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The Disappeared

By Fleaflicker on April 2, 2008 at 10:19 PM in Censorship, Current Affairs, Freedom of Speech, Hillary Clinton

Written by Linfar and posted here for justice.

A little background is in order. Linfar is an excellent writer who was suddenly disappeared yesterday from MyDD. She was given no warning or explanation, just disappeared. As many of you may know, some of Linfar’s beautiful diaries have been featured on HillaryHub. She is a wonderful writer and a very real person. What happened to her there is unconscionable and unforgivable. This diary is a reminder of what has already happened in the Obamedia. Hopefully, and with your help, this will not turn into the Oblogmedia as well.

Cross posted at MyDD. If you have a MyDD account please go there and recommend this diary. We cannot allow our voices to be silenced!

A disappearance occurs when an organization forces a person to vanish from public view; and I have literally `been disappeared’ from MyDD. I still do not know why. I have written 2 posts to Todd Beeton and 1 post to Jerome Armstong for an explanation, a reason, an answer. I have heard from no one.

I have blogged here in behalf of my candidate, on Tibet, and about Factory Workers at Sunrise. My last diary about “Typical White People” aroused a strong and lengthy discussion of racism. It was vigorously attacked by many Obama supporters, all of whom still seem to be blogging freely on MyDD.  I have opposed the candidate I do not support with ideas, facts, opinions and details. I have slandered no one. I have documented each and everything I have written. From comments on my diaries it has been clear that devotees of the other candidate have at times been incensed by my diaries.  And in one comment I remember saying, “Do you not believe in free speech, in the marketplace of ideas?”

Apparently I have my answer. Censorship is a beguiling siren who sings her song to people on all sides of the political spectrum. And it does seem as if some form of censorship is operating with respect to my disappearance as well as that of others from the MyDD diary list which as best I can understand it at this point in time includes: linfar, Universal, bud white and jfk(#s) Others have received warnings. I received no warning and no explanation.

So I wonder if this brief email by Todd Beeton to someone who was wondering what was going on is a fair indication of what is happening:

…With all the flame wars and Democrat on Democrat attacks, yes, we’ve gotten harder on diarists who attack, accuse, etc. If you’d like to send me some of the usernames of the folks you think were unfairly banned I’ll take a look. You know what crap some Hillary supporters are writing about Barack on this site? It’s disgusting and has no place on a Democratic blog, know what I mean?

When I was a schoolgirl I memorized this little quotation by the Frenchman Voltaire: “I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” It always seemed to me to describe the essence of free speech and American democracy. And I have often hated things that I have heard being said, but I have defended the right of the speaker to his/her views. In all my time at MyDD I have never demanded someone be removed. I think this is wrong.  The mainstream media is biased, often inaccurate and in general now a propaganda tool, rather than a free press. The blogosphere is essential as an antidote to this situation. So  for us now to behave as if we believe it is right and democratic to silence voices with whom we disagree is very wrong. More than wrong. It is another little slide towards the totalitarian state we have all feared under 2 terms of George Bush.

I have only one more thing to say about this experience. And that is that `being disappeared’ is devastating. I am less enthusiastic, more tired and profoundly less hopeful about a better future today than I was yesterday. When I contributed my $35.00 to the support of this site, I had never given money for the upkeep of a website before. But I believed the people here were doing their best to provide a place for all Democrats regardless of which candidate you support. I feel foolish about that also.

It is not for me to say that owners of a website cannot do as they please. But this website is called Direct Democracy. And I liked that name. I believe in what those words mean. So in this context I simply cannot understand why the owners of this site are now backing away from it because they do not like the CONTENT of some diaries. This is a censorship issue. It is not about insults and bad language or gratuitous remarks. It is about censoring diaries and diarists whose content you do not care for, apparently all with regard to Obama.

Free speech is a lesson learned by every generation. I learned mine in the streets of UC Berkeley and in Chicago in 1968. I have fought for a free press for a long time. And I will not stop now. I wish the owners of this site would reinstate everyone who has been dismissed, issue a statement on the policy of this website with respect to content and standby their policy of issuing warnings when they feel that line has been breached.

Then I wouldn’t have to feel so bad about my $35 and I could go on feeling that this is a website be proud of.

  • susanunpc

    It is unbelievable that Linfar would be banned. And without any explanation. She was one of the most popular and admired diarists at MyDD. That she has been featured at HillaryHub speaks to her great talent as a writer and her very positive diaries in support of Hillary.

    Many people tonight have written diaries expressing their shock that she was banned.

