Make time to read all the links in this post. Bloggers need to know this information!
Please watch the following short video from Patterico's Pontifications: Harangues That Just Make Sense, a conservative blog (hat tip to Right Truth):
Find detailed information HERE at Patterico's Pontifications.
Also read about how conservative blogger Stacy McCain of The Other McCain has been harassed. One of Stacy McCain's posts about his having been forced to leave Maryland is HERE.
This is America?
In my view, if we are threatened in the manner that Patterico and Stacy McCain have been enduring, we have two choices: (1) knuckle under and close our sites or (2) make a stand for our First Amendment right to freedom of expression. Of course, if we opt for knuckling under, we lose not only a precious individual freedom but also a precious freedom as a society – possibly for decades. Once a freedom is lost, getting that freedom back requires desperate measures.
Additional reading: "The Harrassment of Patterico & Its Roots In Left-Wing Activism."
[Note: I didn't participate Everyone Blog about Brett Kimberlin Day only because I was in the throes of completing my work for the end of the school year. I did, however, present the above matters during the first portion of the May 25, 2012 broadcast of The Gathering Storm Radio Show, available via podcast at the foregoing link]
The nutball left is going to get even nuttier as the year wears on. Their fantasy world is crumbling, and they can't handle the cognitive dissonance of defending their messiah while seeing the nation on a greased rail to hell.
ReplyDeleteFortunately I am just a little blogger, but I do sit on the porch occasionally cleaning my shotgun.
ReplyDeletePlaying fair was never an option.
ReplyDeleteI'd never heard of this guy
ReplyDelete"After Kimberlin's release from jail, he became an activist for the left, whose work has been funded in part, by George Soros' Tides Foundation, Barbra Streisand and Teresa Heinz Kerry." We aren't in Kansas, Toto.
"As reported by the Blaze ..." okay, now this is starting to make sense.
NeilsenWire says there are now 181 million blogs worldwide. The U.S. has gotta have at least a third of those, or at least 60 million blogs.
ReplyDeleteSo if 2 bloggers who throw anonymity to the winds and publish stuff that really pisses some people off, and then get targeted by some crank with SWAT tactics, that doesn't seem very dangerous.
Not whem the odds against it are 30million to 1.
I used to get death threats from Muslims for some of my posts, but I just turned them over to the FBI and kept on blogging, and I was far from alone in that regard. The Muslime finally gave up trying to intimidate bloggers, either that or they were locked up. I never heard.
I bet the Feds are still looking for that guy who pulled that nasty stunt, as he violated a slew of Federal laws. Hope they get him, too.
A portent of increasingly horrific Things to Come no doubt, UNLESS by some miracle people stir from their deep slumber of lazy contentment, get up off their dead asses and REBEL en masse.
ReplyDeleteLook what the Tea Party was able to accomplish in the last congressional election. but WHEre is the Tea Party TODAY?
Grumbling on blogs and sending each their irate emails is about it from what I can see.
NOT GOOD ENOUGH!
One thing's for darned certain sure: The Ladies Who Lunch aren't going to save us. Neither are The Stitch and Bitch crowd.
Men used to have BALLS.
Where are those men today?
General Patton would PUKE at the namby pamby state of today's PC-Military Leadership. The men are fine. The leadership has been castrated by Feminazis, Affirmative Action and this farcical concept we call "International Law."
We've allowed ourselves to become hopelessly patheticized.
How's THAT for a neologism, Teach? ;-)
~ FT
I've not received any threats that amounted to a hill of beans.
ReplyDeleteOn one occasion, however, I was investigated by a private security firm because I seemed to know "too much" about a particular topic. The security firm called up out of the blue to my home phone; the ease of locating me did give me pause, so, for that reason, I typically do not use my real name on the web. At my age, I don't worry too much about myself; however, I do have to consider my students' safety and, in the past three years, my husband's well being.
