Morgan informed the media of the threats – some of which included racial slurs – but chose to take the high road and not respond.

“I heard everything, especially when they got you on Twitter and they’re sending you death threats,” Morgan said, “and wishing bad on your family, your first born. You see it all, hear it all. You don’t got no choice. But you never let it get to you, especially me being from DC.”

How barbaric. How infantile. How ludicrous for so-called ‘fans’ to indulge themselves with such inhumane acts because of a football game? These criminals must be brought to justice – and yes, the act of threatening one’s life is absolutely criminal. Sadly, this is not the first time fanatics have carried out such heinous behavior. After a World Cup soccer match in the early 90s, a player from Central America who deflected the soccer ball into his own goal, which eventually cost his team the game, was killed later that same week by a ‘fan’ outside of a restaurant/bar.

The psychology behind these atrocious actions is beyond my understanding. How could a win or loss from one’s favorite sports team send one human being into committing the threat, intent, or act of murder? Is this person already suffering from sociopathic and/or psychotic behavior? Or is it a case where the ‘fan’ obsessed with rage comes into contact, either in person or in cyberspace, with the athlete who ‘instigated’ this emotion and he/she immediately sees ‘red;’ therefore unable to differentiate right from wrong, while spun into a state of temporary insanity? Regardless of the irrational reasoning, those on Twitter who threatened Morgan must be found, arrested and brought to trial.

Some might say ‘Oh, it’s no big deal – it’s just kids messing around to get attention.’ Well, tell that to the soccer player’s family who buried their loved one because of an accidental own-goal; or the dozens of other families we see on the news whose daughter, sister or wife suffered “online” harassment until their stalkers decided to make the leap from fantasy to reality. Yes, high-profile athletes and celebrities give up the ‘right to privacy’ once famous. But that should never include giving up their right to safety.

-Todd C. Smith