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First They Came for the Bloggers…
NoisyRoom.net ^ | 7-17-2010 | Terresa Monroe-Hamilton

Posted on 07/18/2010 9:14:37 AM PDT by Whenifhow

From TorrentFreak: http://torrentfreak.com/u-s-authorities-shut-down-wordpress-host-with-73000-blogs-100716/

Quote:

After the U.S. Government took action against several sites connected to movie streaming recently, nerves are jangling over the possibility that this is just the beginning of a wider crackdown. Now it appears that a free blogging platform has been taken down by its hosting provider on orders from the U.S. authorities on grounds of “a history of abuse”. More than 73,000 blogs are out of action as a result.

End Quote

Yesterday, an event took place here in the United States that got little comment – cue the crickets… WordPress host Blogetery and 73,000 WordPress blogs were shut down, marking the beginning of a modern day 1984 society in the US. A chill rippled through the blogging world and the internet sparking 1st Amendment fears and a Constitutional outcry from those paying attention.

I remarked that this was “Possibly the biggest violation of Constitutional rights I have seen in my lifetime…” I twittered, facebooked and sent this out to the largest bloggers on the web. Silence ensued, apathy reigned and a disquieting sense of despondency descended. Only The Radio Patriot commented on the fact that their Google, Blogger account just vanished some time ago and that it now feels like ‘1984‘ in the realest sense of the title.

Digger’s Realm has a great comment that states the obvious: http://www.diggersrealm.com/mt/archives/003433.html

Quote: This is upsetting but not too surprising.

Look around you: REPRESSION AND CURTAILING OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS HAPPENING MORE & MORE BY THE DAY. And it is only going to get WORSE, as more people SPEAK OUT against the repressions happening in our once-free society. This thin-skinned government, with its own self-serving agenda, seems adamant about quashing criticism. God help us all, because when they cut off our ability to speak Truth or to communicate with one another, we become extremely vulnerable to other State abuses.

End quote

And from Geek.com: http://www.geek.com/articles/news/73000-wordpress-blogs-shut-down-by-u-s-government-20100716/

Quote: No, the extreme response taken here by U.S. Authorities implies some sort of believed terrorist connection or child pornography ring, not just a handful of warez and MP3 blogs. Even so, though, unless Blogetery itself is suspect of harboring terrorists or child pornographers, it’s hard to condone this sort of extreme action that has instantly silenced over 73,000 users, the majority of whom are doubtlessly innocent of any wrong-doing.

Hopefully, we’ll get more details of this developing story soon.

End Quote

Let’s hope so, but I wouldn’t hold your ‘collective’ breath here. I warned about this previously – first they will come for the bloggers using copyright infringement as a weapon, then taxation and fees. The American government will do anything they can to shut us up and those that believe this does not affect them better wake up and soon. This is coming at us like a freight train and may very well silence all of us – except those who are for the government and are on Soros’ payroll. Media Matters should be safe…

Back up your blogs and have alternate forums set up folks. We are being driven underground and a lot faster than I even thought we would be. Have your own server and forge bonds with other bloggers. You can use the wp-db-backup plugin as well.

From Helium: http://www.helium.com/items/1893892-why-73000-wordpress-blogs-were-shut-down-by-the-us-government

Quote: The United States Government shut down about 73,000 WordPress blogs on a single Web site in a move that some fear signals an increasing disregard for individual free speech rights. The action follows the high profile government seizure of seven online movie sites weeks ago. The U.S. move dwarfs current Chinese government activity that shut down only “dozens” of blogs in China.

End Quote

And I saved the last word on this for the best and sanest entry I’ve seen on this subject – from Gadgetsteria: http://gadgetsteria.com/2010/07/16/73000-blogs-taken-offline-isp-remains-silent/

Quote:

I know if I were a legitimate Blogetery customer, having my site knocked out with no explanation as to why or a time frame on when it would be back up would end my relationship with them immediately. Adding insult to injury, BurstNet is claiming they’re sworn to secrecy and that the data from the downed sites cannot be retrieved. One vital piece of information that’s lost — the Blogetery owner’s contact information, which I’m sure some 73,000 site owners are probably looking for right now.

There really is no excuse to go to such great lengths over IP/copyright infringement claims. If the content is really so bad, why not blacklist/shutdown/delete the infringing sites’ accounts? Why take down 73,000+? If this is what we can expect from the U.S. government’s new tougher stance on IP infringement and digital laws in general, the future does not look bright. It appears due process is utterly useless now. If this does turn out to be IP/copyright related, we can all assume that since the “fight against piracy” is utter bullshit, the government is simply resorting to shutting down the entire internet small bits at a time.

