Posted on 10/27/2003 11:53:33 AM PST by SJackson
Wednesday, August 13, 2003 at 13:41
Attack of the Nazi Trolls: A Lesson for Message Board Moderators
In a recent blog entry titled, "I've Been Red-Baited!", I wrote, "I'm not familiar with LibertyForum.org, but it appears to be an anti-Bush, anti-war message board with a distinctly anti-Jewish undertone."
A member of LibertyForum.org named Max Soldo (aka "thoughtcriminal") has responded by e-mail and provided further clarification of LibertyForum's political orientation. He writes:
This forum is a libertarian forum, and is devoted to the libertarian concept of unabashed free speech. With that principle in mind, most posters aren't libertarian as many fringe types have taken advantage of this policy (which includes a no-banning policy) to run amok...hence the preponderance of anti-Jewish posts on this forum.
All of this raises interesting questions for any message board moderator -- such as myself -- who has tried his best to allow a relatively high level of free expression. Inevitably, Nazi trolls find your forum and begin probing your defenses. If you allow them to post messages, they immediately spread the word to other Nazi trolls and soon your message board is infested.
At that point, all the normal people stop posting. It's a bit like when a fight breaks out in a bar and everyone stops talking and turns to watch the fight, transfixed. Suddenly, your message board becomes an arena for Nazi trolls and people arguing with Nazi trolls.
This is called "free speech."
I decided long ago that allowing Nazi trolls to occupy my message board and drive off everyone who does not share their idiosyncratic obsessions is a very poor method for encouraging "free speech." Therefore, I make frequent and forceful use of such allegedly un-libertarian methods as censoring and, when necessary, banning troublemakers, brownshirted or otherwise.
Apparently, the decision-makers at LibertyForum.org have adopted a different approach. As a result, their self-styled "libertarian" message board has become, by Mr. Soldo's description, a playground for non-libertarian "fringe types" to "run amok."
"It does get quite ugly at times, but that's the price one pays for sticking to one's principles," writes Mr. Soldo in a subsequent e-mail.
Well, if that's the price, I don't think I'm willing to pay it. I will add the sad fate of LibertyForum.org to my growing list of reasons for rethinking whether or not I wish to continue calling myself a "libertarian."
When you grow up, you may be "One Who Knows"
Maybe it's just that I don't have anything interesting to say, but lately I find that my post/reply ratio is approaching zero.
Or maybe Jim has set the "invisible" flag on my account again...
Shhhhhhhh!
As an apparent member of the COG (Casino Occupied Government) you should keep a lower profile. :>)
But, the moderator has a philosophy of not banning posters, he has stuck to that philosophy, to date one person has been banned for stalking another poster off line.
Its not everyone's cup of tea, and there days where I can't stand to see of the folk there, but it truly is a free site, and all opinions and viewpoints are allowed there, as well as challenges to anyone's viewpoint.
Did you notice that with each one, he said "why don't you go over to LF or LP, where you'll be more welcome"....
Thanks a bunch.
If LF's reputation for coddling, excusing, and tolerating expressions of hatred and racism hadn't already been well-established by themselves I am certain Jim would not have ever made those few suggestions he did.
Well, what can I say? It wasn't our fault - I blame the women, who's job it was to select the leadership. That they chose mysogynists is their own fault ;0)
That, madam, is on a "neets" to know basis.
It's a comin'
This is an affliction of many honest men.
They confuse the means with the end. In this case "principle" trumps the ability to excercise civilized debate.
It's called throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
Or I may be dead soon, but at least I'm consistent.
What was the purpose of the exercise again?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.