The one time that I spoke at a large public gathering, I was provided security -- not by the facility but by a friend, who escorted me. I didn't think that I needed security, but the fellow insisted on making sure that I got home without being followed and followed up for some weeks afterwards -- and clearly he knows more about security matters than I. I won't say more about the specifics for reasons that I will keep to myself.
I have repeatedly been warned by another individual in the know (not a blogger, BTW): "There is an element of risk to what you're doing."
I also know several bloggers and/or citizen journalists who have stopped blogging out of concern for their personal safety -- and the safety of their families. I also know many bloggers who remain anonymous or who have quit blogging because they fear they could lose their jobs and their careers.
Black Sheep points out the following:
So if 2 bloggers who throw anonymity to the winds and publish stuff that really pisses some people off, and then get targeted by some crank with SWAT tactics, that doesn't seem very dangerous.
Not whem the odds against it are 30million to 1.
Yes, the odds are not in favor of the nutjobs who endanger bloggers. But the nutjobs are certainly out there; sometimes, one never knows what might set off a nutjob. For that matter, I can say the same about driving on metropolitan roads.
FT,
ReplyDeleteGrumbling on blogs and sending each their irate emails is about it from what I can see.
NOT GOOD ENOUGH!
Definitely not good enough, but blogging can "rally" the people, nonetheless -- or make them more aware, at least. The mainstream media ignores a lot of the stories that bloggers bring out.
Blogging serves many purposes, some of them personal as my posts about my husband's stroke have shown. There is also a sense of community. If not for blogging, the blogger The Merry Widow and I would never have known each other; she came to my rescue after I brought Mr. AOW home from the nursing facility. TMW dropped everything and flew up here from Florida to help us for a full 6 weeks! I will forever be grateful to her because, had she not helped at that critical time, I would have been forced to divorce Mr. AOW and return him forever to a nursing home. The situation was that bad those first 3-4 months after I brought Mr. AOW home. Those 5 loads of laundry a day and working outside the home were KILLING me -- literally. Family didn't help out at all, and friends just wouldn't come in and do the dirty work. Plus, there was the matter of twice a night bed changes, transfers to the potty, getting Mr. AOW to the doctor's office, etc. I do credit TMW with much of Mr. AOW's improvement in those early months following his stroke.
(continued below)
I do strive for variety on my blog. My reasoning: this is not a newspaper or other news medium. I do no consider my efforts here as citizen journalist but rather as a pamphleteer (some of the time, anyway). I also make an effort to coordinate some of what I post to my classroom curriculum. So, in a way, part of the purpose of my blog is educational.
(continued from above)
ReplyDeleteFT,
We've allowed ourselves to become hopelessly patheticized.
Perfect term! I sometimes refer to the same as wussified and victimologized.
Men used to have BALLS.
Where are those men today?
General Patton would PUKE at the namby pamby state of today's PC-Military Leadership. The men are fine. The leadership has been castrated by Feminazis, Affirmative Action and this farcical concept we call "International Law."
The Feminazis are certainly to blame. But strong female leadership CAN be a good thing and empower the men. My mother was a very strong leader, but so was my father -- albeit in different venues. In fact, I have to say that my parents had a 35-year marriage better than any I've ever seen. Such respect for each other! Such a partnership! And love, too, of course. Each of them put the other one first. They married late in life: Mom was 34 and Dad almost 40, so they were secure in themselves by their own right as individuals. In all the years of their marriage, I think that they argued only 3 times -- and the arguments weren't big ones. Mom and Dad always talked things over and came to an agreement for any decision. Period.
Growing up, I was completely unaware of how difficult things were financially. The financial problems were caused by Mom's suddenly becoming disabled at age 44 when she had her first heart attack (of 8 heart attacks over a period of 4 years).
As I look back on my parents' relationship, I have to say, "It was one of the greatest love stories of all time."
When Mom died suddenly in 1987, Dad lived on for almost a full 10 years -- active all the way up to a Wednesday and gone late on the following Saturday night. I really got to know my dad during those years. I found out just how what "a great guy" he was!
