This Post Has Balls
Dan Chmielewski of The Liberal OC aired what sounded like a very personal grudge against anonymous bloggers and commenters at the NUFF Forum featuring five well known political bloggers. He said that those who didn’t sign their name “lacked testicular fortitude.”
The Constitution guarantees free speech, and those who wish to do so anonymously aren’t exempt from this. To say they lack testicular fortitude is jumping to conclusions. Art Pedroza pointed out that Benjamin Franklin had -at various points prior to the American Revolution, written several opinions anonymously. Did this make his points less valuable? No, it didn’t.
Now, does it irritate Dan Chmielewski that he doesn’t know the identity of many of FFFF’s bloggers and commenters? Yes, it probably does. However, deciding that someone’s opinion is invalid or that they personally lack “testicular fortitude” because they haven’t attached their name signals his unwillingness to separate annoying from invalid.
When it was pointed out that many people didn’t want to suffer the possibility of retribution, this was similarly dismissed by Dan. “We don’t live in that kind of society anymore,” he proclaimed, ignoring his own brand of self righteous vitriol.
Again, Dan was incorrect. The vitriol you see on the boards is often played out in real life. Last November, Sean C. gave a 2-star review for Ocean Books in San Fransisco. The owner contacted him via the Yelp messaging system and attacked him, culminating in her threat: “Goodbye pussy boy and I will be contacting your employers.”
After having the debacle exposed on the Yelp bulletin boards, the owner of the bookstore figured out his last name, tracked him down using the internet, went to his house and attacked him. She was booked on charges of assault and battery.
The autumn of 2009 also brought forth another incident, now very well known involving Army Sgt. C.J. Grisham, of the popular military blog A Soldier’s Perspective. Grisham, using his own name and on his own private blog, wrote about his experience at a PTA meeting. Despite his requests, Robert’s Rules of Order were ignored by the principal and the PTA president so that a very costly measure demanding school uniforms was railroaded through. His exposure of the events of the evening, along with a video resulted in the Principal of the school contacting the U.S. Army. Here’s where it gets really ugly. C.J. wrote poignantly of his struggle with PTSD on his blog. After culling through his hundreds of posts, she then used this knowledge to paint a very different picture of his demeanor that evening during one of her many calls to his commanding officers. The whole thing unravels as the principal decides to further her reach and begin a series of humiliating dressing downs of his children, students at her school.
The upshot is that the Army decided to kowtow to the Principal, wishing to curtail the controversy. However, C.J. was made to feel that it would be best to shut down his blog. This soldier, who has been decorated with a Bronze Star with a “V” device also had a divot place in his otherwise pristine record. The Grishams have had huge support from the military community, and are now suing the school district. A Soldier’s Perspective blog was bought by a coalition.
Those are but two examples of not only personal attacks and harassment, but one that involved someone contacting the blogger’s place of employment. Dan of The Liberal OC was dead wrong in his assessment. As blogging, and microblogging replaces traditional journalism, the boundaries are constantly being tested. One look through the Media Bloggers Association website will show you the treacherous and now litigious waters are where bloggers swim.
What an idiot.
I have all the testosterone I need, thank you very much.
I may have to come out of retirement and bitch-slap that boy around a little bit.
Well said, Miss K. I don’t know what this guy has against anonymous whistleblowers. I get the feeling that he just likes the sound of his own self-righteousness.
someone has called BS on DC.
Out of respect for my unwillingness to be identified, I will resist the temptation to label the stated view of Chmielewski regarding anonymous writers as a transparent attempt to limit the competition.
This assclown actually thinks he is a real reporter. Talk about self-inflated sesnse of importance.
The guy is nothing but a apologist for everything Democrat, especially the miscreacance of Boss Agran in Irvine, the Dems answer to Repuglicanism.
No wonder he and Cunningham are such good pals. Someone said it here a while back: two maggots boring into opposite sides of the same rotten apple.
