Media: Boy, the left wing really hates free speech
The other day, I wrote about how the Democrat-controlled Congress went home and tried to turn off the lights on debate about energy policy. Dissident Republicans staged a Twitter revolt.
Thanks to Twitter, I’m learning about how the liberal Web site Daily Kos turned on one of their own, Lee Stranahan, who failed to look the other way when a Democrat was found to be acting badly:
About a week ago, I posted a piece on the Huffington Post called Say It Ain’t So, John. I didn’t think it would have much more impact than my usual posts…maybe a dozen comments or so, a couple of people linking to it. I cross posted on DailyKos, which is probably the best known and biggest progressive blog. I’ve been posting at Kos for a long time. As more news about Edwards has come out, I followed up with more posts which were also the subject of a large number of comments. All of them looked at the Edwards situation from my point of view; that is, a liberal who is concerned about the implications this story may have in November.
Now I’m banned. I can’t write about ANYTHING at Kos. Can’t comment, can’t post a non-Edwards piece. Nothing.
You know, I grew up thinking that the GOP was the repository of all backward-thinking tendencies, that it was the Republicans and conservatives who want to limit people’s rights. But in at least two recent cases, we’re seeing the Democrats and the liberals who are trying to censor and limit debate.
No doubt we’ll see the situation reversed sometimes soon. So, don’t get cocky, GOP readers.
The underlying lesson in all this is that censorship doesn’t work anymore. Technology is making censorship futile. In fact, the attempt just calls attention to the words, ideas and information the censors are trying to keep under wraps.
August 3rd, 2008 at 3:39 pm
The truly ironic part is that my post were less about the details of the scandal and more about the left’s response to the scandal, which I worried would be denial, anger, and censorship. I warned that could look bad to fair minded independents.
So they insult me, act like 12 year olds, and then ban me.
Yeah, that looks great.
In the meantime, can someone pick me up a pork tenderloin?
August 3rd, 2008 at 3:41 pm
You are going to have to drive to Peoria and order one yourself. But avoid the chain restaurants and fo to any mom-and-pop diner in town.
August 3rd, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Bill, a couple of facts to keep in mind:
1. The Daily Kos is a site designed to help elect Democrats.
Check out the FAQ
What is the purpose of this site?
(Condensed from this diary written by kos in late 2004)
This is a Democratic blog, a partisan blog. One that recognizes that Democrats run from left to right on the ideological spectrum, and yet we’re all still in this fight together. We happily embrace centrists like NDN’s Simon Rosenberg and Howard Dean, conservatives like Martin Frost and Brad Carson, and liberals like John Kerry and Barack Obama. Liberal? Yeah, we’re around here and we’re proud. But it’s not a liberal blog. It’s a Democratic blog with one goal in mind: electoral victory. And since we haven’t gotten any of that from the current crew, we’re one more thing: a reform blog. The battle for the party is not an ideological battle. It’s one between establishment and anti-establishment factions. And as I’ve said a million times, the status quo is untenable.
2. This author <a href=”http://l-c-johnson.dailykos.com/”continued to attack Democratic candidates; check out his recent diaries.
He has the right to do that, but not on a Democratic blog.
No one is entitled to a captive audience.
Yes, this works both ways; this type of behavior (in the other direction) will get you banned from Redstate.org as well.
This guy was a troll, pure and simple.
August 3rd, 2008 at 4:55 pm
My wife is from Peoria….I could have her Mom FedEx one..
August 3rd, 2008 at 4:55 pm
[...] Peoria Pundit: overreacts to a troll being banned from the Daily Kos. [...]
August 3rd, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Nat Hentoff said it best in his book several years ago. A must-read for bloggers who like to tout themselves as the new journalism movement. It’s called:
“Free speech for me but not for thee — how the left and right use the first amendment.”
Hentoff, btw, is a Village Voice writer.
August 3rd, 2008 at 6:45 pm
I correct what I said; the stuff that I somehow got a link to is not to Stranahan’s stuff.
THAT person is a troll; Stranahan is not.
My sincere apologies.
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Ollie,
Thanks for the quick correction.
August 4th, 2008 at 8:13 am
“So they insult me, act like 12 year olds, and then ban me.”
I know how that goes…
“Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there ARE other views.â€
August 4th, 2008 at 8:45 am
Vonster, you get banned from places for being a troll, not for having a different perspective.
August 4th, 2008 at 8:48 am
Bullshit.
August 4th, 2008 at 9:14 am
So… trolling is your perspective?
Suddenly, your behavior makes much more sense.
August 4th, 2008 at 11:09 am
[facepalm]
Whatever, basement boy.
August 5th, 2008 at 10:43 am
Aren’t you glad we finally have something in common?
August 5th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
It’s not a free speech issue. There is no Constitutional right to post on Daily Kos. The ideas being harped upon by this poster were not conducive to the purpose of the blog, which (as a previous commenter pointed out) is to get Democrats elected to office. It is Daily Kos’ right to suppress such unproductive (in their opinion) discussion.
By the same token, I’m sure Red State or Little Green Footballs would break all speed records in banning me, if I went over there and wanted to talk about nothing but John McCain calling his wife a [rhymes with "runt"] and accusing her of making herself up “like a trollop”, and why the mainstream media don’t report it. That would be their right, and I wouldn’t whine about it.
October 1st, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Did you hear? Russian agressor attacks USA…
More info here: hotusanewx.blogspot.com
SHOKED!!