Cool picture from florian.b who also features this quote…
“Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us.” — Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas
Please DIGG my new john Edwards piece right now
BREAKING UPDATE: I made a new name to comment on a thread someone started about me getting banned….I used my own name. 3 hours later, banned again!
Update. We’re getting a lot of traffic, so I should mention one thing – a few reports have said I was a longtime blogger at DailyKos but it’s more than that, really — if you visit my YouTube page you’ll see that DailyKos founder Markos Moulitsas called one of my videos ‘the best YouTube parody’ of 2007. So this whole thing is really a pretty big turnaround.
Someone on Kos noticed I was banned and they discuss it. Short version – I had it coming! This completely get wrong what my posts were about, but it’s nice for them to be able to do that where I can’t comment. Any of you Kowards care for an actual discussion, I’m here.
Also, the Gawker wrote about my banishment and turned up the ultimate answer to the idea that I was banned for citing a tabloid — a 2005 diary someone wrote with Kos commenters praising the National Enquirer when they ran a story about George Bush. (A story that wasn’t sourced with first person accounts the way the Edwards hotel story was.) The Kos Community banned me because of the subject matter, period.
If you want the best roundup of posts, facts, and reporting about this story the gossip site Deceiver has gone above and beyond the pale in covering this.
About a week ago, I posted a piece on the Huffington Post called Say It Ain’t So, John. I didn’t think it would have much more impact than my usual posts…maybe a dozen comments or so, a couple of people linking to it. To my surprise, it became the most read blog the Huffington Post for a few days.
I cross posted on DailyKos, which is probably the best known and biggest progressive blog. I’ve been posting at Kos for a long time. As more news about Edwards has come out, I followed up with more posts which were also the subject of a large number of comments. All of them looked at the Edwards situation from my point of view; that is, a liberal who is concerned about the implications this story may have in November.
Now I’m banned. I can’t write about ANYTHING at Kos. Can’t comment, can’t post a non-Edwards piece. Nothing.
And I stand by my title – it’s largely John Edward’s fault that I’m banned. I’m now personally a small piece of fallout from the scandal. That’s because Edward’s defense is shoot the messenger, not answer the questions. The rabid response of the people on Kos is directly related to Edwards and his own response. That’s exactly why I’m saying this has the potential to hurt the Democratic brand.
So answer the effin’ questions already, John. For everyone’s sake.
I’m not sure if the DailyKos is going to take down my writing and make me a complete un-person there. Of course, real progressives are against censorship so Maryscott O’Connor’s blog MyLeftWing is my new community home. (Maryscott was the lead actress in my film Breathing Room about 13 years ago, by the way.)
Here are the pieces I wrote on Kos that caused the problems…if you look, I’m not writing about anything that isn’t being written about already.
Dissent, Disloyalty, And Disappointment
Irrefutable Proof Of The John Edwards Scandal
Erin Kotecki Vest also wrote this piece about me getting banned. Editors from Kos contacted her. I haven’t heard a thing.
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I didn’t suggest anything – I stated factually that Markos posted my video to the front page of Dkos and said it was the best YouTube parody of 2007. He repeated that weeks later in a piece on Reason’s site. I think I had a piece that made the Rec list, too
And – so what? Is it okay to ban me because I wasn’t one of the Kos elites? I don’t get your point.
It looks like Dkos — and perhaps liberalism generally — has become a circular firing squad. That argurs poorly for its long-term survival.
Welcome to the club.
Who said that there was Freedom of Speech in most of these blogs?
I have been banned for good at the Huffington Post. I could change my information and get back in, but they will block me again. If you do not given them a comment that they like, you are out of there.
That is the Freedom of Speech that they want to introduce in a Barack Obama presidency.
Read my article: Obama proposes a Leftist Democrat Police State.
http://www.readwhatisee.com
I apologize for my rudeness before, Mr. Stranahan. I have a deep respect for Mr. Edwards and his family, so I hope you can understand my reflexive (over)reaction to what I perceive as a libelous campaign against his character. I’m also sorry I mischaracterized your complaint. (If you’d like to delete or amend that comment, I won’t feel I’ve been censored!)
Darrell,
That’s nice of you. Did something change your opinion of this situation? Just curious…
“the gossip site Deceiver has gone above and beyond the pale in covering this.”
I bet they have! Well then, THAT changes everything!
Your quote really says it all doesn’t it? You’re crying like a baby because Kos won’t let you slander someone on his site because Drudge, the National Enquirer and some P.O.S “gossip” site like Deceiver (seriously. wtf?) says John Edwards had Bigfoot’s illegitimate love baby?? Waaaah!! Grow the fuck up. And while you’re at it, dredge us up one single photo, one shred of this thing called evidence. Can’t do it can ya? Gossip, rumor and innuendo IS ALL ya got, isn’t it? Waaah! Waaah!!! Give me a fucking break.