Viva la Fringe!
Dan’s comment about “not living in that kind of society anymore” (my recollection was that he said world, not society) was specifically about the fact that in Franklin’s time we were under British rule. That was his follow up comment. I think Dan misses a far more important point with that comment than he does with an implication that bloggers shouldn’t be worried about retribution from individuals. It is incredibly valuable that this forum exists which allows both open and anonymous posters. There are very bright people with tremendous insight who are either protecting their jobs or they are just non-confrontational in their personal lives, but they have important things to say about government and politics. It’s the highest representation of freedom that somebody can call themselves Jan Flory’s Dog (I have no idea who that is…I think everybody is Nelson) and jump on to crucify the government and its leaders without FFFF having to worry about being shut down. Also, let’s not forget that FFFF has built a high level of credibility as a safe haven for anonymity, which has directly led to revelations from readers on egregious wrongdoing by elected officials. Can any freedom loving person really question the value of this?
I made a decision long ago to only post openly because I know that with most people, there is a variable credibility cost to an opinion if a name is not behind it. Whenever I post or comment, I do so in the fantastic hope that I might move somebody toward a position which supports freedom and small government. I do believe it would be a good thing if the percentage of open posts and comments on FFFF would increase. It is disingenuous to take a position that there is NO value to standing behind one’s posts. While it’s true that an idea can and should stand on its own merit, most of us are hoping to elicit some small degree of change. You can wish all you’d like that anonymity doesn’t matter with the average person, but the average person is not a political animal. At the end of the day change will come down to votes.
Great post Divinemissk!
Thanks!
To a large extent, Dan was pandering to his own ego as well as audience members who mistakenly think of social media as the new ground for traditional journalism. It isn’t. And that’s where they kind of fall of the edge of this burgeoning world.
When I heard Dan dismiss notions of retribution, I knew he was turning a blind eye to a lot of issues within the blogosphere. What was bizarre to me, was that no one on the panel really seemed to know much beyond their own blog experience about issues discussed in the world of social networking. It bothered me greatly that not one person up there could offer up any examples to counter Dan’s claim.
And so I was glad to be able to do so.
Unfortunately, the two examples I wrote about are just two of the many. The second, regarding C.J. Grisham inspired black out by military bloggers who showed solidarity by not posting for 24 hours.
While I would like to believe that everyone wants to have a some notoriety when taking a stand, there are some who don’t. And it’s not my place to ask why, or even egg them on by insisting that by doing so that their voice counts for less.
To insinuate this is dangerous, is a veiled threat to their right to free speech, and tells me that the person promoting this falsehood is far too taken with their own voice.
And by the way, everyone knows me by “thedivinemissk,” a nom de plume that we made up ages ago. Whenever I shoot an email to Travis or Admin, they always just post an article over here under that name. However, most other people know me as the writer of the military blog, The Kitchen Dispatch.
When it comes to your criticism of Chmielewski, you can level the exact same criticism at Sean Mill, who is constantly berating anonymous commenters when they actually take him on with a cogent argument.
Steve, I don’t know Sean Mill, and I was only responding to Dan’s comments made in a public forum.
Let’s put it this way. If someone doesn’t like anonymous comments or writers, then there are plenty of other places for them to spend their time.
Actually “Steve” I call them cowards when they take personal attacks against myself and others. If you are going to attack somebody at least have the balls to step out of the shadows.
Dan also hounded our anon blogger, Red Vixen. She said she had donated to Beth Krom and he went through Krom’s records trying to ascertain Red’s identity.
Red quit blogging because of Dan.
He also has been trying to find out who I work for.
He is a bully. He is even suing me on trumped up BS charges. In that suit he also named fifty anon OJ commenters.
People blog anon because of psychos like Dan C.
He’s suing you?
What a waste of time.
He’s suing you?
What a waste of time.
Anything you’ve doled out pales in comparison to stuff I’ve seen on military blogs. Really.