    Here is another:

    “Lin Far is Gone. No More. Los Desaparecidos”

    As Fleaflicker said, if you have an account at MyDD, follow the link in FF’s story above, and recommend that diary. And please recommend the diary I linked here.

    THANK YOU, FleaFlicker, for coming to your friend’s aid, and for speaking up for all of us.

    It’s getting scarier and scarier — how many more pseudo-progressive blogs will shut down the voices of those dissenting, especially those in support of Hillary Clinton.

    I’ve really gotten to like MyDD, and have spoken very highly of it here at NoQuarter. And I realize that they’re trying to elevate the tone there. But they are unfairly singling out Hillary supporters — despite the constant onslaught of attacks from Obama supporters — and for reasons that those being punished don’t know about. I.e., they get warnings or they get banned, and have NO IDEA what they did that broke some rule at MyDD. Not good.

    • susanunpc

      Here is another diary in support of Linfar and against the banning by MyDD:

      I miss Linfar!

      What is notable about this diary is that it links to the last diary that Linfar wrote — “Typical White People” — and to all of her diaries at MyDD. The diarist found her erased diaries by digging up the cached copies.

      The “Typical White People” story is very personal, and quite moving.

      • Cee Hussein

        Susan,

        Thanks for providing a link to her piece. Her being banned for this makes no sense. Hasn’t MyDD become a pro-Clinton blog?
        Hard to keep up!

        Stories like hers prompted this author to say the things that she does:

        America, she says, should end affirmative action. She cites several reasons, including the possibility that the racial tensions it creates will eventually explode in violence. She recommends that the country create a new, “race-neutral” policy to lift the disadvantaged out of poverty.
        http://www.adherents.com/people/ps/Carol_Swain.html

    • pm317

      All these people (linfar, jfk) banned have written insightful diaries written beautifully addressing issues that we will never hear the big media talk about. If mydd is not an outlet to alternative media from Hillary supporters, then so be it. There is no reason to encourage them. Where would they be without their readers (and writers)? The situation is actually scary — why would they intervene this way?

  • pm317

    Lin, this is censorship and absolutely has no place in a democracy. Ironically, they should rename their website (which I said in my email to them this morning asking them to delete my account.) I have no interest in participating in their community which brings me to this question. Why do we need mydd? Why can’t we set up our own site and call it ourdd and do the right thing with it and by it? What does it take to do that, I have no idea? But we can find some entrepreneurial people. Well that said, the Internet is an open place, a free place, we should take our ideas and traffic elsewhere. BTW, on our new site, ourdd, we will not let those nincompoops disrupt democracy.

    • linfar

      ourdd–wonderful. Smiling

      • http://hyper-educated-uppity-woman.blogspot.com Uppity

        Linfar, you are an impressive writer! I’ve seen some of the stuff there. Screw em. You are way over their heads.

      • cjbardy

        Linfar, You are way too good for them. One of the posters used your real name to in the heading of one of his comments on of the diaries for you today (and compared you to David Duke for good measure).

        I called him out on it and I just discovered he has been out troll-rating my comments elsewhere in the Diary, probably to get even, I suspect.

        I did write to Todd and complained. If they ban you, and allow this kind of behavior to continue, they will have demonstrated, for all to see, the bias in their actions.

        • pm317

          I agree with that that linfar is too good for them. My comments got troll rated too from a couple of them (just because they can! Isn’t that what their leader has taught them?).

  • Patrick Henry

    Dramatic..Thought Provoking..beautiflly written..How many Diarys began the same way in Germany ..as the brown Shirts painted white stars on windows..and People could no longer Write Letters to Newpapers..and had to Whisper ..

    We Have Taken our freedoms for Granted..

    Thank You Fleaflicker for this reminder..

    I Love your Comments and Your Contribution here..

    Let us see How much freedom any of us have..Clinton or Obama Supporters…when the Attention is all focused on McCain..in the near future..

    His FRIENDS have the Power..to Turn out the LIGHTS..

    • linfar

      I do think our comittment to free speech and a free press is being sorely tested and we have to support each other and stand together. Democracy is never easy.

  • http://! flyarm

    i don’t know if this explains what obamabrats are doing, but on the Edwards board of democratic underground people have posted that at that web site the Obamabrats are doing a Hit List and an Ignore list on DU..and they are ganging up and getting people tombstoned.

    I would bet it is going on elsewhere as well!

    I swear, I posted here yesterday, that this reminds me of the damn freepers and the Bushbot sheeple..well I see no difference, to tell the truth..these people are making me damn sick..and if they think it helps their candidate..well it is what drove me from Edwards ( who will always be in my heart ) to Hillary!