Too bad you got banned. You were one of my favorite diarists on dKos, though I hardly go there anymore now that the primary season is over.
It’s not too surprising that Edwards criticism got you autobanned. I wouldn’t take it as a rebuke from the majority of that community, though. A very large subset of people there abuse troll ratings to voice disagreement with an agenda. Another large subset consists of rabid Edwards supporters who fell for his slick bleeding-heart schtick. Combine those two and you’ve got more than enough people to autoban you even if a large majority of the community disgrees with the “decision.”
I never liked Edwards much. The famous story from John Kerry about Edwards and his dead son is one big reason. If true, his character is just despicable. Even if we give him the benefit of the doubt on that, his whole public persona seems too exploitative of the very people whose cause he claims to champion. His hedge fund work, his actual Senate voting record, his refusal to assist Obama against Hillary, and too much other evidence suggests that he’s an opportunistic phony. This affair story fits the pattern of the Edwards I suspected, not the Edwards half of dKos worships.
I bet they have! Well then, THAT changes everything!
Note: This may very well be a subtle attempt at sarcasm.
I don’t know about Edwards and Bigfoot, but there’s an ever-increasing amount of evidence that Rielle Hunter’s past is being scrubbed from the Internet. But as you so reasonably point out, this is probably just a coincidence.
Lee, I’m not sure if you or anyone else have pointed this out before, but I came across the following information listed on what appears to be a conservative-leaning website,”jre-whatsnottolike.com”:
“September 27, 2007. Daily Kos contributor Ben Bang links to Stein’s post and viciously berates the reporter. “Are we supposed to infer something from this non-ending, douchebag?” Ben Bang asks, going on to call him a him a “no-article-finishing, character-assassinating hack fuck.””
(Here is the link to that excerpt: http://jre-whatsnottolike.com/category/personal/family-values/)
It seems like Kos contributors who use such language and exhibit such non-productive hostility as Ben Bang should be reprimanded (I don’t say “banned” because I don’t agree with the idea of banning, either!)
Oh, and I forgot to mention in my post that the Stein Ben Bang is berating in that excerpt refers to Sam Stein and the article he posted in the Huffington Post entitled “Edwards Mystery: Innocuous Videos Suddenly Shrouded In Secrecy”.
No, Mr. Stranahan, I’ve followed this pseudo-scandal from the time it was a facetious-sounding innuendo in a Rupert Murdoch tabloid, and watched it grow through feeble, grasping extrapolation month to month (particularly during the Sam Stein period) like a game of telephone, and judging by this, its evidence and its audience, I still think it’s as ridiculous, disgusting and baseless as I ever did.
It’s no reason to attack you personally though, so once again, I’m sorry.
Of course it’s baseless. Rielle’s site keeps disappearing for no reason. Edwards is dodging reporters for no reason. Pure happenstance.
Someone strays from the Liberal orthodoxy and is banned .. why I’m shocked, just shocked to the core.
This has always been the case with progressives from Wilson, to FDR, (Japanese-American internment, packing of the supreme court, 4-terms etc.), Stalin, Mao and all the way to the travel office. Liberals brook no criticism.
So don’t whine about your banishment .. learn from it. Jonah Goldberg’s Liberal Fascism would be a good place to start.
db
It took you that long to figure out DailyKos is run by fascists?
Well, someone’s gotta say it: JUST DESSERTS.
Look, it’s no secret that not carrying the hard-left liberal agenda today gets your banned and shunned.
Take Joe Lieberaman for example. This is a senator who has consistently received 90-100% ratings from left-wing groups like the Americans for Democratic Action, the League of Conservation Voters, Naral and many others. And left-wing liberals threw him under the bus faster then you can say ‘Ned Lamont’.
All because, as Lanny Davis stated in his letter to the NY Times, “(His) sincere position that the Iraq war was justified because he genuinely believed that replacing Saddam Hussein with a democratic government would have beneficial effects in the Middle East and in the war against terrorism.”
Let Lieberman be a warning to all liberals, everywhere; if you can’t stick to the script, you will be banned, shunned and thrown under the bus, regardless of your history, position or politics.
Yes, KOS has every right, as editor, to publish what ever he wants, but it’s bad form and hypercritical, to say the least, to claim to ‘open-minded’ then ban someone for rightly criticizing a fellow liberals obvious failings.
Criticize right-wingers all you want, but I can still post ‘BUSH SUCKS’ at FreeRepublic.com and not get banned.
John Edwards is not a candidate running for office. So what is the point of muckracking a rumor unless you want to hurt him and his family, or make a name for yourself?
John Edwards is not a candidate running for office.
