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The Troll Plot Thickens....
By John
When trolling milblogs isn't enough, troll stories about milblogs.
Your article on military blogs ("Other Sides of the Story," by Jesse Hyde, August 3) never mentioned a dirty little secret: Most of them routinely censor dissenters. If you don't believe me, then try consistently offering a contrary voice on, say, Blackfive, one of the blogs praised by your publication.....
The ostensible reason for bannings, regardless of a site's orientation, will be that you are a "troll," a catch-all term applied by all Internet ideologues to those who disagree with their slant or their specifics. A handful of the so-called "milblogs" don't censor dissent, but they are a tiny exception to the rule. The others act as a far-right-wing auxiliary to the Republican Party's version of events in Iraq and elsewhere.
Besides the hypocrisy involved in the breast-beating about "freedom" abroad while stifling debate on their sites, the so-called milbloggers--many of whom do not serve and never have served--give a false impression of sentiment within the military.
....
The media shouldn't be so quick to embrace "milblogs" as the voice of the boots on the ground. They are not. They are the voice of the Republican Party inside of the United States, relentlessly pushing propaganda and doing everything they can to enforce a hawkish orthodoxy.
William Wilson
Seattle
William WIlson?? Could this be beloved OPFOR troll "WW?" A quick locater search of WW's IP address, 71.197.131.56, gets us.... you guessed it! Seattle, Washington!
I'm almost proud of WW for taking his paranioa to the next level. Clearly our resident troll isn't going to let the "voices of the Republican party" trample on his first amendment right, or his determination to expose the puppet strings that trace directly from Karl Rove's evil dungeon office to the common milblogger.
I know, I'm feeding. But I digress.
I'll say it one last time, since Willy seems to think that the entire legitimacy of the Constitution rests precariously on his ability to insult OPFOR commenters. Moderating comments on a private website is NOT illegal, it is NOT a violation of freedom of speech, and is NOT some evil conspiracy to silence dissent, no matter what the voices in Willy's head tell him.
/end rant.
Hotel Tango Milblogging.com
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Comments
All Right-Thinking Liberals (pun intended) think that their right to freedom of speech involves allowing them to bloviate on everybody else's soapbox.
I'll never forget, in law school, the most obnoxious liberal in the class was absolutely gobsmacked that the Constitution didn't protect his right to mouth-off and not lose his private employment. Proof positive, he said, that the US was a tyranny.
William posted this to the Dallas Observer? Heh - he was preaching to the choir then. No harm done.
"no matter what the voices in Willy's head tell him."
Okay. Now that was funny :)
I honestly enjoy a good political debate. I have several friends that, each to varying degrees, are on the left side. Although in the end we may still not agree on an issue, we give each other the chance articulate our beliefs and weigh the pros and cons. Unfortunately it appears many of these “trolls” are single minded and unwilling to hear the other side of an argument. They truly believe in this “Vast Right Wing Conspiracy”. I’m particularly amazed he made the comment “many of whom do not serve and never have served--give a false impression of sentiment within the military”. I’m SURE *deep sarcasm* he did the research and can back that up.
P.S. If he lives in Seattle, why is he writing a response to the Dallas Observer?
I still don't get his constant reference to us as "so-called" milbloggers.
Does that mean we are (or were) not in the military? Or that we're not really blogging?
Never quite got that particular insult...
WW has been emailing me. He says he gets political for a bit then quits and then starts back up. Guy really is a nut.
Keep slamming them - they are free to spread the BS in other places. We don't allow trash like that in our homes so why in God's name would we allow in our blogs?? If the Constituion gave them total freedom to disrupt and insult and badger anyone at will, it would also grant the right to literally kick them in the teeth over it too. Keep slamming and banning them every chance you get.
No fair - I can't even get a mention from WW that I'm one of the "milblogs" that doesn't censor dissent, only pottymouth!
Guy can't catch a break from these fellas!
Funny thing is... Blackfive hardly ever deletes comments or bans people. I only know of one who was banned, and boy, did he ever deserve it.
"William Wilson" is the name of a character in a Poe short story who is obsessed with revenge.
Ugh, re: the Observers... I found a site related to New Times Media(their parent company) which lambast Jesus and mocks Christians for their belief.
I can't find it now. It was a weekly bashing and attack on Christian images by some editor/journalist who worked for NTM. Whether it was Christ on the Cross or a cheap plastic Jesus, they mocked every week. 1000s of images were online with a click thru and commentary on each one.
The online Observers did not point to the site, but at the bottom, it stated hosted by New Times Media. I followed up and found out the Alternative Observers were the papers of record which they owned. It was incredible how much time and energy was spent on the site itself just to mock and make fun.
I wish I could find it. Maybe they dropped it. Certainly, from a professional point of view for a company to support such a site, even an alternative weekly like the Observers did not make any sense. It was scathing and prejudice to the core.
The guy who ran it had a hateful streak no doubt with loathing and contempt out of Phoenix. So it surprises me not, that WW and the Observer get along.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Times_Media
A check of alternative lifestyle choices runs the gambit in these adspace rags.
Oh....poor William Wilson.
B-O-O H-O-O.
The same can (and has) been said about Lefty blogs - utter something that makes them look stupid (which usually isn't hard to do) and it's Delete City for you and your comment.
Freedom of speech is for all Americans. However - the medium in which you speak isn't always free.
WW, if you want to bloviate about what some Milblogs or non-Milblogs say, then stick a crowbar into your wallet and bust out with your own blog.
And of course if you do, then I'm certain that you'll let us all leave comments there that make you look stupid.
Hey Osama - here's a list of freebies. Really. I'd consider it a favor.
The Dallas Observer
The US Pacific Coast from San Fran to Seattle
And anywhere else people revel in being obnoxious, assinine, bellicose "dissenters".
(j/k - venting)
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It is unfortunate that people can get away with being so silly!