    I had enough of that childish bullshit from the Bush idiots to last me a lifetime and i will not tolerate it from the dem side..no way, no how!
    fly

    • linfar

      Yes, I agree. So many of Obama’s supporters behave exactly the way Bush supporters did.

  • Karen Donovan

    Thank you for speaking up, and thank you for your efforts on behalf of REAL democracy. I share your concern about vanishing, about “disappearing” from the dialogue. I feel fortunate to have found “No quarter” blog”. I have given up on cable and regular news programs, and the majority of blogs I used to read and considered (past tense) “thought leaders”.

    I have wondered what happened to rational dialogue, to evaluating candidates on their merits – and fortunately, have found No Quarter, Taylor Marsh and a few other blogs to validate that I am not alone.

    I am a FL voter, a diehard Democrat voter for 20+ years, who remembers decades of voting for Democratic candidates. I remember the FL vote-counting debacle of 2000, and I remember the shame I felt for Mr. Kerry’s “quitting” to spite his FL supporters, in 2004, after our hard work on his, and Mr. Edwards, behalf. I remember that, while life wasn’t perfect in the last Clinton administration – I didn’t “worry”, I let politics “go” and forgot to think about politics for year(s) at a time(!) – I remember that there were competent leaders manning the helm under Mr. Clinton, and I remember a time during Mr. Clinton’s administration, when I could concentrate of the mundane (back then), even joyful, matters of daily life.

    What I see now is blatant sexism, and as a “typical white voter” (woman over 40) in FL, hoping to see a new Clinton administration, I see that I am blatantly disrespected, bashed, and ignored, by the media, by Mr. Obama, by the DNC, by many formerly respected blogs, media persons (Mr. Maher??), and by extension, by the Democratic Party.

    I want to see Mrs. Clinton get a fair chance at the nomination (I believe she will win with unbiased media and counting of FL & MI voters). And I want to see a balanced examination of BOTH Mr. Obama’s faults and Mrs. Clinton’s faults – as well as their strengths. I am not optimistic, but as both a domestic violence survivor, and a survivor of an abusive Bush administration for his 2 terms, if I have to live thru’ another 8 years of Republican presidency, so be it.

    Because whether Mr. McCain is elected President (which I believe he will be if Mr. Obama is the nominee), or Mr. Obama is elected – we won’t know the difference -both will bring us Republican dominated and Republican- favored policies.

    It brings me no joy to say this – but I will not have my “vote” (only one, I know, and not in Mr. Obama’s preferred demographic) disrespected, taken for granted, or discounted because of the color of my skin, my age, my analysis, or my support for Mrs. Clinton. I will have to think very long and hard before I pull the lever for a Mr. Obama Presidency if his win is not legitimate, and right now, I’m thinking McCain is the same as Obama.

    Thanks for letting me speak. Virtually no-one else will :)

    • http://hyper-educated-uppity-woman.blogspot.com Uppity

      Karen, I am so so sorry. I really mean this.

    • http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

      Keep speaking here. People are reading this and other blogs like it. Trust me. People are reading your words.

      And, personally, I am moved by what you wrote. It’s hard to take. The thuggery. The gaming of the system. The suspicions around the country of widespread cheating. And the ignoring of the heart and soul of the Democratic party.

      • linfar

        Susan, in case you miss my comment down the diary let me jump in here with a huge thank you to both you and Larry. I am so grateful for your support and understanding. It means so much to be understood and acknowledged at a time like this. I salute your committment to a free press and to progresive values. thank you again. lin farley [linfar]

        • http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

          It’s wonderful to see you here. Come back. And keep writing. Keep us in mind for future pieces.

    • linfar

      Keep speaking just like you did here. Your voice is strong and vigorous. I appreciate your comment very much.

  • http://hyper-educated-uppity-woman.blogspot.com Uppity

    I read that piece when she wrote it, and found it to be a very moving piece and I bookmarked it. I kept thinking, “What a fantastic writer!”.

    I felt that she was in pain because she spent her life fighting for equality and she felt that she was not being cared for in return now. Abandoned, so to speak. It honestly brought tears to my eyes, and if you knew me, you would know that is not so easy. This is not racism folks….this is disappointment and hurt.

    • linfar

      Hey Uppity, love the handle :) I used to have a bumper sticker on my car: Uppity Women Unite. I don’t feel abandoned by the present Democratic discourse as much as I feel exploited and ‘bamboozled.’ To play the race card the way Obama has is despicable. There is no other word for it.

