Freedom Of Speech

Regulars will recall the original reason for comment moderation. We had a troll.

A particularly disturbed, anti-smoking troll. He targeted this blog, and around eight others and demanded various ludicrous conditions that if the bloggers stopped using certain terms he would leave them in peace.

Clearly, the man is delusional at best and at worst, psychotic. Either way, he caused me and others to change the way we accept comments. His usual M.O was to post gibberish which indicated that he hadn't first read the post, then commented with a pro or con argument like a normal person would. Bloggers and commenters noticed this and the bloke came in for some fairly hefty insults. They were well deserved.

Then he started to post as other people. In the real world, this is called identity theft, or if you want it old-school, impersonating others to their detriment.

In his final throes of madness, he declared on this very blog, over 130 times, that I was a paedo. No proof, no evidence, just the repeated scribblings of an obviously disturbed man.

It forced us (the affected bloggers) to get together and track him down. We did this remarkably quickly. We advised his ISP that his behaviour was worrisome and a tad unlawful. The ISP, given the evidence, agreed and did the right thing and closed him down. A few weeks later he reappeared and off we went again.

When I started this blog my aim was openness and honesty. No censorship, ever. Whatever your viewpoint was, this was the place to put it.

Thanks to this individual I am forced to use moderation. I don't particularly care what he calls me, as I remember the playground chant "Sticks and stones...etc" and it remains relevant today. BUT, when he thinks he has my name and my address and posts that, he crosses a line. Especially given that he has the wrong name and the wrong address. This may hurt the man whose details he insists are mine, so comment moderation stays. Until the man dies, or gets the help he needs in a secure mental facility.

This is his latest missive:


"Ranty. You can remove comment moderation if you want. unfortunately there are conditions which have to be met. Your lies/bullshitting/blagging/threats and all that shite you think i swallow is/has been an insult to my intelligence and will result in permanent sanctions on your blog. your sanctions are: The words FUCK/CUNT/WANKER are not allowed on your blog , you cannot post these words on your blog or any fucking about with word plays like FU, W>>>>>KER C*NT. This does not apply to other posters I will completely leave your blog and will not return unless you post those words. If you post those words from today then my offer will be withdrawn, and moderation will continue."


Now, I have been fighting Big Government for five years. I have picked fights with some mighty agencies of our pathetic government, and won. I could have done none of that or reported back here on the battles, without free speech.

It is the single most important right we have.

Yet this delusional soul thinks he can determine which words I use on my blog?

I do not negotiate with the mentally unstable, chum. I will continue to write what I want, when I want, and as often as I want.

Although I wanted to resist saying this, I cannot:

Fuck off, you wanker. Go and be a cunt somewhere else.

Okay?

CR.