I know that I am the person that I am today because of Mom and Dad. I truly wish that more children had such parents. The differences that such an upbringing are infinite.
Duck,
ReplyDeleteThe link you left is quite interesting:
In a nutshell, the convicted bomber and lifetime criminal has been filing numerous complaints, contacting employers, and publishing home addresses, allegedly "swatting" victims and generally making life miserable for those on his enemy list. After Kimberlin's release from jail, he became an activist for the left, whose work has been funded in part, by George Soros' Tides Foundation, Barbra Streisand and Teresa Heinz Kerry.
[...]
Once Walker was on Kimberlin's radar, his life has been a continual battle of court cases and both he and his wife have lost their jobs.
Believe The Blaze or not, is the information accurate?
Now, if Huffington or somebody at The DailyKos were going through all this, would not the Left rally and the information be widespread?
Randy,
ReplyDeleteBeing a small blogger can make one more of a target as small bloggers don't have the financial wherewithal to hire private security and legal representation.
Silverfiddle,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comment 100%.
Are we reliving the days of Sacco and Vanzetti -- with a twist, of course?
DaTechGuy on Brett Kimberlin
ReplyDeleteFox News did two segments on "SWATTING"and these particular bloggers, but as far as I know there wasn't anything in any other media.
ReplyDeleteAlso the Judge is a retired judge who was called back for the case, he is a throwback to the stone age, doesn't sound like he knows what blogging or the internet are from his ruling. A terrible thing when convicted terrorists are allowed free to harass innocent bloggers.
Debbie
Right Truth
http://www.righttruth.typepad.com
Sometimes Randy and I keep each other company.
ReplyDeleteThe video is actually pretty scary stuff; the erosion of our rights and basically a terrorist attack on free speech!
ReplyDelete"General Patton would PUKE at the namby pamby state of today's PC-Military Leadership. The men are fine. The leadership has been castrated by Feminazis, Affirmative Action and this farcical concept we call "International Law."
ReplyDeleteFT is right. Giving-in to these creeps is not an option.
Welcome to the reliving of Germany prior to going to war.
ReplyDeleteI've been writing since 2004.
ReplyDeleteI am slightly to the right, issue-dependent, of Attila the Hun.
I am a law enforcement officer and, consequently, well armed. At all times.
People will attack me physically or violate my rights at their own peril.
I am an Oathkeeper.
BZ
I'd have to agree with Silver. They are going to get worse, and seek to punish anyone who opposes them. This just might be the beginning.
ReplyDeleteI like Randy's comment about sitting on his porch. Yes, blogging is becoming increasingly dangerous with "lawfare" and death threats and job disruption and intimidation.
ReplyDeleteI'm not young, so don't care if they shoot me, but I too am armed so they better hit me on the first shot.
The political situation in the country has been extremely polarized since Bill Clinton took office, and has only gotten worse.
The Left is determined to impose their version of utopia on all of us, as they like to say, "By any means necessary."
They will destroy anyone who stands in their way. Destroy them economically, through lawsuits or in getting them fired. Destroy their self esteem, credibility and personal reputation through public humiliation.
The Left is EVIL.
Guess I am late to the party, but I have reading about Kimberlin's exploits for the last month or so.
ReplyDeleteWhat I cannot understand is why Patterico and other bloggers got into a pissing match with that nut, Kimberlin. Why was it such a great scoop to blog about the criminal record of a liberal blogger? Who would care in the first place?
Yes. I think Kimberlin should be in prison, and it was a mistake to let him out. However, he knows more than most on how to game the justice and law enforcement systems. The guy is dangerous.
Maybe my take on all this is a bit myopic, but I don't see the reason for the tussle in the first place.
Where am I wrong?
Very scarey stuff indeed.
ReplyDeleteThis is a bit unnerving but so far I am still under the radar.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I will never back down on what I post, and stand by my words.
The more frequent danger in bloggin has been played out here many times.
ReplyDeleteThis is illustrative for AOWs students as the debates usually proceed with a similiar formula.