      • http://hyper-educated-uppity-woman.blogspot.com Uppity

        Hey Lin, you are our gain. I would love to read more of you.

  • http://www.despair.com/changewinds.html Smilin’ Jim

    Two great truths:
    None of us is as dumb as all of us.
    Some of us are just more equal than the rest of us.

    • Patrick Henry

      Smiling Jim..

      I think you are probably a pretty intelligent Person..probably a guy…middle aged..sucessful..

      You probably have something to add to this chat room..or you wouldn’t been here…and I ould like to hear it..It would be nice..(and More of a Contribution.)if you would quit being so Cryptic..

    • Hope

      Smilin Jim

      Is this kind of like quantum civics? :-)

    • kenoshaMarge

      I believe those truths to be self-evident.

      That and the one about never “urinating” into the wind. :)

  • Patrick Henry

    Karen..

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts here..Well said..

  • barbh

    BO divider of blogs, party and race. Lot’s of hope going on apparently…

    I thought she wrote a wonderful diary. What happened to having a dialogue about race? Of I forgot the “hope candidate” talks about doing one thing and then does EXACTLY the opposite. When BO said let’s have an open dialogue on race WORM (what Obama really meant) was let’s not talk about race at do the brownshirt shutdown with anyone that wants to talk about race…

    • http://hyper-educated-uppity-woman.blogspot.com Uppity

      Even if you AREN’T talking about race, he accuses you of talking about race.

  • Montag

    Yes, but there’s another side to the coin. Buzzflash held their regular fundraiser and Hillary supporters refused to contribute, citing pro-Obama bias. So they were willing to take the site down if they couldn’t control it? Well you MIGHT think that, but of course I couldn’t possibly comment.

    And you’re acting like there aren’t pro-Hillary websites like this one and Tennessee Guerrilla Women that are rabidly pro-Hillary. Any pro-Obama essays on this site? Hmmmmm.

    • linfar

      I don’t think they wre trying to take the site down.
      I think it was more a version of no taxation without representation. Hillary supporters are planning a big march in nyc at media unfairness. I think we should coordinate on the west coast.

    • http://hyper-educated-uppity-woman.blogspot.com Uppity

      Now if I had said the equivalent of “Tennesee Guerilla Woman” while referring to a black man, I would have had my life threatened by now. But tell you what. We can make a fair trade. We got Lin and you can go to myDd. I am sure you will be happy there.

    • kenoshaMarge

      So they are obliged to support a blog that they believe, and I believe,has become overtly biased in favor of the candidate they don’t support?

      I left BuzzFlash and have never looked back. But to complain that people who don’t feel they are getting a fair shake won’t contribute to a blog is the silliest thing I’ve ever heard. Actually no it’s not the silliest thing I’ve ever heard but it definitely is silly.

    • Nathan

      There’s being pro- and anti- with pro-Obama sites actually being anti-Clinton, heavily depending on fact-free incendiary smears (Daily Kos and the “darkening” photo, for one). Name one post that TN Guerilla Women have done that has been inaccurate, a lie, or a smear. Name one.

  • http://tersaona.net MoodSwingeR

    One word: Obamajugend.

  • Andy

    Fleaflicker, great post as usual. This has been happening everywhere. I never commented in places like CNN but when I tried I was almost immediately banned from CNN (never said anything controversial just point out some fallacies or facts). They seem to want to kepp a ratio of at least 4-1 (Obama to Clinton) ratio of comments. Similarly YouTube videos are being taken down from YouTube; I was trying to get to the one of Farrakhan’s “honoring cereminy” there was a vcido widely being cited and ooops, it is no longer available…
    If censuring of this magnitude is happening now; what will they do if given more power?

    Fleaflicker: I am very sensitive to the title…
    As you know “the dissapeared” has a much stronger meaning tied to “los desaparecidos” in South America.
    Maybe you could entitle it the “banned” or the “vanished” ? Thanks for considering it.

    • Uppity Woman

      Andy,

      The title was chosen by Linfar. And I do understand how you feel about the word. No disrespect is intended. If anything the use of the word is a token of respect. Because all fascist societies begin by disappearing the words of the opposition, i.e. book burnings in Germany, etc..

      • Andy

        Uppity Woman:

        Thank you; I really appreciate your reply.
        Thanks for telling me it was Linfar’s; I understand and stand by her.

