Well sadly enough it seems my experience with censorship has now solidly expanded beyond the realm of fanatic left wing publications for whom I only have contempt, to a once conservative blog that moved more towards the center and for whom I had much respect. And anybody that follows my blog knows that it was started as the result of Unethical Selective Censorship at the Guardian UK.
Little Green Footballs is a many thing to many people. Some love it, some hate it. I've always had much respect for Charles Johnson's work and occasionally check in to see what he's posting about. While once upon a time he used to be very conservative, the shift of the Republican party and birth of the Tea Party movement has moved Charles to be more moderate in his politics, a move I whole heartedly agreed with.
He's also for the most part been a strong supporter of Israel, another thing that had drawn me to him. However it seems that together with his cutting of ties with the Republicans and warmly embracing the Obama administration, his battle for reason and respect for all has somehow silenced his passion for open dialog and respect for freedom of speech.
This I experienced in a thread Charles posted titled "Should People be Afraid of Islam?" (he has now changed the title to Reza Aslan vs. Robert Spencer, I assume as the result of my comments). In its comments section I had said that he can ask that question until he's "blue in the face." The fact of the matter was that many people saw attacks being committed in the name of Islam and it scared them. And for him or others to call these peoples racists or bigots was wrong. I was attacked throughout the thread by other posters, myself called a bigot (even by Charles in the end). And as opposed to addressing this issue which I feel very important and at the core of the animosity we see today in the US, Charles blocked me, changed the title of his piece and swept the entire story under the rug.
And that was what was most disappointing. You can tell people its wrong for them to be afraid, call them ignorant, bigoted or whatever. But the simple fact is you're denying an empirical fact, one that those committing these attacks themselves proudly declare. Denying it and stifling debate about it only confuses people, and damages your credibility, no matter what your intentions.
Indeed, by voicing their concern or fear, or making that all too obvious connection, no matter how not politically correct it might be, doesn't mean they are saying that all Muslims are terrorists, nor does it mean that they are accusing all Muslims of supporting terrorism.
For example, I live in Israel and find myself from time to time looking at people I think suspicious on the bus. I don't think everyone I assume to be Arab or Muslim is a terrorist, but if I have a suspicion that an individual might be a terrorist, there's a good chance that suspicion will be heightened if I hear them speaking Arabic. Does that make me bigoted or racist? Or just someone that's trying not to get caught in a terrorist attack?
The bottom line is, to label people who admit that Islam inspires fear in them as racists and bigots is wrong, and to belittle their fears as opposed to honestly addressing them only creates resentment and hatred. So is it really any suprise these people seem so angry?
Anyway, I'll stop there. For a more in-depth piece examining this subject (something apparently Charles was unwilling to do), see Bigotry, Political Correctness, and the Fear of Islam and Terror. I just wanted to express my sorrow and disappointment at being banned from LittleGreenFootballs, and publicly mourn the loss of a once balanced, intelligent media outlet that used good old fashioned common sense in its reporting.
In closing, I leave you a screenshot of my final posts directly addressing Charles, after having re-registered under a different name. All were deleted and left empty. With Charles giving me the sendoff by calling me a Bigoted Asshole. Sadly it seems that Charles has caught a case of Rick Sanchez fever. I hope that one day he'll recover (see screenshot below).
Until then I'll still come and visit his blog, for I still see some value in it. Though sadly, I shall no longer post. I've lost the perseverance to reregister five times a day to get my message across just to be repeatedly banned and deleted. It’s always a sad day when I feel my voice has been silenced. Though its even more a tragic day for open dialog and freedom of speech. I guess Charles isn't interested in that any more, he's just become another of the tens of thousands of mouthpieces on the internet dead set on voicing his opinion and the justice of his beliefs, unwilling to listen to others. And you know what they say about opinions.
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