End Quote

The silencing of bloggers has begun. Which side will you take and how will you fight?

Update: From DragonLadyToo…

Have you checked out the new DOJ website, complete with a communist/progressive quote on the banner and the American Flag removed and the black motif? Here is what it looks like now:

http://www.justice.gov/

and here is what it looked like before the Destroyer in Chief changed it:

http://web.archive.org/web/20080708201613/http://www.justice.gov/

and here is background on the quote:…

http://spectator.org/archives/2010/07/16/with-liberty-and-global-justic/print

Update: Feds Ignore Due Process, 1st Amendment, Shut Down 1000′s of Blogs

http://iamtheteaparty.net/news/feds-ignore-due-process-first-amendment-shut-down-thousands-of-blogs


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bloggers; copyright; dueprocess; freespeech; internet; july

1 posted on 07/18/2010 9:14:39 AM PDT by Whenifhow
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To: Whenifhow

If they get the internet, they win. Overall, this could be the most important of battles.


2 posted on 07/18/2010 9:16:55 AM PDT by Do Be (The heart is smarter than the head.)
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To: Whenifhow

Mark Levin took notice and discussed it on his show.


3 posted on 07/18/2010 9:18:51 AM PDT by Myrddin
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To: Whenifhow
In this day and age of MSM abetting tyranny, wholesale government abrogation of citizen rights and a mind-numbingly immense infestation of this country by third worlders, the internet is the only modern day equivalent we have of the Revolutionary Era green trees and forests from which we take aim at the Red Coated Federal Bastards of today.
4 posted on 07/18/2010 9:22:00 AM PDT by Gaffer ("Profiling: The only profile I need is a chalk outline around their dead ass!")
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To: Do Be

You’re correct but i would like to see a description of the sites closed. There are literally millions of them and a site that exists to steal the work of others such as these streaming movie sites would have eventually been cracked down by a conservative administration, probably even sooner.


5 posted on 07/18/2010 9:25:35 AM PDT by wiggen (Government owned slave.)
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To: Do Be

The Alinsky Obozo is making Chavez look conservative.


6 posted on 07/18/2010 9:26:44 AM PDT by newfreep (Palin/DeMint 2012 - Bolton: Secy of State)
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To: Whenifhow

These Marxists cannot allow freedom of speech to continue. An informed electorate would never approve of their actions, and millions of us have been speaking out since well before the 2008 presidential election.

These people are dragging us backward into the abyss of totalitarianism. No liberty-loving person is safe from their heavy hands.

RESIST!!!


7 posted on 07/18/2010 9:29:50 AM PDT by WXRGina
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To: wiggen

You startled me for a second. I don’t see so well and for a moment I thought you screen name was wigger.


8 posted on 07/18/2010 9:30:41 AM PDT by Do Be (The heart is smarter than the head.)
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To: Whenifhow

From your link (Thanks):

http://spectator.org/archives/2010/07/16/with-liberty-and-global-justic/print

Washington Prowler

“Justice Loses Its Stars and Stripes”

By The Prowler on 7.16.10 @ 6:08AM

What’s black and white and “red” all over? The Department of Justice’s newly designed website. Gone are the standard red, white, and blue motifs, replaced by an all-black backdrop. And prominently placed on virtually every page of the site is a quote credited to a man who facilitated a greater role for socialists and communists at the U.N., and the global “workers rights movement.”

The redesigned website was launched without fanfare, but was noticed internally by several career lawyers, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of political reprisals. “We were told that the media team and the senior leadership that signed off on the design thought that the patriotic shtick from the Ashcroft days was a bit much for an agency that isn’t supposed to be political,” says a DOJ lawyer, who inquired about the redesign. “It was a real effort not to laugh at that.”

Prominent now on the site are links to “Justice.gov en Español” and the “The Recovery Act and the Department of Justice.” But most jarring is the quote that is appears on virtually every page of the website. “The common law is the will of mankind issuing from the life of the people,” which, some DOJ staff say, is tied to a man who ushered in the socialist and communist theories that now permeate the United Nations.


9 posted on 07/18/2010 9:32:09 AM PDT by Texas Fossil (Government, even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one.)
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To: Do Be

lmao


10 posted on 07/18/2010 9:34:01 AM PDT by wiggen (Government owned slave.)
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To: Whenifhow

related info....