Well, not now. But up until 15-16 days ago, he sure was jockeying for the VP slot. Or maybe you don’t follow the news?
Nice try – I follow the news.
Nice try – I follow the news.
Not closely enough, apparently, or you’d know about Edwards keeping himself in contention for VP. He probably didn’t have much of a shot, but it sure wasn’t for lack of trying.
To quote Obama’s role model Malcolm X and his racist pastor of 20 years jeremiah wright, your chickens have come home to roost.
When Moulitsos was asked whether he regretted banning Stranahan, he was quoted as saying, “Screw him! I feel nothing.”
Smells like some vindication…
http://www.nationalenquirer.com/exclusive_john_edwards_love_child_photos/celebrity/65258
Let’s see: You hype what is essentially an unsourced rumor and you wonder why your posting privileges are revoked?
As Steve White pointed out, that isn’t censorship. That’s being a good editor. No, “Everybody’s talking about it,” is not sufficient justification for you to talk about it, too. “Al Gore said he invented the internet!” Well, no, he didn’t. “But everybody’s saying he did!” So? Just because two million people do a dumb thing, it’s still a dumb thing.
You did a dumb thing. You did no investigation (you do know that the baby’s father had come forward to say he is the father, yes?) and yet you are upset over having to find another place to spread rumors?
You made a mistake. The words you are looking for are, “Oops. I’m sorry. I’ll try not to let it happen again.”
What part was I wrong about?
The story keeps getting validated. And my concern that many Democrats were ignoring the story were obviously correct. So, what’s the wrong part?
I wrote about Young being the father – let’s go with that theory…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lee-stranahan/john-edwards-needs-to-sto_b_117298.html
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn’t a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.
If they don’t want you, then they certainly don’t want me. I’m removing the the link to their website from my blog.
Schandenfreude
Lee,
I have read the comments to your piece on Huffpost and will venture a guess that you will be dumped there too.
Yes Lee, they shoot the messenger. Even the type O’s will not raise a question mark about Edwards.
That has never been more true that right now. Ok, maybe I am bitter at Huff, a lifelong, fighting liberal and I dare question anything about the Most Holy O, not coicendentally a major advertising sponsor of Huff post. Note the Mao-like portrait upon entering.
Hey, I admire Edwards for visiting and hope he will continue. I have been there, well I wasn’t married but still know the risks he took to see his child. I would hope that his wife and family will exercise a huge amount of forgiveness and work through this situation. Funny but, when everybody comes clean, love overcomes and things can turn out well.
I agree – the best thing for everyone, Edwards especially, is for him to come clean as soon as possible…
As for HuffPo, I’ve had nothing but support – they frontpaged both my pieces on Edwards and also the last three comedy pieces I did.
Thanks for the link! I guess those of us who have been banned can all join together and form a truly “people-powered” movement. I don’t know if the Enquirer story is true or not. But the fact that someone can’t talk about it on a blog is pretty amazing.
Forgive me if I’m saying obvious things but I just think people at Kos have so much invested in Edwards that it just hurts too much right now. They’re acting like the spouse who gets angry at the friend who reveals that the other spouse is cheating. They’re so political over there. It’s like Heaven’s Gate or something. I think that it has not escaped their notice though that this story will kill Edwards and may hurt Obama.
And now the clusterfuck ensues, just as prophesied…If Edwards doesn’t clear this up, no speech at the DNCC.
“If there is not an explanation that’s satisfactory, acceptable and meets high moral standards, the answer is ‘no,’ he would not be a prime candidate to make a major address to the convention,” said Don Fowler, a former Democratic National Committee chair.
I put up a blog last night at DK saying I was leaving the community and my reasons why: banishing posters for writing about le scandale, and the hypocrisy of my fellow Dems, which is sickening. Within minutes I had a slew of rude posters lambasting me for being a troll, a sock puppet, and lots of stupid comments…only a handful had the courage to agree with me. After a hundred or so of such moronic remarks, I deleted the diary, and I’ve sent DK admins two e-mails asking them to tell me how to delete my account. I just can’t take this double standard. Let’s be serious: if JE was a Repub, DK and DU would be wallowing in it.
Melissa, yeah unfortunately it is rolling out that way. Two weeks from the convention, an uncomfortably close race, a big distraction and a lot of Democrats giving the wrong answers still…like WHO CARES?
PJ – sorry it’s effecting you, too. The conventional wisdom will change pretty quickly, I think….the dam is starting to burst…
Lee, I think this thing is going to get a whole lot worse before it gets better. Look, if this story is true (and based on what I’ve seen so far, it sure looks like it) it’s just rephrehensible. If it’s not true, I don’t understand why JE hasn’t sued. Period. So DK shoots itself in the foot, and MSM ignores the story until it blows up in their faces.
