But on free speech issues I am definately a lefty. I understand screening, and turning things off or even deleting them when they happen to be pornographic because no one wants to be horny at work.

However, this ignore list is rather silly.

All it does is prove once and for all that anyone can be a fascist, no matter what side of politics you're on.

I never thought of Indymedia as an extremist site.

Infact open dialougue from the right should be encouraged, if only so that we have a chance to rebutt and make them look stupid occasionally.

This is a sad feature for Indymedia which will probably be abused and leave a lot of interesting things off the site while the evil righties who are part of this clan will certainly find another way to post.

By the way, there is a middle ground in politics where everyone can be heard. Not all of the comments made by these people were so out of line, although I agree a lot were. It's just allowing people to be ignorant at their own risk.

And if these guys are your enemies, you should get to know them or you're in trouble.

...to stampede you into turning this into a highly insular non-forum, like unFree Republic, they win. That is their real goal - to stifle debate.

We learn and grow from hearing contrary opinions - even those with which we violently disagree. As long as a Post is not a threat against someone's person I believe it should be allowed. Even the hateful one's have a lesson because it forces us to examine, and if you have the courage, to defend your point of view.

To cut off opposing views results in nothing more than an insulated mutual admiration society.

Long live Freedom.

Warren,

Go away. You're an idiot. You should have quit coming here months ago. You're not wanted.

I've always thought Diogenes was an agent provacatuer. Now I'm convinced.

This site was made for those of us active in the struggle to get out news and information. That a bunch of liberal and fascist assholes have used this place as their own private playground has gone on long enough.

Anyone who wants the trolls back has an alternative motive.

Fascism is the merger between corporatism and the state. Fascism has nothing to do with your use of the word fascism.

Let's look at this objectively. All LA IndyMedia is doing is giving their users the choice of ignoring people they don't like - on an individual basis. What is ABUSIVE is the notion that someone should be forced NOT to ignore the rantings of cyber stalkers, psychopaths, and hateful bigots. Why would anyone be offended by the idea of permiting an individual to block out comments from individuals he or she does not like?

If a woman choses to block a hairy knucked pervert like Ned from her telephone, does that make the telephone company fascist?

IndyMedia is merely increasing the power of its readers. That is a good thing.

It's Javascript-based.

And that means that it doesn't work with Opera, which has never worked well with Java scripting.

Well, crap. Back to the drawing boards, lads.

If my moniker is not RAPIDLY REMOVED from that ignore list, I will succinctly begin posting my comments under the names "Diogenes", "Sheepdog", "KPC", or whomever else I feel inclined to post as.



This is not a threat. It is a promise.

are you really a spy? It doesn't seem so. I think some people here are getting a bit paranoid.

You guys don't understand, about the list, it just feeds in, won't solve anything, and proves that you won't listen to the other side, why, because you fear that if they are even a quarter right you're wrong.

But that is not the case. Even if by some stroke of miracle one of the trolls or whoever you hate that day could be all right or correct I should say, there are still a million sides to every story and you're just censoring yourself from laughs and fun.

How can we make peace without dialogue from both sides? It takes two to tango. And it will take all of us to come up with a long lasting sollution.

I have seen the left become fascist, that is, not allowing any free thought that isn't aligned with their particular ideaology or co-operation corporation. For example, all Jews are criticised often here although 100,000 Israelis just marched for peace on Rabin's death aniversary, even though many of them have good cause for revenge and war since everyone in Israel has a relative that has been bombed.

This is indicative of the general problem of choosing sides. There is no side to choose. We are not mortal enemies, even if you are a Bush Admirer, just because you think different.

By taking a side and censoring thought you are simply sticking in your safe zone so you don't have to think about your opponents position.

And you are saying in essence that not everyone is worth listening to.

Believe me, no matter how stupid they may be, everyone has something important to say.

Like Diogenes said, even if you don't like it, you don't have to be so scared of it that you censor it.

You may learn something.

And if you choose in the end to be mortal enemies, the best way to defeat your enemy is to know him intimately.

Ignore THIS, imc!

Guess who?

...is the electronic equivalent of sticking your fingers in your ears and yelling, "LA LA LA LA LA...I can't hear you!"

In other words, it's supremely childish.

Signed,

The Mystery Poster

The ignore list is not the electronic equivalent of sticking one's fingers in one's ears and singing...

The ignore list is the electronic equivalent of putting a screen on your window to keep the bugs out.

You've got it backwards.

