Pathos?

When reading chapter 7 on the enargeia, the example of a rhetor who supports the regulation of hate speech fell short for me. Here it is listed below.
"A small child walks juantily home from school, swinging her backpack in time with her steps. Her eyes sparkle with hapiness-school is out for the day-and her smile indicates her sheer happiness at being alive on this beautiful autumn afternoon. Suddenly, three girls from her class at school appear on the sidewalk in front of her. Giggling, they point at her in unison and the tallest one yells "Fatso! Go on a diet." They run away.
This depiction is intended to elicit sympathy for victims of hate speech."

I for one am proud to be reading a book that addresses these issues. Even-though that during my youth PC was simply unheard of- simple politeness was the common line that we all walked on.
Anyway, I found that this Pathos example made me laugh and I don't like to admit it. I just see, something like this, on Saturday Night Live. Perhaps I am wrong, SNL never aired anything so horrible. I felt that this was a poor example of appealing to pathos because it made me laugh, or maybe that's the point...we are laughing (a colleague of mine and I).

After reading it the first time I thought, what mean girls!, without feeling empathy, sympathy, or identification with her. I heard no violin playing. Yes, I felt that justice needed to be done. Yes it was a rude comment. I thought to myself that I maybe either
A) not a good reader. Or
B) not aware of the times I live in.

Great, I'm glad that I am aware of my weaknesses. This segment could have been better if it would have described her struggle as being over weight instead of trying to establish the hate speech.
Maybe this might work better...

Janice peers over the desk that is too small to sit at and tries to take notes like everyone else. She spends half her time, throughout eight classes, juggling her notes and books from the table built into the chair that's too small for her . In frustration, she huffs and puffs about her weight. With great joy, the day in school ends and she leaves the classes feeling the steady eyes glare at her large physique.
Walking home alone, she meets eyes with a clique of girls from school. They glare quickly at her and gossip together as a group giggling. As Janice approaches them, her classmates smile politely and one says "Hey fatso!" laced with scorn, "Get on a diet!"

I don't see why the author made me laugh when I am supposed to feel some sort of emotion.