Urban Dictionary Has Redefined “Had A Bad Day” In Honour Of NSW Police
"To use the excuse that he had a bad day, that's just piss-weak."
This week, video of a Sydney police officer aggressively arresting an Aboriginal teenager went viral.
The 17-year-old was calmly following police directions when his legs were kicked out from under him, while his hands were pinned behind his back.
The video caused widespread anger — and so did the police’s excuse for the police officer in question, who they said “had a bad day”.
“Not for one minute am I saying the officer’s actions were correct,” said NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller. “The fact that this officer doesn’t have a chequered history and he has been in [the police force] for three and a half years, if the complaint is sustained against him, you would have to say he has had a bad day.”
The comment quickly draw anger, with people wondering what else they can get away with because they’ve “had a bad day”.
I had a bad day yesterday too but managed somehow not to flatten then kick a defenceless indigenous man.
— Sundo 💧 (@sirisgonerogue) June 3, 2020
I wonder if the kid also “had a bad day” after getting body slammed
— Daniel Ziegler (@danunite) June 3, 2020
I had a bad day yesterday. I went for a run, played with the dog and had a couple of tequila lime and sodas after dinner. Didn't assault any teenagers that I know of. https://t.co/yT007DWj6d
— Andy Thompson (@SweatyJester) June 3, 2020
Is ‘had a bad day’ the new legal defence for everything?
— Damien Buckley 🇦🇺🇬🇧 (@damienpbuckley) June 3, 2020
For most of us, having a bad day doesn’t mean we can get away with kicking someone’s legs out from under them — if it did, I’m pretty sure anyone working in customer service would have a lot higher job satisfaction.
Sydney comedian Harry Jun wasn’t about to let the excuse slide — for him, the correct use of language is just too important.
Worried that the commissioner’s choice of words might get misconstrued, Jun decided to clear up any confusion by updating the definition of “had a bad day” in Urban Dictionary — to make sure it more accurately reflected what he thinks the commissioner might have been trying to get across.
Famously, Urban Dictionary is the cultural home of pretty much all slang, memes and internet jokes.
And now, if you search the website for “had a bad day” you’ll find a new entry reading: “An excuse used by cowards, the morally bankrupt, and men with weak-chins to grant legal immunity. Often used by police officers and/or the Commissioner of the New South Wales Police Force”.
Harry told Junkee he made the entry to try and use comedy and satire to draw attention to a topic that isn’t talked about enough.
“I think Commissioner Mick Fuller is dancing around the subject but also trying to sweep it under the rug. And systemic racism, disproportionate police brutality towards Indigenous versus non-Indigenous people, it’s an issue that’s been affecting Australia for so many years,” he said.
“You can’t misuse words like that, the fact that he pardoned this officer is just deplorable and to use the excuse that he had a bad day, that’s just piss-weak.
“I just don’t think it shows that someone’s accepting responsibility for their morally bankrupt actions.”
Harry is also encouraging people to support the National Justice Project which is supporting the family.