Watch these dabates and the result is always the same when the liberal (communist) is losing the person will turn nasty and start using deragtory language name calling and ultimately threating statements...
So yes I believe if a liberal finds out your address they will probably use that info..
As proof I submit the protests that scared some families of Execs because the thugs sent them to the homes of insurance execs homes...
It is a tough call to define the limits and particularly when it comes to the internet.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the line between freedom of speech and encouraging hate or an act of defamation?
Does being supposively annonymous give one the right to circumvent laws if one was to add their name to it?
The internet and blogging has proven to be a boon to free speech, expression and the forgotten man on the street to get out a message. As we know from events overseas, also the way to get rid of the shackles of oppression.
Having said that, it is also such an uncontrolled environment that every looney, politically and commercially motivated groups and yes bigotted fringe group to lie, slander and attempt to subvert truth.
Blogging is not journalism and unless a website or a blog is given the same restrictions as a registered journalistic rules and standards, it is only going to remain a confusing, uncontrolled free-for-all. If people want that, then they should also remember that they are equally not protected which control would also provide.
Also, it should not be forgotten, that the mess of so-called self-righteous produced an environment on the net that to a part created mass murderer Brevik and which still wishes to take no collective responsibility and uses "freedom of speech" to justify pushing mass hysteria and naz*-like propoganda.
Damien Charles
correction
ReplyDelete"Does being supposively annonymous give one the right to circumvent laws ?"
DC
June 6, 2012 information about Brett Kimberlin:
ReplyDeleteNew developments today in the story of convicted terrorist bomber-turned-progressive activist Brett Kimberlin: Sources report that conservative New Media activists believe that Kimberlin — whose activities are funded by the tax-exempt 501(c) non-profits Velvet Revolution and the Justice Through Music Project — showed up in April at BlogCon, a conference sponsored by FreedomWorks and the Franklin Center....
Much more at the above link.
Damien Charles,
ReplyDeleteArguing on the blogs is one thing (no big deal, really), stalking a completely different matter.
There is a lot of noise and much inaccuracy all over the Internet. I can say the same for other "respected" venues -- including the education system. We may indeed live in the Information Age, but, even so, must spend a lot of time verifying a least some of what we encounter.
You mentioned circumventing laws. Well, here in the United States, the strictures on freedom of expression at not at all the same as those in the UK. What you may view as circumventing laws -- and what may well be circumvention where you are -- is not circumvention in the United States.
Freedom of expression is messy, but that's the way it is. And -- so far, anyway -- here in America NOBODY has the right not to be offended.
Actual freedom of expression is very messy. I myself encounter many things I don't like, things that offend me. So, guess what? I move on. Otherwise, I'd spend most of my time being upset over nothing.
Blogginator,
ReplyDeleteWatch these dabates and the result is always the same when the liberal (communist) is losing the person will turn nasty and start using deragtory language name calling and ultimately threating statements...
If one is threatened on a blog, one must assess whether or not the threat is viable or just a bunch of hot air. Not always easy to do.
AOW,
ReplyDeleteinteresting reply.
It was about American laws that I was referring to. Though you say that nobody has the right to be offended and yet it is the issue all the time and in fact on many of these blogs (I think for instance that Leticia is "offended" most of the time).
The example I give is the difference between say a newspaper and a blog? A newspaper can be sued, some do, and is to a degree held accountable for accuracy, defamation and even ethical standards. A blogger more than often does not provide their name, their address and can say what they like and when they like. It is often only policed by some very weak laws placed on the service provider (such as blogger or wordpress).
The reality is that the main stream media, though often full of hype and bais, in fact does most of the time provide a level of accuracy. The bloggosphere, on the other hand, is mostly just opinions and though that is fine, there are large groups that are pushing hate, religous agendas and mindless rants. In many cases, the comments are like a high-school playground full of bullies, rumours, bs and without much context or actual educated basis.