Gracious knows what he’d do at the hands of Michelle Malkin.
“Red quit blogging because of Dan.”
That is fine with me – we don’t need congenital liars like Red Vixen blogging.
Pedroza – Do you still hope for the day that Mexican criminals murder the Mayor of Santa Ana?
Come on now fella. Don’t hold a grudge against RV just cause she kicked your ass.
Junior is the same guy who compared gay marriage to people having sex with horses. He referred to them as centaurs.
He also has slurred Latinos and Asians on several blogs.
In his last comment he is referring to a satirical post I wrote suggesting that Pulido should temper his desire to be an ambassador to Mexico since it would be likely that Pulido would be shot there or taken for ransom. That sort of thing happens all the time. In fact just last week a U.S. diplomat and his wife were shot in Ciudad Juarez.
Junior is also a known ally of none other than Thomas “El Gordo” Gordon.
Junior is a card carrying member of the haters we refer to in Santa Ana as the “Usual Suspects.”
Art Pedroza said:
“It is near impossible to defeat Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido, even though he is one of the worst Mayors in California. However, perhaps our new Secretary of State might solve the problem. You may recall that Pulido backed Hillary Clinton for President. Now she is in a position to pay him back by appointing him to be our Ambassador to Mexico.
I’m all for that! Considering all the violence and crime in Mexico, Pulido will feel right at home!
Moreover, it is likely that at some point he will be kidnapped or whacked while serving in Mexico. Perfect! We will be rid of him in Santa Ana, and he will be taken care of by criminals in Mexico. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
That is not satirical – that is the sickness and perversion of Art Pedroza shining through.
#11 & #12, please take it outside.
Joe,
If you are going to allow every comment to go up, including libelous attacks on me, I am going to defend myself.
My advise? Block Junior. He is banned at the OC Weekly and at my blog, for good reason.
Pedroza – How can quoting your unedited comment be libelous? Sue away dude!
I am not blocked at OC Weekly – that is BS.
I am blocked at OJB for telling the truth – you don’t like that, do you ART?
Hey there Mikey…err….Junior!
You were running you mouth on every blog in town about how you were going to confront Art Pedroza at the NUFF event. Where were big guy?
Here kitty kitty!!!
And here I thought that the only reason Dan used his full name for blogging was so that establishment figures knew who to thank for their freshly-licked pair of boots. It doesn’t take much ‘testicular fortitude’ to be a lackey!
#16 SM – I am glad you asked where I was during the NUFF event.
I was the SA Planning Commission meeting in support of the community.
You know the SA Planning commission – the commission you were booted off of. I miss your mug at those meetings SM … NOT!
SMIZFE
“the commission you were booted off of”
Junior, junior, junior. There you go telling lies again. I got booted off of nothing. I resigned.
Your friends Tommy Boy and Stroud, now they got booted. As far as you go you would never be appointed to begin with.
Next to Tommy Boy Gordon there isn’t a less influential voice in Santa Ana than you. At city hall you are a pariah.
Now go back and talk to Tommy Boy for your next talking point Mikey. And remind him that it was he that got kicked off for being an embarassment to the city.
For the record, you being at the Planning Commission meetings probably doesn’t help your side.
This guy is a punk. All one has to do is look at the number of readers of the Liberal OC to see that the Lib OC blog is the bottom of the barrel. I dont know who is in the gutter, er Irvine gutter: Danny boy running his mouth off as usual, Chris “I love working for the OC government but love even more living in the Long Beach where I spend my OC dollars, or Fraudito……what we do know is that they are the modern day version of the three stooges….
Danny, Chrissy, and Fraudy…..here pussy pussy
Hey Mikey you may not have been banned at the OC Weekly before but you have been now.
Gustavo Arellano says:
Bye, bye, Mike Tardiff. Nice to you you STILL don’t have any balls and don’t want to put your name behind your more-offensive comments. I’m sure the folks at SACReD will love to know you think their city is a pit!
