Let’s face
it. There are times when the
blogosphere resembles a war zone.
Anonymous trolls, predators, stalkers, and comment assassins –
they pop up sight unseen like whack-a-moles. Some merely argue in bad faith; some rise to the level of
road rage; others leave behind taunts and menacing comments. Some incidents are
more memorable – meaning more disturbed and disturbing – than others. For over
a year, a persistent predator has been stalking this community.
Years ago, I recall, another predatory troll visited
my email box early one morning on Christmas Day. On a holiday celebrated by
millions of families, here was one lone predator with
malice on his mind. How strange
(and troubling), I thought. After
reporting this incident - among others - to law enforcement, the stalking
ceased.
What are
the signs and symptoms of a truly disturbed personality behind the anonymous
moniker? Momentary outbursts of
bad temper do not qualify as disturbed behavior. At various times, all
of us have strong viewpoints and our moments.
The
signature trait of disturbed behavior is simply this: a pervasive, pernicious, and long-term pattern of
predatory behaviors that rise to the level of obsession. The predator who stalks this community meets
these criteria. Consider the
frequency and level of vitriol in comments received within the last 24 hours
alone (edited for brevity):
6:59 PM, August 18, 2014: “Not with all the Jew haters on here, smells like shit, group shit”
7:48 PM, August 19, 2014: “You are no liberal defender of civil rights when you help protect and hide antisemitism. You censer those ideas differ from yours and claim it was the troll aspects, or insults that you objected to, yet you allow your buddies to call names to anyone who differs from your thinking, and then you all have a good laugh. What a hypocritical jackass.”
7:51 PM, August 19, 2014: “I've seen Octo on the blogs for years. He is one of the biggest trolls and intentional instigators of blog disruption I've ever read. What a fucking hypocrite he is.”
7:58 PM, August 19, 2014: “To bad you have to lie to make your false points, but it does show your shit character, just as protecting your antisemite buddy does. Yes, your antisemite buddy, documented as such on Shaw's blog, yet you both protect him. Fuck you asshole”
For over a
year, my Spam Box has filled with messages like these, presumably from the same
anonymous commenter who stalks one of our readers across Cyberspace and accuses
him of anti-Semitism.
Is subject
reader, in the crosshairs of subject troll, really an anti-Semite? The
accusations are delusional and irrational – as manifest in all obsessive-compulsive
behaviors of this type:
Recurrent and persistent thoughts and impulses that are experienced as intrusive and inappropriate and cause marked anxiety or distress;
Thoughts, impulses, or images are not simply excessive worries about real-life problems;
With poor insight: For most of the time, the person does not recognize that the obsessions and compulsions are excessive or unreasonable.
In these
email missives, the anonymous stalker never offers a single citation - no links,
no quotes, not one shred of evidence, nothing!
The
Internet should never be used as a medium for character assassination or as a
venue for holding Kangaroo Court.
Even more offensive is when a nameless, faceless person levels unfounded
accusations while hiding behind a mask as an anonymous stalker. When the
accused never even has a chance to face his accuser, this is the most gutless, cowardly, and unethical act of all.
5 comments:
Maybe so many conservative trolls attack the Swash Zone and Progressive Eruptions because they can't handle the truth?
This post is not the first time a liberal cephalopod has come to the defense of conservative friend. Years ago, I wrote this post:
A BLESSED KRISTALLNACHT TO ALL
What crime did my conservative friend commit to merit the opprobrium and rage of reactionary voices from the Far Rightwing Fringe? The fact that we were, and remain to this day, “friends.” There is a partisan subculture that accuses liberals of political correctness. In rebuttal, I wrote this 4 years ago:
“Yet, the same rightwing critics employ a far more sinister version of political correctness. They make use of litmus tests to enforce ideological orthodoxy in thought, speech, and personal associations. They will not hesitate to browbeat fellow conservatives into submission with condemnation and excommunication. How ironic! The rightwing accuses the left of using political correctness to impose social conformity; yet, the same rightwingers use coercive means to enforce groupthink within their ranks …
In short, reactionary ideas and talking points have infected public discourse to such a degree that it is poisoning how we treat each other in our daily lives. It is a political subculture that shuns dialogue and the democratic exchange of ideas in favor of outright elimination of the opposing side through suppression, condemnation, ostracism, or extermination.”
