‘Weird for a grown man’: Reporter accusing another reporter of cyber-bullying sparks mockery

Posted at 1:48 pm on December 06, 2013 by Doug P.

Reporter Mike Elk of “In These Times” magazine has been challenging “Daily Beast” reporter Eli Lake to a debate.

Apparently Elk doesn’t like how Lake reacted, because Elk is accusing Lake of “cyber bullying”:

Over the last day cyberbully @EliLake has sent me emails & tons of tweets but still won't say yes or no to a debate #coward

— Mike Elk (@MikeElk) December 6, 2013

https://twitter.com/MikeElk/status/409012260598579200

According to Lake’s tweet, he might be able to make the same claim:

Actual email from @MikeElk to me. Subject line: "Your days are numbered." Message: "Im gonna make sure you never got on MSNBC again."

— Eli Lake (@EliLake) December 5, 2013

Many Twitter users aren’t very sympathetic with the accuser in this alleged cyber bullying incident:

If you're a grown man with complaints of being "bullied" you should be forced to re-complete k-12 a la Billy Madison.

— Charly J. (@chuck_dizzle) December 6, 2013

Also, you should sue your father for failing to teach you how to be a man.

— Charly J. (@chuck_dizzle) December 6, 2013

#EliLakeCyberBully RT @katherinemiller: @SonnyBunch @JohnEkdahl Oh, yeah? I heard @EliLake came up with the idea for the Sound of Music Live

— Sonny Bunch (@SonnyBunch) December 6, 2013

I’m doubled-over in laughter at the thought of Eli Lake being a “cyber bully”

— John Ekdahl (@JohnEkdahl) December 6, 2013

https://twitter.com/NathanWurtzel/status/409013030899302400

@MikeElk People saying things you don't like on Twitter isn't oppression. You've lived a sheltered life if you think it is.

— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) December 6, 2013

But then, Elk lashed out:

.@bethanyshondark go shit in the ocean

— Mike Elk (@MikeElk) December 6, 2013

The accuser had become the perpetrator:

https://twitter.com/ChrisBarnhart/status/409016219325317121

Ha!

The hashtag #EliLakeCyberBully quickly took off:

Eli Lake borrowed my Clavinet Duo for a gig and returned it with congolene residue on the keys and two nicks. #EliLakeCyberBully

— John-Paul Pagano (@johnpaulpagano) December 6, 2013

I asked @EliLake what his favorite Hall and Oates song was and he told me to go shit in the ocean. #EliLakeCyberBully

— Sonny Bunch (@SonnyBunch) December 6, 2013

.@Elilake won't RT anything we tweet. #EliLakeCyberBully

— The Israel Project (@israelproject) December 6, 2013

I clicked a link once on an @EliLake tweet and it didn't take me to an article. #EliLakeCyberBully

— AliceH (@Alice_Aitch) December 6, 2013

It's on good authority that I know @EliLake complains about lag on Xbox Live. #EliLakeCyberBully

— Jay Caruso (@JayCaruso) December 6, 2013

@SonnyBunch I once asked @elilake for his credentials so I could disrupt an event and he declined on ethical grounds #EliLakeCyberBully

— Gabriel Rossman (@GabrielRossman) December 6, 2013

I've raced @EliLake in Grand Theft Auto Online and he's crashed into me more than a few times #EliLakeCyberBully

— John Tabin (@johntabin) December 6, 2013