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Hi, this is my first post on this forum.
I don't know why people think it's funny to tell unsuspecting people to "rm -rf /" their hard drive.
Anyhow, a simple way to get rid of such files is to Open up your terminal
-> application folder
--> utilities
---> terminal
Then, click on your trash can icon.
In the terminal window type "rm" followed by a space.
In your trash can folder, drag the desired file onto the terminal window.
In the terminal window, it should read,
"rm /Users//.Trash/"
Then just hit enter. Files is unlinked, therefore not visible to file system, but the content remains until the space on the hard drive is overwritten.
One way to securely (well, mostly secure) way to delete files from the terminal is to do the following:
cat /dev/null > name_of_file_to_be_deleted.
The above command writes over the file with "0's" making recovery of the original file's contents impossible by normal tools.
This is a good practice to use when deleting personal files. I use it all the time when deleting files containing financial information (tax returns, bank statements, etc.).

I don't know why people think it's funny to tell unsuspecting people to "rm -rf /" their hard drive.

It's not. But it does highlight one of the essential difference between Conservative and Liberal thought.
'Stupidity should be painful'.

Anyone who would run a command like that without first running a web search on it is stupid. They deserve what they get. Sort of like pulling the pin from a greande without first asking, "What is this thing?"

You will find a lot of Conservatives here on FR Noob. That is why you will find a lot of people posting things like the rm -rf /* command. It's not meant to be funny but it will teach a lesson to someone who is sorely in need of it. Pain is temporary but it's legacy is long lasting. It weakness leaving the body.