When the story hits the MSM, I think it’s going to be nothing one day and wall to wall the next. And they will have to answer the ‘liberal bias’ charges by being tougher on Democrats. Perfect timing!
These uber-liberal websites ban simply because they can. Remember, these are the pantywaists who were picked last for every game at every recess of their entire lives. These Milquetoasts finally have a protected, third-person forum in which they can flex their cyber-muscle against the bully hoards of reality. Should someone disagree or stray too far from their private club ideology they get electronically picked last – BANNED.
I would not worry too much about it. I would chalk it up as good riddance to the Kos-ilk.
Did you say “banned?” I hate that shit. Don’t even get me started. All the verbosity regarding “bannings” and all the debate and all the banter will always be brought back to the same place. Banning is just a form of control by people drunk on their own internet power. And the only forum members they appreciate are the lemmings. The Pavlov dogs. The marionettes. And fighting it turns you into a Don Quixote.
I left a comment and it did not appear…. hmmmmm.
oh, there I am… I am such a dunce.
You’re surprised the same people bent on telling you what to drive, how to eat, how your money should be spent, where you can smoke, what you can and cannot say, etc…..you’re surprised such hipster control freaks might insist you too behave in a particular way? Dude, it only becomes more apparent the older you get. Sorry to say, but this is your first foray towards the “dark side”. Soon you’ll hate yourself for discovering how much more fulfilled, secure, independent, plainly happy and self-satisfied those knuckle-dragging troglodytes “on the right” are. Worse, you’ll hate yourself for what a group-think follower, thought-police enabling tool you once had been. And, how you’ll cringe with embarrassment at the thought you too once smirked at childish, uncreative taunts like “chimp” and “The Bushitler”. Man, there is nothing more liberating than in no longer being a liberal. You seem too honest with yourself not to let it happen to you. Sorry. Oh, and enjoy the ride. Really appreciate the venomous hate that will be coming your way from your open-minded, cosmopolitan buds. You’ll die an old man thinking it was still the best thing you ever did.
Boy, are left wingers the most fascist people or what?
Free speech unless they don’t like it.
Well, the shit may have hit the fan finally. The NY Daily News has a front page story on their website about JE’s dilemma, and the NY Post features it as well.
NY Post is running that Edwards has now admitted to an affair with RH, but denies fathering child…but no paternity test done. Sorry John, don’t believe you.
Hey Stranahan, I read your Edwards stories and liked them. Would have given you more mojo if I knew what would happen.
Now that ABC has proven you right, there are folks at dKos calling for you to be reinstated. You should try to contact Kos and get yourself a new lease on life. Maybe we’ll start a diary in defense of you. Anyway, keep up the good progressive fight!
And Lee was right. Am I a “concern troll” if I worry that the Kossacks won’t admit they were wrong? {ProfJonathan}
Well, well, well. Looks like you were right, Mr. Stranahan. I defended you both on KOS and HuffPo when you wrote your piece. I found it disgusting how ridiculed you were for simply having the guts to talk about the possibility of the affair and suggest the Democrats stay on top of the story.
It sucks that it came to this, but at least you’re vindicated.
Kudos to you for speaking up even when you were pelted with insults.
-Zoey
It’s a perfect day to confess infidelity! A Friday; so nobody cares. Olympics begins..so nobody cares!
You first discovered that Markos is really all about him so anyone who might threatened his “credibility” with the corporate people he is kissing ass to will be censored? This has been going on for years. Or they get called “tin foil hats” if they talk about controversial but true subject matter.
Susan, his editor and one of the front pagers, has a history of this. Her ego is so huge it is laughable. In 2006 someone posted a photo of three monkeys: the hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. In the comment they said something about Susan because she was so anti anything election integrity and they said something about her getting off her butt and going UT and working in the community and she would see what a problem it was. So the comment got no troll ratings and was rated up.
Nothing in there was against the policies and certainly there are daily personal attacks that don’t even get troll rated much less deleted.
Not only did she delete the post, she deleted the users access. So she showed it was really about her ego and she can dish it out just fine but cannot take it. THey are like a bunch of immature middle schoolers out on a power trip. Plus this whole YearlyKos/Netroots nation thing they stole from a woman who did the first real bloggers convention in 2004 called DemocracyFest. In 2005 Markos was there as was Gina. Markos didn’t like that he wasn’t the center of attention. He and Gina observed how the Texas folks did DemocracyFest than in 2006 copied it nearly verbatim for their own event in Vegas. It wouldn’t have been such an issue but they never once gave credit to the folks who started it and lied to the media repeatedly. Both of them made careers out of it though. They would fit in very nicely in the Republican party.
Oh wait, Kos really IS a Republican. Now I remember. ;P
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