DumpBachmann Hypocrites are Selectively Censoring Comments
Once again, the hypocrites at the DumpBachmann blog are playing fast and loose with the First Amendment. For several months now, Eva Young has activated moderation to supposedly "prevent vandalism by a certain persistant Troll." Well long after the troll is gone, moderation is still in effect at this blog, and they are now selectively censoring comments from people who disagree with them!
Last night, I posted a civil comment to the comments section of this vacuous DumpBachmann post by Ken Avidor, the anti-PRT propagandist. My comment was a direct response to this attack from DumpBachmann contributor "Karl":
The text of my response was:
Now, my comment may be unpleasant for Eva and her gang to read, but it's certainly not abusive or "trollish". In fact, Karl's comment is far worse than anything I've ever posted at DB.
Anyway, I checked this morning, and my comment had not yet appeared. I resubmitted it, just in case it got lost in transit. By midafternoon, still nothing, even as comments from others were posted. I gave it one last chance a few hours ago - still nothing.
Even before this specific case, I've noticed a trend recently at DB: when you submit a critical comment, they don't post it until they can respond to it, so that there is never an unanswered critical comment. There have been times where I've waited 6 hours or more for them to post one of my comments - with their response posted at the same time.
But this time, my response didn't appear at all.
It's clear what's going on here. I've struck a nerve with my comments, DumpBachmann has no answer, so they are quietly censoring my comments. I wonder how many other reasonable criticisms have been deleted by Eva's content police?
So remember: next time you read any of Eva's blogs, chances are you are only seeing half the debate.
This would generally not be such a big deal - blog owners can do whatever they want with their comments. But Eva has repeatedly bragged about her openness to debate on her blogs, and she has criticised others for censorship. Just one more example of the hypocricy of Eva Young and Ken Avidor.
Update: To be fair, when Eva returned (nearly two days later), she did post all my comments. So apparently it is her moderators (Ken and Karl, maybe others?) that are censoring my posts, against her wishes. She should institute a policy that all non-abusive comments are to be accepted without delay - no exceptions - and then perhaps these conflicts can be avoided in the future.
Last night, I posted a civil comment to the comments section of this vacuous DumpBachmann post by Ken Avidor, the anti-PRT propagandist. My comment was a direct response to this attack from DumpBachmann contributor "Karl":
If you don't like the way comments are handled here, why don't you pathetic fucking trolls just go away then?
The text of my response was:
So, Eva, does Karl's "pathetic fucking trolls" warrant a warning like the one you gave me earlier? That's a personal attack if I've ever seen one...
As I said, I seem to have struck a nerve here. My original comment has spurred three strong responses from DB contribitors:
1. An attack post from Avidor ("tin foil hat stuff")
2. A warning from Eva accusing me of "obsessions" and "personal attacks" (earlier comment)
3. A vile personal attack from Karl ("pathetic fucking trolls" - above comment)
Yet, in all of these responses, I've still not seen a denial of any of my claims. The closest to a denial was Eva's claim that LRN is not an astroturfing site - a curious statement given that LRN itself admits that it is underwritten by light rail corporate interests.
The fact is: Ken Avidor has a long history of digging into his opponents' associations for the purpose of questioning their motives. For example, he once accused an executive at a PRT company of "encouraging sprawl" because he ran a school bus company! (see http://weinerwatch.blogspot.com/2006/09/tortured-logic.html). I can cite many other examples if you like.
So if Ken's constant digging into PRT proponents' associations is fair game, then why is it considered an "attack" or "pathetic fucking trolling" to question Ken's associations? Whether he likes it or not, his long history of anti-PRT activities opens him up to the same sort of scrutiny.
To put it another way: don't dish it out if you can't take it.
Now, my comment may be unpleasant for Eva and her gang to read, but it's certainly not abusive or "trollish". In fact, Karl's comment is far worse than anything I've ever posted at DB.