Banning is putting on the bug screen.

The ignore list is exactly what I said it was, a childish means of avoiding hearing things you find unpleasant.

But a hallmark of adulthood is being able to tolerate disagreement.

The Mystery Poster

The problem isn't criticism, per se, but the overall tone of the "dialogue". People are ranting and having flamewars, and this causes people to stop reading the newswire. Specifically, it causes progressive people who volunteer for various organizations to lose interest in IMC. This isn't speculation; dozens of individuals have complained, personally, to me, about these individuals. Without this core audience, the newswire, as a commons, will be unable to fulfill it's larger mission to be an information source for the people the IMC collective cares most about.

The "ignore" feature is an ad-hoc feature designed with the above audience in mind. It's not that they can't handle debate -- they debate politics all the time -- but they don't want to deal with the invectives that are carried out on the newswire lately. "Ignore" works at the individual level: it's censorship that operates one person at a time. It's no more politically dangerous than creating an email filter or "changing the channel" when you're tired of what you're seeing. When you're at a party, and there's someone who's way too angry, and he's ruining your mood, you ignore him; this feature is no different.

Bush Admirer, Max, nonanarchist, and a few others, are angry guys. It's not what they say, but how they say it, that's offensive. I personally don't dislike their politics as much as I hate their behavior.

Also... the "most ignored list" was supposed to be automated, based on the last few hundred ignore reqests, but that wasn't working, so I figured I'd put the names of the least popular posters right up there. It's deleted for now, but might come back once it's implemented.

Try and grow up, son. If you can't handle what we do in cyberspace, the real world is going to be a real bitch.

You're little diatribe is total nonsense.

"Also... the "most ignored list" was supposed to be automated, based on the last few hundred ignore reqests, but that wasn't working, so I figured I'd put the names of the least popular posters right up there."

First of all, you libelled the shit out of us with that little scheme. You engaged in defamation of character, and that pisses me off.

"It's deleted for now, but might come back once it's implemented."

That didn't last very long, now did it. I guess you realized just how stupid it was, and how easily it is circumvented.

But it's too late for appologies. I'm officially retiring this moniker as of right now. This ignore list has just chaffed my ass too much, so, I've decided as of this moment I will never post under the same moniker twice. I'm just sick of the bullshit with you leftists, and I'm not going anywhere, bitch.

You could have gone about this any number of ways, you could have appealed to us like reasonable people, asked us to tone it down or stop. But instead you engaged in censorship and defamation. In fact, you're still doing it:

"Bush Admirer, Max, nonanarchist, and a few others, are angry guys."

Lies! I could see how you could arrive at that conclusion from my posts. I hate leftists.

But BA, nonanarchist and Fresca are not angry. I challenge you to show many any of their posts that indicate these people are angry! You're full of shit and you know it.

You want angry, read through Meyer London's hateful crap! But his name wasn't on that list, you ignorant fuck!

"I figured I'd put the names of the least popular posters right up there."

Based on who's opinion? Did you take a survey? Is this something the "collective" (what, like all six or seven of you?) took a vote on? I imagine if you took a poll of the regulars on this board, you might be surprised at the results!

So anyway, Max is gone. I'm still here, and I'm not going anywhere. From here on out, it'll be 100% complete anonymity, autonomous, with no fear of reprisals.

You want me gone, it's real simple. Make everybody register a nickname and and email address. Then ban the shit out anyone you want. Do it just like the Democraptic Underground does. I want you too. I can't wait for the day when you are forced to resort to that form of paranoid censorship. It'll be mission accomplished for me. I'll have succeeded in politically marginallizing you as far as possible in regards to the web.

Then I can get on with my life, and quit wasting so much time on you worthless liberals.

Screw you, you demented transvestite piece of worthless crap.

Adios, IMC.

^ like this boy is not angry.

yup, we can all see how true this is.

Max said he was angry.

--------------------------------------

>>>"Bush Admirer, Max, nonanarchist, and a few others, are angry guys."

Lies! I could see how you could arrive at that conclusion from my posts. I hate leftists.

But BA, nonanarchist and Fresca are not angry.<<<

----------------------------------------

So..... what's your point? Or is it like everyone else in the left-wing/anarchist compost and you don't have one?

I know anger. I'm an angry person, and can spot it. I can wallow in it. I like arguing.

Most mature people won't wallow in it; they know it's a waste of time. That's why they don't like the LA Newswire.

PS - The latest comments may come back in a different form that encourages reasonable discussion.