        You made an excellent point when you say:

        If anything the use of the word is a token of respect. Because all fascist societies begin by disappearing the words of the opposition

        That is absolutely true. The first thing they controlled was indeed all media. Jacobo Timerman,
        was an influencial journalist and owner of a major newspaper (La Opinion) in Argentina and among “the first” to be kidnapped and tortured… He survived only b/c of his international notoriety; the rest, not so lucky…

        Thanks again Uppity.

        • http://speaktruth speaktruth

          Yes, I take the title as a warning about the seriousness of the stifling of dissent that is occurring now.
          I try not to be overly dramatic or paranoid but I have been thinking lately of how it was in Germany in the twenties and thirties. Fascism beginning slowly, insidiously. Some seeing it, some ignoring, denying it.
          I do believe that every blog has the right to a position and to ban certain posters. But then it should be fair, open and consistent about its policies. Banning someone like Linfar doesn’t seem to fit the stated purpose of my DD.
          I noticed something interesting and also scary on MyDD tonight – the big Obama ad for Chris Mathews show. The thought I had was could this have anything to do with the banning of Linfar and others. I can easily see Obama along with MSNBC making it a condition of their advertising dollars (which I am guessing are not negligible) that strongly dissenting voices be banned.

          Also, I have been so disgusted by the media, so your comment, Andy, about media was interesting and ominous.
          I see Obama campaign stifling dissent big time – both nationally, and hacking on Internet. I believe they are the ones hacking and disappearing videos. This is serious stuff, far beyond usual dirty politics. So is stealing votes, as they have done in caucuses.
          As is the fact that none of this is ever reported in MSM.

  • OxyCon

    I got disappeared from Mydd a few weeks ago. Same thing at “O”TPM. Half of my posts never make it to Huffington Post.
    As long as you’re bashing the Clinton family, you’re good as gold at those blogs.
    Say something about Obama and they swarm all over you. First thing they do is call you a racist and hope you flip out and get banned.

    One thing I can gather about Mydd is they banned Universal because a right wing blog posted his diary, which is really asanine when you see all the Clinton bashing going on over there. A right wing blog could turn around and post all the Hillary hating diaries and comments from there.

    • linfar

      Yes. It is amazing the bias against Universal now because right wing blogs picked up the video of Rev. Wright screeching “God Damn America” intercut with the planes flying into the twin towers. Because Obama and his supporters have not been shut out in the msm and many blog sites they don’t get it that clintons upporters have to take the news now wherever they can get it. I have even looked at rightwing sites differently now. If I can verify the facts independently I will use them too.

  • linfar

    I want to thank all those who commented here and especially to thank Susan and Larry for publishing my diary ‘The Disappeared.’ No offense was intended with regard to the disappeared in South America. It is just that was the word that seemed to fit my situation. It has been a big shock to me what has happened at mydd. Soon I will do a diary on my journey on liberal blogs as a blogger for Hillary. But this comment is not about that, but about my gratitude for being able to be heard and received in the midst of this silencing. Susan and Larry have shown true progressive spirit and camaraderie. And I am grateful.
    Lin [linfar]

    • kenoshaMarge

      I want to thank you for your passion and your words. We can never have too many smart, articulate, passionate, uppity women. Look forward to reading more from you in the future. Fortunately banishing voices of discontent isn’t as easy as it once was.

      Seems to me that what is not understood by many Obama supporters is that we are once again in a Revolution. And by stifling voices, they are on the wrong side. We are the Sons and Daughters of Liberty! They and their anointed one, are the Royalists.

  • rwc

    Doesn’t surprise me in the least, there’s always been a strong authoritarian streak in certain members of the far left. You either agree with them or be tar and feathered.

    I stopped posting at Huffpost when I noticed a lot of my posts never made it.

    Usually it was on some subject written some D.C. gas bag Arianna was sucking up to.

    The good news is that the Obamabloggers are exposing themselves as a bunch of frauds and moral retards like those found at certain GOP blogs.

    • http://speaktruth speaktruth

      Unfortunately, only to us.

      It has been my experience that most people have no idea of what Obama and his people are really about.

    • simon

      Doesn’t surprise me in the least, there’s always been a strong authoritarian streak in certain members of the far left. You either agree with them or be tar and feathered

      Both left and right, don’t forget how Cheney and Rove operate, too.

      We’re in this mess because of them.

      But your words make me think of the scene in Forest Gump where Forest confronts Jenny’s Berkeley boyfriend, and punches him, was it at the Black Panther meeting? (Speaking of Obama, the left, and black extremist groups).

      Susan is probably familiar with that aspect, she wrote the “Ayers” were the ones who destroyed the peaceful anti war movement, in the 60′s.