Although I may disagree with my conservative friends on the finer points of governance (sometimes even heatedly), there is no daylight between us regarding the core virtues of honesty, integrity, responsibility, and citizenship. I hold my conservative friends in high regard and will always keep them as friends.
The use and abuse of the Internet is NOT A TRIVIAL CONCERN. There have been numerous documented cases of online bullying and harassment; some victims have even committed suicide.
That is why I regard online trolls, bullies, and predators are little more than Cyber-terrorists.
You defended me, (O)CT(O), when I was attacked and stalked by a conservative cyberbully in 2009. Several conservative bloggers -- our mutual friend whom you referred to in your comment -- defended me as well.
What I think the problem is with the trolls who have and still come after me is that they take it personally when I criticize a politician, pundit or blogger I disagree with. But at the same time, a lot of them engage in character assassination against "libtards" within their own community of bloggers, even stooping to calling liberals "scum," and "vermin."
There is also a violent misonygistic streak in some of these trolls, since they go after female bloggers with a vengeance and not only want to shut them up, but run them out of the blogsphere.
I don't understand why a certain female conservative blogger allows their anti-women slurs on her blog, as well as racist photos of the POTUS and FLOTUS.
These are the same people who whine about liberals calling them bigots, but then give misonygistic and racist trolls the run of their blogs. To these folks, it's not bigotry when trolls attack with slurs and slander the people they dislike.
They've gone after RN USA and other conservative bloggers for maintaining a civilized relationship with me.
You're correct, (O)CT(O), when it comes to political correctness, their names lead all the rest.
These are the same people who whine about liberals calling them bigots, but then give misonygistic and racist trolls the run of their blogs. To these folks, it's not bigotry when trolls attack with slurs and slander the people they dislike.
So true Shaw. Of course these individuals lack the power of introspection, even when someone holds a mirror in front of their face.
I would much rather share an afternoon over lunch with liberals like yourself,
(O)CT(O)PUS, and other liberals than conservatives that may share more of my political views but who give a nod and a wink to these asshat trolls and assassins only because they aren't liberal.
Shaw,
About the malicious sexist attack on you, I recall this incident all too painfully well, After posting a defense of you, the offending missive was removed from Cyberspace. Later, I received email from the perpetrator who claimed it was the work of an impersonator. A highly improbable denial of responsibility, IMO!
Not enough can be written about misogynistic attacks on women in Cyberspace. Please recall an incident that made national headlines seven years ago (sources: BBC News, and The Washington Post: Anonymous threats against Kathy Sierra, a best-selling author of books on software design.
What is so controversial about software development, you ask? Nothing, unless the victim happens to be a highly successful woman; but jealousy alone cannot account for such depraved behavior. How reprehensible were these attacks on Kathy Sierra?
"I hope someone slits your throat," one person wrote. There were rape and death threats by the thousands!
One known provocateur poster her home address and Social Security Number online, thus exposing her to the possibility of real bodily harm and Identity Theft.
A prominent British journalist received this Twitter message: “ Women that talk too much need to get raped.” Still another wrote: “ Shut your whore mouth now, or I’ll shut it for you, and choke you with my dick.”
Nine teenage suicides linked to online bullying.
The Cult of the Angry Young Man.
The Cult of Angry Old Men.
Partisan hacks and henchmen who label liberals as “Libtards” and wish us dead!
The Cult of Groupthink that assails our conservative and libertarian friends and label them “RINOs.”
The Internet has devolved into an ugly place that brings out the worst of humanity. Most incredible of all, the predator who tormented Kathy Sierra rationalized his depraved behavior as a FREE SPEECH RIGHT. Sound familiar?
Online bullying is NOT free speech. Menacing people with threats of rape and violence is NOT free speech. Defamation, slander, slurs and smears, vilification and vituperation – these are NOT free speech. Anonymous trolls who taunt and torment people are NOT entitled to any discussion board.
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