There is talk about a self-managed standards for blogs and websites which I think is a good idea, I attended a seminar in Dallas last year on it. Basically those that adhere to the standards and also register themselves (only the organisation will have names and addresses) can then advertise that they are a registered website/blog. That way the public can chose to have some assurity, decorum and quality from those with it or accept that if they are reading or commenting on a non-registered site/blog that it could be a total free for all. Additionally, those that are registered will have become part of a lobby/organisation that backs them but are open to being prosecuted like real journalists if they start claiming things that are not true, defame someone or some organisation and/or defraud others. A good balance.
Say the fee was minimal, would you join such a group and be a registered blog?
Damien Charles
Damien Charles -- aka D Charles? I see your use of logic hasn't improved since we last tangled. I speak of this utterance:
ReplyDeleteAlso, it should not be forgotten, that the mess of so-called self-righteous produced an environment on the net that to a part created mass murderer Brevik and which still wishes to take no collective responsibility and uses "freedom of speech" to justify pushing mass hysteria and naz*-like propoganda.
Nonsense. Telling the truth about the brutality, terror, hatred and genocide regularly practiced by Islam does not make the hearer go insane. Since you give no specifics, we cannot know what you are referring to regarding "Nazi propanda." Indeed, it is your Muslim friends that regularly produce Nazi-like propaganda, especially when discussing Jews.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, yours is the most extreme case of denial that I have ever witnessed, on or off the internet.
Damien Charles,
ReplyDeleteI have released your most recent comment from the Blogger spam folder.
I am not responding to your comment at this time as I have to get my husband ready for an emergency dental appointment today. Not good -- both physically and financially! Even worse, this dentist's office doesn't have handicapped access; I will somehow have to walk Mr. AOW up the steps there. He weighs about 200 pounds, almost 2x my weight.
Back later -- perhaps much later.
i am also late to this party. but Aow, your comments inspired me. i learned so much in this comment thread about you! i had no idea you found such a wonderful and amazing friendship through blogging. God certainly brings our angels through the most unexpected channels. i remember the potty transferring for 4 months after my daughter's accident. i can only imagine how exhausting caring for your hubby was. mine was a teenager, yours was a grown man! God bless you both!
ReplyDeleteand the story about your mom and dad, 35 years of marriage. beautiful! i believe you're right about individuals who marry later in life being more secure. my hubby and i were 37 and 38, it's been nine of the BEST years in both our lives.
even though she's been gone 25 years, i can hear how much you still miss your mom whenever you mention her. i am so sorry for your loss. i think it's beautiful the way your love shines for her. i'm glad i went perusing here today. (((HUGS!)))
AOW,
ReplyDeleteall the best at the dentist.
Damien Charles
Stogie,
ReplyDeleteWe did not get tangled, you just blurted some mindless bigoted diatribe that is pure copy & paste from well-worn-out trash.
Trying to over simplify, over-generalize, avoid context and attempt to put value in such garbage is only a reflection of your confessed love for bigotry.
Your the perfect example of what I described to AOW. If ever laws were introduced to make blog-posters legally liable as News Papers and TV are, your own blog would be the first to be closed down.
It would be considered on an equal footing of any jihad-supporting terrorist site - because in simple terms, it is BS and pushes hate.
Damien Charles
Just a factual note for anyone observing the Brevik trial. Both his own defence lawyers as well as well as the prosecution provided three experts on social networking (one for defence and two for prosecution) that all agreed that there is exists a self-congratulatory, self-supporting anti-islamic internet community that promotes intollerance and (most importantly) a false self-image of how large their community is.
ReplyDeleteIn complete contrast to Stogie's own wishful denial, the world does not revolve around the sad group of haters that encourage, provoke and support violence to a level that eventually you get a Brevik who (again most importantly) uses this fake world to justify his actions.
Lastly, picking and chosing out of context the bad actions, horrors and obvious hate of radicals to justify a course of action is not only illogical and unjustified but is questionable. Like any extreme or radical viewpoint - be it Islamist, anti-Islamist, left-wing, right-wing, zionist, maoist, neo-naz*, race based, gender based - it is unsustainable and ultimately immoral. It requires and lives of hate and a target. If there is none, is forced to create it.
