Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Payback

Glenn Greenwald, a constitutional law attorney and chief blogger at Unclaimed Territory, paints a frightening picture of right-wing bloggers gone berserk. In similar fashion to local blogger Peter DiGaudio of Texas Hold’em Blogger (who thought it appropriate to publish e-mail addresses of people that he disagreed with), these whackos:

… find the home address and telephone number of the latest enemy and then publish it on the Internet, accompanied by impassioned condemnations of that person as a Grave Enemy, a race traitor, someone who threatens all that is good in the world. A handful of the most extremist pro-life groups have used the same tactic. It has happened in the past that those who were the target of these sorts of demonization campaigns that included publication of their home address were attacked and even killed.

There is no law against this sort of thuggish behavior. One hopes that local bloggers will condemn DiGaudio and these others who threaten the lives of people for no reason more than payback.

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5 comments:

  1. Dad29July 14, 2006 at 9:49 AM

    Umhhh...that's not a technique limited to Pete DeGaudio.

    About 6 months ago, I incurred the wrath of Jim McGuigan of Milwaukee Watchdog.

    Within 2 days, he published my name, address, and phone number on his blogsite.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Other SideJuly 14, 2006 at 10:55 AM

    Regardless of the reason for McGuigan doing that, it was wrong.

    I hope nothing happened to you or your family because of it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dad29July 14, 2006 at 12:04 PM

    No. McG would not do anything--but I don't know his acquaintances.

    On the other hand, we are, eh, reasonably well-armed around here.

    But look what's up in Massachusetts:

    http://www.bettnet.com/blog/index.php/weblog/intimidation_tactics_against_signers_of_marriage_petition/

    ReplyDelete
  4. Other SideJuly 14, 2006 at 1:58 PM

    Point taken.

    Then perhaps it would be best that we, conservative and liberal bloggers, take the stance that this behavior is outrageous, regardless of one's political persuasion.

    Maybe something could be put together addressing this. I'll give it some thought. Perhaps you have some ideas?

    I'm sad that liberals have been involved. It cheapens our message.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Dad29July 14, 2006 at 2:13 PM

    A couple of public executions would serve the general purpose.

    There will ALWAYS be people who cannot win through argumentation, or who cannot, civilly, agree to disagree.

    And it only takes 1 or 2 (even in a market the size of Greater Milwaukee) to screw up the whole thing.

    Of course it is reprehensible. If I knew someone who was doing it, I'd make it a point to express disapproval, not necessarily in mild terms, either.

    ReplyDelete

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