Gunny G:

Facebook Deletes Gadsen Flag Sites, etc.
http://gunnyg.wordpress.com/2010/07/17/facebook-deletes-official-alex-jones-page-over-gadsden-flag/

Internet Censorship Beginning???
http://torrentfreak.com/u-s-authorities-shut-down-wordpress-host-with-73000-blogs-100716/

Lieberman…Purging The Internet of Dissent

http://gunnyg.wordpress.com/2010/07/15/lieberman%E2%80%99s-model-for-america-purging-the-internet-of-dissent/#more-21586

US Cyber Command...Perfect Citizen Or Big Brother?
http://gunnyg.wordpress.com/2010/07/16/us-cyber-command-%E2%80%A6-%E2%80%9Cperfect-citizen%E2%80%9D-or-big-brother/#more-21595

Glenn Beck Is Warning Us To Grab Everything We Can Off The Internet Because They Are About To Shut It Down!

http://gunnyg.wordpress.com/2010/07/17/glenn-beck-is-warning-us-to-grab-everything-we-can-off-the-internet-because-they-are-about-to-shut-it-down/

Alex Jones — Gubmint Cyber Invasion!
http://gunnyg.wordpress.com/2010/07/17/alex-jones-on-rt-government-cyber-invasion/


11 posted on 07/18/2010 9:39:37 AM PDT by gunnyg (Surrounded By The Enemy Within--~ Our "Novembers" Are Behind Us...If Ya Can Grok That!)
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To: Whenifhow

related info....

Gunny G:

Facebook Deletes Gadsen Flag Sites, etc.
http://gunnyg.wordpress.com/2010/07/17/facebook-deletes-official-alex-jones-page-over-gadsden-flag/

Internet Censorship Beginning???
http://torrentfreak.com/u-s-authorities-shut-down-wordpress-host-with-73000-blogs-100716/

Lieberman…Purging The Internet of Dissent

http://gunnyg.wordpress.com/2010/07/15/lieberman%E2%80%99s-model-for-america-purging-the-internet-of-dissent/#more-21586

US Cyber Command...Perfect Citizen Or Big Brother?
http://gunnyg.wordpress.com/2010/07/16/us-cyber-command-%E2%80%A6-%E2%80%9Cperfect-citizen%E2%80%9D-or-big-brother/#more-21595

Glenn Beck Is Warning Us To Grab Everything We Can Off The Internet Because They Are About To Shut It Down!

http://gunnyg.wordpress.com/2010/07/17/glenn-beck-is-warning-us-to-grab-everything-we-can-off-the-internet-because-they-are-about-to-shut-it-down/

Alex Jones — Gubmint Cyber Invasion!
http://gunnyg.wordpress.com/2010/07/17/alex-jones-on-rt-government-cyber-invasion/


12 posted on 07/18/2010 9:39:46 AM PDT by gunnyg (Surrounded By The Enemy Within--~ Our "Novembers" Are Behind Us...If Ya Can Grok That!)
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To: Do Be

http://osiris.kodeware.net/


13 posted on 07/18/2010 9:39:46 AM PDT by CondorFlight (I)
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To: Whenifhow
I guess I just don't understand due process.
14 posted on 07/18/2010 9:40:44 AM PDT by Glenn (iamtheresistance.org)
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To: CondorFlight

Thank you.


15 posted on 07/18/2010 10:00:53 AM PDT by Do Be (The heart is smarter than the head.)
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To: Whenifhow

I hope Jim Rob has a triple back up plan. Alternate hosts, and even some alternate domain names. Cause the day IS coming.


16 posted on 07/18/2010 11:50:53 AM PDT by RachelFaith (2010 is going to be a 100 seat Tsunami - Unless the GOP Senate ruins it all...)
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To: Whenifhow

http://gunnyg.wordpress.com/2010/07/18/gunny-g-dont-send-that-outraged-e-mail/

Semper Blogging!

Every American A Blogger!


17 posted on 07/18/2010 12:22:21 PM PDT by gunnyg (Surrounded By The Enemy Within--~ Our "Novembers" Are Behind Us...If Ya Can Grok That!)
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To: wiggen

I download via bittorrent and prefer it over any P2P manner due to the easy way of sharing the material. You are quite correct that there are millions of host companies and blogs, and I;m sure a million more will replace those lost..the same way mininova and isohunt were mugged by the US Fed Court/RIAA MPAA-Netherland-Brein combo.

They were not able to shut down Pirate Bay which is the roginal and still standing BT hoster around after every pretender has fallen.


18 posted on 07/18/2010 12:41:33 PM PDT by max americana
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