I know I get a lot of readers from the excellent blog Gates of Vienna, so this will probably be no surprise at all to them.
I had an account at the blog Little Green Footballs (LGF). My account name was "littlesquirt." I'd had the account for a while, at least before October 2007. When all the controversy erupted in October 2007, I stopped posting comments there because I didn't like Charles Johnson's position - not that I was a particularly avid commenter before.
The other day, I was reading an essay by Fjordman, one of my favourite bloggers. Yes, it was old, but I wanted to see something, and I stumbled across a link in the essay. I clicked on it, like any normal person. It was to a comment that Fjordman had made over at LGF before he got banned, too. The comments at LGF can be rated if you're logged in, so being that I was logged in, I gave Fjordman's comment a plus.
At this point I should mention that several days before this happened, I sent Charles an email about this post at Gates of Vienna. In the subject line, I put "Looks like you owe some of us an apology." In the body of the email, I included a link to the above post and the one sentence "Looks like we were right after all, huh?"
Anyway, for some odd reason I decided to log into LGF this evening, only to find out that my account was blocked. Through my mum's account, I searched the comments and in a thread from yesterday, Charles wrote that he banned me for rating Fjordman's comment. Actually, he claims I rated all the comments that were written by "fascists", which I did not do.
So, I join the brave ranks of those "fascists" banned from LGF. Never mind that I, and many who have been banned, would wholeheartedly oppose a totalitarian fascist government. Never mind that Charles himself is really exhibiting fascist-like behavior by squashing dissenting arguments.
I'm not so sure this was entirely about my rating of Fjordman's comment. After all, I would assume that a webmaster could see my IP address for my user account and for the email I sent. I sent the email on June 24 or 25, so it's entirely plausible that Charles Johnson did not read my email for a few days. If the email had nothing to do with it, I repeat: Charles Johnson is obsessive. Who cares if I rated one thing from months ago? Who actually goes around tracking that sort of stuff?
Notes:
1. If you don't know how to get to LGF, just do a Google search for "Little Green Footballs." Sorry for not providing a link, but I refuse to do so on a matter of principle.
2. The comment that I rated that led to my banning was comment #419 at the post "Vlaams Belang and the US White Supremacist Cesspool" on LGF.
3. The thread in which I found out why Charles banned me was called "Monday Afternoon Open" and was posted on June 30, 2008.
4. About the October 2007 controversy: I may consider putting up a short post later to inform people who have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about. And again, sorry for the lack of links in this post, but I refuse to link to LGF.
Update: Here's a screenshot of my LGF profile...
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Charles Johnson Is Obsessive
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25 comments:
Well...it shows you're doing something right.
If you haven't read One Cosmos on the metaphysics and/or theology of lizardoids, I do recommend perusing Gaghdad Bob's recent posts.
I'm not sure if he ended up signed in or was merely an observer; his trip into The Green Underworld happened when I was in the hospital so the Baron printed out some of his observations for me to read while laid up. They must've caused great screeching over there. That is, if the lizards can understand Bob's writing, which is convoluted but rewarding.
Come to think of it, you may have blogrolled him already? I looked at your list (the knitter looks intriguing) but not that carefully.
In case you haven't been over there, here he is:
One Cosmos
I like his posts, but the comments are mostly done by people who are there regularly and I don't understand some of the references...just reading the posts can strain your brain because he makes you think -- this seems to be an activity he finds absent on LGF comments.
You also might try Gulf Coast Pundit. They're on our blogroll. It's a refuge for banned lizards who like to keep an eye on things. They talk about a whole lot else, too. A smart, funny group.
I stopped posting on LGF during the Vlaam Belang fiasco, for exactly the reason you state: Charles seems to have become the type of fascist he claims to despise. His creation and use of the "LGF Spy" to censor and condemn points of view is mindboggling. Almost as astonishing is how the lizard crowd cheers him on.
Truthfully, it's scary. I used to have a great deal of respect for LGF, but now it almost seems like a textbook case of how a charismatic leader (or even an average one) can make a mindless mob out of a group of intelligent people.
I haven't been banned yet, but it's only a matter of time. I won't be able to hold my tongue forever.
Dymphna: Thanks so much for visiting my blog. I'm so honoured - I really love Gates of Vienna and it makes me so happy you commented here. Thanks for the link to One Cosmos - I've never heard of it but I'll definitely check it out. I've visited Gulf Coast Pundit a few times before - I'm definitely going to check them out again.
Patriarcheon, I definitely agree with you. That LGF spy thing is SO creepy and it's how Charles "caught" me. I liked LGF at one point, but during the VB controversy everyone involved showed their true colours, so to speak. Gates of Vienna and the like showed intelligence and were very classy in their defence against the accusations, while LGF was just ridiculous and quite dishonest at times. If/When you get banned, hopefully it'll be for a good solid comment that goes against Charles and his minions and not for something like I did. I mean, I knew I'd get banned sooner or later, but I was kind of hoping it would be because of something I posted. Oh, well.
Well, Natalie, we may disagree about BHO, but I apologize for calling you an "idiot." No one who plays the violin can truly be an idiot!
Take a look at the story of my 4 1/2 year reign of terror at LGF at nodrogsgreatesthits.blogspot.com
Apology accepted, Gordon. Sorry for calling you an idiot. We may disagree on politics, but at least you appreciate how difficult the violin is.
