[Catholic Caucus] BLOCKED by the New catholic Red Guards. How about you?

Fr Z's Blog ^ | January 4, 2018 | Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

[ebb tide]

BLOCKED by the New catholic Red Guards. How about you?

Posted on 4 January 2018 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

In the last couple of days I’ve discovered that I’ve been blocked on Twitter by Fr. Thomas Rosica (@FatherRosica) and by Massimo “Beans” Faggioli (@massimofaggioli).

I am not sure why I clicked on a tweet reference to Rosica, since I can’t remember the last time I purposely looked at his feed. I don’t recall ever tweeting to or about him or retweeting. Hence, I don’t know when I was blocked or why.

But, I think we all know why.

I also am not sure when I was blocked by Beans. It had to be pretty recently, however.

It was my intention to respond to his notion that the Kazakhstan bishops and the others who are aligned with them are like those who dissented from Humanae vitae. That is so weird as to be an intentional “click bait” to gain attention, start a fight, and aim his own clique at a target.

No one seemingly as bright as he could seriously think such a thing.  Ergo, it has to be something else.

Concerning Beans and others of their side of the street, all one needs to do is look at the responses they provoke on Twitter to see that they are sowing bitter division. They post or tweet something and immediately different sides go at each other. It’s like something from the Mad Max. That can’t be helpful.

Granted, Twitter is often acrimonious.  Distance and anonymity mask stupidity, cowardice and hate.  However, what they provoke, as does the combox at the Fishwrap and other outlets in their camp, raises division and hate to new levels.  I call it the “fever swamp”.

Mind you, they have an agenda. I believe they know exactly what they are doing.

Firstly, it keeps their traffic high.  My traffic was a lot higher before I imposed moderation on the combox.  I simply had to.  I won’t be part of the “fever swamp”.   But their side has another agenda in addition to simple click bait.

These are cadres of the New catholic Red Guards. It’s their job to whip up the mob and aim them at those who have been designated enemies. I’m reminded of…

RULE 13. “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people and not institutions; people hurt faster than institutions.

Anyway, it might be interesting to know other faithful Catholics have been blocked and by whom. Some cross-referencing could be illuminating.

Meanwhile, please do me a kindness and follow me on Twitter. @fatherz