Anyway, I checked this morning, and my comment had not yet appeared. I resubmitted it, just in case it got lost in transit. By midafternoon, still nothing, even as comments from others were posted. I gave it one last chance a few hours ago - still nothing.
Even before this specific case, I've noticed a trend recently at DB: when you submit a critical comment, they don't post it until they can respond to it, so that there is never an unanswered critical comment. There have been times where I've waited 6 hours or more for them to post one of my comments - with their response posted at the same time.
But this time, my response didn't appear at all.
It's clear what's going on here. I've struck a nerve with my comments, DumpBachmann has no answer, so they are quietly censoring my comments. I wonder how many other reasonable criticisms have been deleted by Eva's content police?
So remember: next time you read any of Eva's blogs, chances are you are only seeing half the debate.
This would generally not be such a big deal - blog owners can do whatever they want with their comments. But Eva has repeatedly bragged about her openness to debate on her blogs, and she has criticised others for censorship. Just one more example of the hypocricy of Eva Young and Ken Avidor.
Update: To be fair, when Eva returned (nearly two days later), she did post all my comments. So apparently it is her moderators (Ken and Karl, maybe others?) that are censoring my posts, against her wishes. She should institute a policy that all non-abusive comments are to be accepted without delay - no exceptions - and then perhaps these conflicts can be avoided in the future.
Labels: censorship, DumpBachmann, Eva Young, hypocrites, Ken Avidor
posted by A Transportation Enthusiast at 12/30/2007 08:19:00 PM
5 Comments:
Does any of this surprise you?
And Kenny-boy is hiding from me over at commenting-blocked Dump Mark Olson.
Whatever!
I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but I am - I just don't understand how someone can be so shamelessly hypocritical, and in such a public way. But that's politics I guess...
Oh bull, the comments (the repetitive 4 of them) were posted, and the thread has gone beyond it's time. Here's a link to the complete thread.
I'm posting your final comment here:
"PRT and Flying Saucers are also forms of transit" No, Eva, allow me to respectfully correct yourct your misconception: - PRT is real, like bus and rail transit - Flying saucers are imaginary, like Ken's anti-PRT conspiracy theories. So, repeat after me: PRT: real. Flying saucers: imaginary. You'll get it eventually.
The first amendment covers government suppression of speech, not a right to have your comments posted on Dump Bachmann (and therebye get shown on the side bar of the blog.
Jake the Snake does still come back sometimes - if he didn't do that, I'd pull the moderation, and go back to deleting waste of time comments, when they show - but that's not the case.
I had said that thread is closed - and I mean it. The blog has moved beyond the PRT discussion. I'll copy further comments posted there, and post them here. (I think you posted a duplicate, so I deleted that), but think both unique comments - one responding to the comparison of PRT to flying saucers and the other comparing PRT to Jetpacks are posted as comments here.
Moderators do hold things, when they are not sure of whether to post things for me to look at - that is my instructions to them.
I get that you and David Gow don't like Ken Avidor - but that doesn't belong on DB, while it's perfectly appropriate here.
You have this blog to make your points - and you can do it here - but the endless back and forth on DB is not ok.
More lies from Eva. Not surprising.
The thread was "closed" - and then 4 other anti-PRT comments were approved while my responses were censored. Yep, the comments were closed alright - closed to dissenting opinions.
Eva, you have a history of censoring comments which contradict your propaganda. Sure, you'll allow a right wing idealogue like dare2sayit post all he wants, because his stuff is easy to debunk. But when I come along with real hard facts to counter your anti-PRT propaganda, you obviously have no way of responding, so you hit the censor button.
You've been exposed, Eva. And now I wonder how many other intelligent commenters have been squelched through the years. DumpBachmann is a joke, which is unfortunate because Bachmann seems to be ripe for the picking - you don't even need to descend to deception and trickery to attack her record. But the fact that you do indicates that you are really no different than Bachmann herself: willing to go to any length (including outright deception) to get your way.
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