I didn't realise you were banned from LGF, too. I'm considering making a little badge proclaiming the fact that I've been banned. I'll share it with everyone who's been banned. Maybe it'll become really popular and loads of us will have it on our blogs.
Welcome to the club, Natalie!!!
You're in good company, believe me.
Yes, from what I've seen, I am in excellent company :)
Add ELITIST SNOB to Obsessive!
You too can become a Lezoid, if Mr. Charles deems you worthy.
I too have found that I was banned from LGF, and I have absolutley no reason why. I emailed Charles Johnson three times for an explanation, but no response. He seems over the past year to becoming more and more paranoid.
grainnewale: Ha, very nice. I obviously wasn't "worthy" to post on the greatest website of all time, LGF (ok, sarcasm done).
marsouin: If you have a blog/website, put up the badge - you're a perfect candidate ;)
Charles and LGF are just the new/old bolsheviks, working against the Christian Europeans, in the US, as well as in Europe.
Anyone with a decent education, understands who they are and what they are working on...
Couldn't agree more! I'm a long time poster at LGF (Over 5000 comments), and still haven't been banned, but I've been threatened for having the gall to disagree.
Frankly, I'm tired of CJ's aethiest BS threads, which he has obsessed upon for the last few weeks, and banned those, including people with many more posts than me, who call him on it.
The thing that amazes me is all the people there who believe there is a God whom continue kissing his ass like he's some kind of God, despite the fact that they're being mocked every time he posts his darwinist bullshit.
He's no different than the libtards at dkos or hufpost- Disagree more than a few times, and you're banned.
p.s. If I get banned, no big deal. I read the comments there, but seldom post anymore.
Lawrence, I'm surprised you've escaped banning if you actually disagreed with Charles.
But I'm a bit disappointed in you, to be honest. Do you not like Charles Darwin? It's one thing to believe in God, but don't disparage evolution and Darwin!
After 25,800+ posts (and never a one deleted), I got banned for the following post (full text):
"Heh."
Well, actually I got banned for posting at GCP, but that was the one that pissed Chaz off.
BTW, I very much liked your thread on the research into the Cremona instruments and the thread on Mozart.
The more I learn about Charles, the stranger I realise he is.
And I'm glad you liked my violin/music related threads :)
Natalie,
I just discovered your site today -- delightful!
I'm disappointed to see good folks being banned by LGF. I do not have an "account" there, so I don't post. I have enjoyed LGF, but don't understand why Charles Johnson is being, well, pig-headed. It seems we are all basically on the same page about many things, so it is disappointing to see him take this route.
Glad you like my blog, Jeanne. Before the whole Vlaams Belang controversy, I too liked LGF. That changed rather quickly, though...
I have not been banned at LGF yet, but it's a wonder I haven't. I admired Charles so much and it's too bad he's come unhinged. I think his Christian readers became an embarrassment for him, and he's trying to purge them. A lot of the old names aren't there anymore in the comments section. Where has everyone gone? Oh, and the minions, my God, the minions! What's up with that? Charles could post a comment like "Hi everyone" and these morons will come and upding him on the comment rating system. When I saw that, I knew it was the beginning of the end.
Sign me
Undertheradar
Banning for me came silently and quickly during the whole Vlamms-Belang dustup. I haven't taken a side, but I had made mention that there should be a sharpshooter ready when Achmedenejad showed up at the UN. Chas didn't take too well to that, noting that he'd been talked to by the FBI on an occasion. The dinging up and down of posts was odd. Now the only people posting over there are people who lick Chas's bootstraps.
Charles seems to just enjoys banning people for the ego boost he gets. The comment section is unreadable anyway and so big it's mostly unread I'm sure.I don't go there anymore. A thousand comments about nothing. Who needs it.
Johnson also banned my comments as well when I pointed out how wrong he was about the Georgia War and voiced my opinion on who actually started it (Saakashvili).
Steve J. Nelson
I was banned after repeatedly listing the most influential atheists wheneever the conversation went to matters of faith
Mao
Hitler
Pol Pot
Stalin
Lenin
etc.
Guess Chuckles the Clown didn't like the company he was keeping.
BenZ, heh
Personally, I take exception to your comment as well. First off, Hitler's religious views have always been hotly debated, and when one reads Mein Kampf, it is obvious that he did believe in God. For example, on page 84 of the 1939 English translation: "Therefore, I believe today that I am acting in the sense of the Almighty Creator: By warding off the Jews I am fighting for the Lord's work. [Emphasis in original]".
As for the other evil dictators you mentioned, their common thread is that they were Communists. Communism is inherently atheist because of its encompassing all aspects of life--it cannot stand to have competition for people's loyalties, and religion would be such a competing force. Governments should not have any role in religious matters: state-mandated atheism is just as repulsive as state-mandated religion.
Yes, I was banned and I was grateful for it. Frankly I didn't really know that much about LGF, other than the standard PR BS that chuckie puts out...biggest, most conservative blah blah blah... until I signed up and I was appalled by the sheer idiocy of the comments and the people behind them......
My 'crime'? I asked a question.
I am embarrassed that I was ever signed up there.
I was banned because Charles didn't like my blogroll. It had Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer on it.
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