The Stogies of this world feed it.
DC
Damien Charles,
ReplyDeleteFortunately, a friend suddenly decided to visit us yesterday morning; she is nearly 6 feet tall and, therefore, can command more leverage than I can. We had to "walk" Mr. AOW up two steps to get him into the dentist's office; fortunately, the dentist recently installed a railing on my husband's right side (He has use of his right side, but not his left). My friend kept him from falling backwards, and I helped my husband to lift left leg up each step (He can swing the leg from the hip, so I don't have to lift the full weight).
My friend also pushed the wheelchair up to those steps -- a long and hilly sidewalk -- and to the dentist's chair in the back part of the office.
On the way out, one of the nurses helped my friend and me to lift the wheelchair down those two steps -- with Mr. AOW's 200 pounds in the chair at the time. Miraculously, I didn't injure my back (again) during all the strenuous efforts yesterday!
There was no saving my husband's tooth, but the dentist extracted this small tooth without any complications. Assuming that my husband's cataract surgery doesn't interfere, we'll return to the dentist in a few weeks to get my husband fitted for a lower partial denture. Thank God that the remaining lower teeth are in good shape!
We could get another dentist, I suppose, but we really LOVE this particular dentist. He actually does much of the needed dental work curbside -- that is, he comes out to the car!
All the above blabbing to indicate that I wasn't online at all yesterday afternoon.
Damien Charles said:
ReplyDeleteThe Stogies of this world feed it.
Well, there is much more to it than that! See THIS and THIS. Excerpt from that second link:
Anders Behring Breivik took stimulants before he launched his deadly attacks in Norway on 22 July of last year, his trial in Oslo has heard.
Expert witness Joerg Moerland, a professor of forensic toxicology, said the killer had taken a cocktail of ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin (ECA)....
More at each of the above links.
D Charles,
ReplyDeleteSay the fee was minimal, would you join such a group and be a registered blog?
I'm not sure that I would. Security is easily breached. Furthermore, security is only as good as the federal administration in power at the time.
America has a long history of pamphleteering. In fact, it is pamphleteering that resulting a successful War for Independence that liberated the colonies from the mother country. Hence, our roots with anonymous writing.
Besides, here in the States, nothing forbids frivolous law suits; in fact, they happen all the time. Such law suits can easily bankrupt individuals. Such law suits are also one basis of the way that Americans buy insurance policies.
If there were such an organization as you describe, the next cottage industry would be something along the lines of "Blogging Malpractice Insurance."
I know that I don't have to remind you of the following, but I will: America is not Europe.
Namaste,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your kind comment. I has uplifted me and made me stronger!
I am a "determined German," but I have to tell you that nearly 3 years of this caregiving is wearing me out.
I do have some good news to share with you -- something that I haven't previously shared....My husband's new neurologist wants him to have more therapy, specifically, therapy for gait. The goal is to be able to move him back into the bedroom and get rid of the hospital bed and potty chair in the living room!
Please pray that we can do this! It would be WONDERFUL to have a real living room back! People don't like to visit us under the circumstances that we now have, and I can't blame them for not wanting to come into a house that is esthetically displeasing.
We hope to begin this new therapy after my husband's cataract surgery. The cataract surgeon will be evaluating my husband's eyes on June 11. Depending on what this fine doctors says (He has operated on me, too!), I may put up another "Update on Mr. AOW."
consider it done! i am praying for you both! :)
ReplyDeleteMichelle Malking on June 8, 2012:
ReplyDeleteWho Will Protect the Freedom to Blog?
Free speech is under fire. Online thugs are targeting bloggers (mostly conservative, but not all) who have dared to expose a convicted bomber and perjuring vexatious litigant who is now enjoying a comfy life as a liberally subsidized social justice operative....
Much more at the above link.
AOW- not sure of you'll see this here, but...