      And THAT is a story I would like to read, Susan, if you’re ever inclined, I think it would give us a lot of insight into the current behavioral mechanisms of the anti-Clinton group.

  • Tea

    What does this say about the people who support Obama? What does this say about Obama? Does direction to delete opposing views or intimidate the opposition come from Obama and his management? Doe the Obama campaign have someone in charge of internet information?

    These are the important questions we all should be asking. So much for Obama being a uniter.

    • simon

      Does direction to delete opposing views or intimidate the opposition come from Obama and his management

      Well,, guerilla marketing, this comes from PR firms, right?

      Greenberg Traurig was heavily involved with lobbying, and Abramoff, propaganda, etal.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_relations

      Organizations that cater to specialized or “boutique” practices include specific sub genres such as “Broadcast PR”, and include firms like Medialink, WestGlen, DS Simon, Kelly Fogelman Group, and Mediahitman. These groups use traditional PR techniques but devote most of their efforts towards gaining exposure via broadcast and cable television news outlets. As newspapers downsize across the country due to the impact of Internet news, television has become an important vehicle in establishing customer acquisition. Reputable firms create solid stories for broadcast which appear on talk shows like Oprah, Good Morning America or news broadcast etc. Questionable public relation firms create “spin”, which is slanted stories that serve their client’s interest. Recent pressure from watch groups like the Center for Media and Democracy has resulted in Federal review of “spin” practices in the US.

      It’s a concerted effort to control public opinion, laughingly insidious, amateur, and clumsy.

      The writing, and the critical thinking behind it, is garbage.

      But they can’t see it.

  • jimbo

    This is OT, but I think valid in the entire context:

    We can put a stop to the FL – MI problem. Take the pledge:
    “If MI and FL are not brought into the national picture immediately and their votes counted, and if Obama is the Democratic nominee, I will vote in the presidential election in November only if HRC is the nominee. If MI and FL are returned to the national picture immediately and their votes counted, then I will vote for the Democratic nominee whomever it is”.
    If enough of us take the pledge then Dean has few choices. If he makes the wrong choice then Obama will have no chance to be President. Period. The only choice for Dean is to bring FL and MI into the equation, now.

  • Hope

    Linfar:

    I understand your hurt and frustration, but you are a wonderful writer and should know that your work is wanted in other places. Please do not let these undesirables steal your passion and fire! And don’t let them make you feel invisible.

    Remember: There are brighter horizons for you! Keep writing, keep focused and realize that we will never be able to please all audiences. Everyone has their critics, they are just part of this hard game we play.

    Just write your heart out and your audience will naturally gravitate towards you!

    And if that doesn’t work I can send you my recipe for Madelines and you’ll soon find yourself sitting at the Riviera listening to the voice of Voltaire speaking to you through a seashell.

    Peace and Love

    :)

  • lifelong dem leaving party

    lin, read your article on savagepolitics and was so moved. that any site would banish you for such a beautiful and honest expression is so frightening. you made no attack on obama, but rather gave a heartfelt history that reached us on a deep level. and it was on the subject obama received such praise for – opening a dialogue on race. i wish we could find a way to get this fact publicized.

    also, mydd’s stated reason – that bad things are being said about obama – apparently it’s ok to say bad things about hillary – reveals their utter hypocrisy. i have occasionally visited their site, but will no longer.

    that mydd banned you for your beautiful article speaks volumes about the truth – that all dissent against obama is to be banned and that the electorate will not be permitted to know the truth about him. it portends a frightening future for all of us if he is elected. i thought i would vote mccain because he’s better than most republicans and i couldn’t vote obama. now i realize i’d vote romney, huckabee, cheney, the dead reagan, the dead nixon, whoever – obama scares me that much.

    sadly, the young people who support this fascist are the ones who will live the longest in the dark world he will create if he gets the chance. first freedom of expression goes, then all the other freedoms.

    so saddened

    • http://hyper-educated-uppity-woman.blogspot.com Uppity

      Such was the Youth Movement….

  • http://thehorizontalworld.blogspot.com/ Mary Jo Kopechne

    MyDD and their little band of thugs should be ashamed of themselves. Several posts that I read one day were disappeared the next. I know it may sound like an exaggeration, but really, this is how fascism began prior to WWII. When the “progressives” to so far to the left that they become as bad as the far right.

    I feel demoralized by what’s become of the Democratic party, where I grounded my activism for almost 40 years.

    I’m grateful for the few brave holdouts, No Quarter, Taylor Marsh, and the little bloggers, who allow people to do serious inquiry and analysis into the unknown phenomenon, formally called Barry.