I an SO devasted.
SMIZME
You and Fiala are battling out for “Blog Troll of the Year”. The two of you are banned all over town. Congrats “Mr. Pariah”.
This clown Dan needs to know we are not all hungry for attention like he and Matt Cunningham, with pictures of ourselves all over each blog.
Most of us want to stay anonymous because we may work in the public sector or have a direct effect on staff / elected’s, or are maybe we are related or married too someone who is. We don’t necessarily want our names on what is heard around the cooler.
Back to Dan who thinks he is the man…and his statement..“We don’t live in that kind of society anymore,” bullpucky.. we do..he knows it and I am sure there are a lot of people who have threatened him in the past.
As a woman, I do not want to walk out the door and have some blog stalker trying to pay me back for something I have said.
Blogging can be offensive at times and the passion some of us have is real with others it can be extreme…a contest of pumping yourself up to make you feel like a man..those are the people I worry about..I see examples in blogs all of the time..thanks Chris for not being this way and thanks to the divinemissk for the same.
I was not surprised at Dan as I had no preconceived notion of him..actually no knowledge of him or his blog before the forum. Matt Matt Matt..you are still a bad boy and just short of the truth about so many things that night..wish I had taped it!
Gustavo says that anyone who posts comments anonymously is a blog “troll.”
Or is it anyone who challenges he and Sean Mill is a troll – I get confused, he seems to be pretty arbitrary about this.
Mikey,
It is not anyone who posts anonymously its people who post under multiple pseudonyms such as yourself.
Why, when you called Santa Ana a “pit”, didn’t you post using your own name? If your going to say things have the balls to put your name to them.
Gustavo called you out for that and he was dead on.
junior,
No, it just means you’re an ass. Gustavo banned you because you are annoying and uninteresting and you contribute nothing.
“Multiple psuedonyms” – and the problem with that is ….. ?????
Anonymous is anonymous – that is bogus and just an excuse.
Pedroza – If I am so damn uninteresting, why do you all keep commenting about me?
Blah, blah, – blah ……..
We do it to piss you off. It is quite enjoyable for us. We know that you will respond with something ridiculous and take one step closer to surpassing Fiala as “King Troll”.
Gustavo is one to talk about offensive comments. He has posted some of the most vile, disgusting blog articles I have ever read.
But he is interesting, likeable and people want to read what he has to say. You on the other hand are not. Big difference.
Junior,
You are as interesting as bloody phlegm on the sidewalk. You can’t help but see it and you don’t want to step in it. And the entire experience is gross and upsetting.
You children are screwing up this blog with your pedantic, off-topic bullshit. Please go somewhere else.
What a breathtaking hijack of a thread!
Junior, Art… get a room.
divine miss k,
Done. I will not be commenting here again. Ever.
Have fun with junior and all the other whack jobs you allow to post here. I have better things to do.
Well, don’t blame me. I only pointed out the obvious, that the two of you had hijacked a thread. It’s fine by me, and it was very interesting to note the vitriol between the two of you.
You know asking Admin to ban comenters isn’t something that he does.
The two of you spent the better part of yesterday going back and forth.
Yes, there are better things to do. But don’t blame anyone at FFFF for ever kick you out.
But truthfully, you’ll be back. Everyone, comes back whether they admit it or not.
Unfortunately FFFF allows “junior” to come on here and attack Art and myself. When we return fire folks get their hackles up.
This would not be an issue if “junior” was sent packing. If you don’t want Art and I to respond to that moron, don’t allow his comments.
It’s not a matter of what FFFF wants. It’s more your decision whether or not to engage one another.
Dan C just posted a letter from an anonymous CUSD teacher on his blog. He protected the teacher’s identity “so the district doesn’t go after this person.”
Where’s the testicular fortitude? I thought Dan said “we don’t live in that kind of society anymore.”
Just more hypocrisy, I suppose.