ReplyDeleteGlad the surgery went well! And hope recovery is well all the way. Last thing you need is more stress/and or more doctor appointments. I pray this summer is one of good health for both of you.
-Wildstar
PS: rant.
Oh, and @D charles...
Its called freedom of speech. In the country, you can rant as much as want to all long as it doesn't endanger national security (I think) or disturb the peace. The latter means FORCING others to listen to you. Here, ya don't like it, bugg off, you don't have to read it. Nor do you have to believe it. No, blogs dont have to tell the truth (and the media over here seems to think their blogs), it is opinion based. So.what. ther eis nothing wrong with that. And frankly, two sides to every story: even the news is opinion based- what their opinion is of what side is true. And people know (or should) coming in that, ya, opinions.
rant over.
Wildstar,
ReplyDeleteBlogger provides comment notification, so I see comments wherever they appear on my blog, whenever they appear here. Ain't technology grand?
As for my recent dental surgery, my gums in that location still hurt a bit, but I can chew on that side again and am almost completely healed up -- till the next time, that is. Getting old AIN'T grand.
BTW, you looked lovely last night! Mr. AOW regrets that he didn't get to say hello to you; he asked about you after we got returned home last night -- a bit late, as MetroAccess was late (as usual).
See you soon, and we'll finish up that Latin course. Get at 90% or better on the final, and you'll have an above-average grade for the year. Yeehaw!
PS: Master that vocab for the last lesson of the year for the first section of the final exam. There is vocabulary only from the final lesson the first part of the exam; on the rest, well, the translation does cover the vocabulary from the entire year -- the vocab from the last five lessons, in particular.
Wildstar - yes "rant" is a good description.
ReplyDeleteI have no problem with freedom of speech and spend much of my career defending it.
That is not the issue I raised. As you pointed out, telling the truth has nothing to do with it - and that is why it can fall down!
My view, and the view of many others, is that there should be some form of standard - self governed or however, so that those that read "blogs" can know that it just opinions and when a blogger tries to say it is a truth/fact then they have to be a bit more careful.
A good example is the cr*p posted by Sam here blurting out that somehow it is factual that Obama is a "Muslim plant" which is so stupid and foolish that it simply can hurt someone by laughing.
Now having that opinion is certainly his right but (apart from making himself and AOW look like idiots) it should be made clear that he is just pulling people's chain that and that he cannot caugh up the goods. Similarly, his ascertion say that Obama has broken secrecy laws is at present political play and accussations and claiming it is a fact is equally stupid. Now that latter, if he said it as a journalist in a published licensed newspaper could easily be charged under slander and 'false accussation during a legal inquiry' which under US federal law is a 12 months prison sentance.
The other way we can look at it as you and others seem to blurt out as just freedom of speech is that we should all just blogs and being personal rants and of no value. Often it appears that way anyhow but the nutjobs and the dumbing down of the US population appears to hold value in blogs more than anything else, thus my argument.
Cheers
Damien Charles
D Charles said:
ReplyDeleteNow that latter, if [Sam}said it as a journalist in a published licensed newspaper could easily be charged under slander and 'false accussation...
Really?
It seems to me that I've seen exactly that in some licensed publications -- and, certainly, in some published books.
Furthermore, the fact that Sam used interrogative phrasing means that he's asking the questions and not making assertions. Asking the questions in such a manner provides a legal exemption -- or has time after time over the past two centuries, anyway.
D Charles,
ReplyDeletethere should be some form of standard - self governed or however, so that those that read "blogs" can know that it just opinions
For pity's sake, Damien! Blogs are not journalism; they are online logs and can be anything that the site owner wishes including recipes, personal photos, personal journals, and, yes, OPINIONS. That is what America's free speech means. Governing freedom of speech is an erosion of our First Amendment -- a slippery slope. Even Westboro Baptist Church is, according to the United States Supreme Court in a recent ruling, within their First Amendment rights, to stand on public property outside the funerals of our fallen military and scream, "God hates fags!"