  • http://hyper-educated-uppity-woman.blogspot.com Uppity

    I blame Obama for these behaviors. They are a sign of who he is because he Enables them. My Grandmother used to say A Fish Starts To Stink At The Head.

  • Amelia

    Linfar, I read your “Typical White Person” diary and I thought it was brutally honest. I suppose that’s what you get for baring your soul. With all the talk about race in this country and in this campaign, nobody really talks about race honestly. You’re not allowed to. Whatever idiot disappeared you clearly has his/her own issues. It’s not really worth worrying about. It’s certainly not reflective of the legitimacy of what you said, which was more true than anything I’ve read in a long time. And it was beautifully written. Don’t worry, it will all be fine. I hope you can post here.

  • kaymandu1

    Linfar:

    I posted at MyDD under the name katmandu1 for a couple of weeks I guess, as a Hillary supporter, but also as someone who maintained to Obama objectors that their candidate had not been properly vetted. I stressed that the last thing the party needed was an October surprise (and you know Mr. Rove is a very smart man who will have at least one).

    My last diary was in honor of TexasDarlin, who also was booted off. I believe I said something like totalitarianism from either the left or right is not pretty. You can look at dictatorships in history and see the excesses and abuses of both sides.

    Somehow, the totalitarian people on the left think they are immune from that tendency. They are not — they are blind to it.

    In my view, people afraid of debate and dissent, such as the Bush Administration, and, sadly, those at MyDD, are people filled with fear of the unknown. They fear loss of control. They want a certain path to be followed, as if somehow agreeing with them validates the belief system they’ve constructed, and makes life safer for them. Uh, uh. Life is not like that. Think of the religious fanatics who scream at the slightest amount of disagreement. One might say, “well, gee, there are lots of people who don’t really believe one needs to wear a veil, or eat wafers, or drink wine, or not drink wine, etc., to get to heaven” and they go nutso.

    That is the mentality of a fear-filled person.

    There are also some Obama supporters (and I am sure, supporters of other candidates) who suffer from what I did as a youth. “I know everything” I thought at 21, 25, and about up to 30. Then I had my first shock — I began to study economics in depth and learned that when using regulation to assist the less fortunate one must be very careful so as not to waste the effort or, even worse, end up harming them. I learned about things like cost-benefit analysis — you know we can build cars that are nearly perfectly safe, but almost no one could afford to drive them. In other words, life is a balance, it is looking at different sides to an issue.

    MyDD seems to have become a haven for the fear-filled, those who cannot see life in all its complexity, and perhaps those who just like to beat up on other people.

    I hope you will write here; I’ve just added this blog to my list of places to visit. And if anyone wants to start an OurDD site, I’ll contribute.

    • simon

      MyDD seems to have become a haven for the fear-filled, those who cannot see life in all its complexity, and perhaps those who just like to beat up on other people.

      Ultimately, yes, though I haven’t written off MYDD.

      It was what it was, at the very least they didn’t censor in the manner K$$ did, and they were more tolerant about dissent.

      This recent event is unfortunate.

      I think most of the bloggerz boyz are unskilled and unsophisticated, in far, far over their heads.

      We only see the world we make, we tend to think we’re the center, we’re the best, but that isn’t true, others are out there, trying to manipulate us, those with other agendas, even, manipulate Greenberg- Truarig, say.

      All this self importance is breathtaking.

      • kaymandu1

        Simon–

        Thank you for reminding me — it is correct that there are many mature, good people at MyDD; and I do hope they stick it out. I did not mean to imply through my clumsy writing that MyDD was being monopolized by an unfortunate group. at least yet. I was just especially unhappy at the way they treated one blogger I particularly liked, and who asked politely why she had received a warning. That was the part that got me. I am not free from using hyperbole. But she asked a fair question, I thought. The non-response to her fair question was Kafkaesque.

  • PMS

    Linfar,

    Perhaps we passed on the streets of Berkeley in the ’60s. Perhaps we walked together in the SF Moratorium. Perhaps we’ve never been in the same city at the same time.

    But I stand by you now, and that beautifully written, soul-baring diary of yours.

    God’s peace to you.

  • jenn

    This is no different than what the religious right did to the GOP. The fiscal conservatives were drowned out by a bunch of loons–they stood by, quietly and let it happen. Well Democrats don’t really get programmed as well as Republicans do. That said, Obama will be McGovern by the time the GOP gets through with him, and if he wins, I’m afraid he’ll be another Jimmy Carter..

    • PMS

      Obama will be McGovern by the time the GOP gets through with him, and if he wins, I’m afraid he’ll be another Jimmy Carter.

