

When I first read that, I wanted to scream, "Crappy parents!" But what I read next was even more surreal. Various commenters on the original blog post:

"Give us their number "for a good time""
And then contact the proper authorities."

"Publish the names, lets take them out . . ."

"Find her kid and rob him."

"I hope the little fucker goes into a coma and dies."

Wow.

As one commenter postulated, it's like the internet has become the 21st Century version of the stockade, where people who don't live by the rules of civilized behavior are held up for public ridicule.

"Shame them into doing right," is the mantra most of the commenters were repeating. "They did wrong and should be brought to justice!" I have no argument with that.

Really.

The buggers stole an expensive camera, and should feel guilty. But somewhere around comment 300, some thought should be given to the power of pitchfork and flaming torches. About the mob mentality. About how just because someone's done something shameful is no reason for others to wish for their kid to die, or their dog to get run over or for them to lose their jobs.

If that was true, well . . . We'd have one less moronic President and bunches fewer Senators and critters. Just for starters.