      I’m afraid he’ll be another “W” if he gets elected: cronyism, self-importance, a “uniter” who unites by elimination, and “just words”.

      • jenn

        Agreed; however, to the GOP and their minions he’ll be portrayed as Carter. They don’t see the cryonyism and self-importance as a bad thing, unless its the other party.

  • yttik

    It’s really amazing to me how many free speech refugees there are on the internet. It’s like all these so called progressive sites have lost their freakin minds.

    I have friends who used to be somewhat sane telling me Obama must win at all costs. It’s really scary because they really mean at all costs, forget democracy, forget values, forget friendships, forget reason.

  • TeakwoodKite

    Linfar, thanks for a bright light that shines on the “Sounds of Silence”

    And no one dared
    Disturb the sound of silence

  • Kathy

    I am worried about the Black Liberation philosophy that Obama has been listening to for the last 20 years. How much of it sunk in? I think Obama is a great actor. I have seen his face when he is not acting and there is a bit of hatred in his eyes. Scares the hell out of me. I just want to know what he is really up to. He is too shallow and arrogant to care about all the little people in this country. What is he up to?

  • T. Barr

    My answer to an article by Sally Bedell Smith. : “Hillary Clinton cannot let go of her dream.”

    No, Ms. Smith, it’s my dream!! I DON’T TRUST OBAMA!!

    As for MyDD What? First I had to endure years of hateful, despicable trashing of one of the most skillful Democratic presidents we’ve had since JFK and now, I’m subjected to the same from my own party! I’m fed up with the Obama supporters! This is not some high school popularity contest here, this is my financial future!

    Thanks to Larry for keeping the record straight!!!

    Published

  • PamFlorida

    The overwhelming % of anti-Hillary commentary is statistically illogical. It is mathematically impossible for such huge numbers of people to hate Sen. Clinton. Obviously, the MSM and internet have been compromised in a very big way.
    The BO $Dogs and dogmatic devotees do not promote their candidate on his achievments and policy positions to differntiate him from Sen. Clinton. Instead, they rely on character assassination of Hillary, Pres. Clinton, & her supporters.
    It is notable that BO, the uniter, never comments on the vitriol directed at Sen. Clinton. He stays completely out of the fray and does nothing to dampen these tactics. By remaing silent, he is giving tacit approval to his supporters behavior and maintains plausible deniability by asserting that he does not allow such actions by his campaign.
    We are being prevented from finding out who he really is and what he truly believes. Very scary.
    What is his position on unitary executive power? Think he will restore our Constitution, especially the Bill of Rights?
    He may be a good president, but the fact that he is so nebulous, evasive, and noncommital bothers me a great deal. I want more FACTS.

  • http://thehorizontalworld.blogspot.com/ Mary Jo Kopechne

    Linfar,
    I just read all the comments on MyDD regarding Linfar’s reinstatement, including this statement by Linfar, which I find disappointing, “Only one point is important to me. I am not the person who compared Obama to George Wallace.” Yuck.

    It makes me wonder is you actually read Bud White’s diary on Obama and Wallace, Linfar? He didn’t say that Obama was racist; he said that Obama used a racial dog whistle to get votes. If someone’s going to judge, not to mention censor they should at least pay attention to details. I know that White went to battle for your freedom of speech with MyDD.

    Here’s what White says about his diary being banned on his own website:
    “I realize the title of my diary was provocative, but of course that was the intent. I clearly state in the diary that Barack Obama is not the overt racist of George Wallace. I was pointing out that racial politics has been used by the Obama campaign, and I fully documented this, citing Sean Wilentz of The New Republic and Christopher Hitchens.
    As you know, Paul Krugman and David Brooks have been debating Reagan’s use of an alleged racist dog-whistle at the beginning of his campaign in Mississippi in 1980. Reagan, or Wallace, or Obama’s use of a racial dog-whistle are all equally abhorrent to me.
    No where in the diary did I accuse anyone of being a racist, and I stressed the unacceptability of racial politics. That was the point of the diary.

    I am worried and angered at the tactics of the big liberal blogs towards Mrs. Clinton. For example, Markos accused the Clinton campaign of darkening a picture of Obama for an ad, an accusation which was false but which obviously could make many feel that the Clintons were racists, accusations which I’ve read at TMP, Dkos, and other places without censure.
    It’s this relentless negativity towards Mrs. Clinton and the willingness to say anything which inspired me to write that piece. I’m concerned about our coalition and the extremes some will go to tar the Clintons.” http://noratings.blogspot.com/