When Bloggers Seek to Intimidate....
Wednesday, February 7, 2007 at 11:15AM 
(Shamelessly stolen from The Ward View)
I saw this comment today by Waldo on Ward's Blog and I will let it speak for itself:
Now, Wesley, why is it that I need to apologize for delaying a trackback — Alton’s trackback is showing up just fine, after all — but Ward doesn’t need to apologize for delaying a whole series of comments? Was Ward “caught red handed” deleting those posts? What’s the difference?
How about Lynn Mitchell, aka “SWAC Girl”? She deletes comments and crows that she’ll delete anything she wants for any reason. Ditto for Kurt Michael, aka “General Grievous’ Dog,” and Alex Davis, aka “Jonathan Maxfield”? Both delete anything for any reason, without apologies. Have you “caught them red handed”? Is there any way that you can explain this apparent hypocrisy?
Everyone whom I have met in the blogosphere knows my name as Chris Green, as they garnered this information from my name tag at last years Sorenson Conference or The Blogs United Conference in Martinsville. Isn't it curious that Waldo would use the name Wesley (which is my legal first name) to refer to me? Why do you think he would do that, and where do you think he might garner that information? Also, why would Waldo bother to find out my entire legal name?
I read it and thought to myself, now how would he know my first name? What struck me first was that he easily could have gotten it from his wife, who works at the Sorenson Institute. I had to give her my Credit Card information to pay the $50 fee. I of course will not throw her first, middle, maiden or any other name out into the blogosphere, because:
- That is not how I blog, and I would be embarrassed to do such.
- There is no purpose my using her name, because even though I may disagree with my fellow bloggers, I never purposely seek to intimidate them, by engaging in said behavior.
- I would expect to be challenged by bloggers both on the left & the right for divulging personal information of another blogger, much less take the time to actually do the research.
- Liability issues involving privacy.
Let's also take a look at Waldo's other exploits, he names SWAC GIRL, The Journal of The Common Man, and speculates by name the identity of GGD. Why is Waldo specifically using names, might he be seeking to intimidate?
This brings me to Waldo's chief Defender in the GGD/Waldo/Maxfield Affair, Shaun Kenney. I give you his post Apologia Pro Waldo Jaquith, and he says:
THIS GETS ME TO THE POINT OF THIS ENTIRE POST. (so please read)
Waldo Jaquith's prime metaconcern has always been with the tone of the blogosphere. He isn't alone. Chad Dotson, Norm Leahy, Cory Chandler, myself, Jon Henke, the gang at SST, Jim Bacon, and much of the "Old Guard" that consist of the larger and longer existing blogs have been keen enough to understand what might happen if things got out of hand.
Really now, Waldo's metaconcern is the tone of the blogosphere? What about this little ditty "Rep Schrock... he likes the Penis", on former AG Kilgore and Candidate for Governor:
I think that this lends some credence to my speculation that fellow anti-gay Virginia politico, Attorney General Jerry Kilgore, is, in fact, a repressed gay man, who overcompensates by sponsoring things like the so-called “Marriage Affirmation Act.”
Nice 'Tone'. Oh, and when it comes down to outright speculation on Senator Allen beating his first wife, Waldo is right there to break a totally unsubstantiated anonymous accusation with "Man says Allen's Ex-Wife Admitted He Abused Her", and excerpt:
I do not know this gentleman, and know little other than that he is a 29-year-old man who is a Widespread Panic fan. I cannot vouch for him or his story. But I can say that I’ve heard variants of these allegations time and time again from past and present friends of Sen. Allen’s ex-wife or her parents, who heard the allegations from those individuals.
Does spreading this story in such a way help the 'tone' of the VA Blogosphere? What about open cursing in blog posts? Try searching Waldo's site for the "F" Bomb. How about this example of 'setting the tone' just from last week, "Goode To Enter The Mouth of Hell Attend a Muslim Service":
RT-D: Rep. Virgil Goode has agreed to attend a Muslim religious service at the request of an interfaith group. To crazy bigots requesting permission to totally lose their shit? Permission granted.
Has it ever occurred to some bloggers who's 'Prime Metaconcern has been the Tone of the Blogosphere', that middle school and high school kids read blogs too? Not to mention that anyone who disagree's with Waldo's position is essentially a 'bigot'. All to advance the 'Tone' of the blogosphere...
I have a couple more questions, in retrospect to the entire GGD/Waldo/Kenney Affair, and the subsequent challenge that I put out begging the blogosphere to show where we attacked Waldo, but there were no takers. Who regrets now putting up 'I support Waldo' posters on their blogs? Would you still do so today, and why don't you?
Who out there agrees with Waldo's tactic of placing my actual first name out into the blogosphere? What about repeatedly using other bloggers names (and speculative bloggers) with who he disagrees with, but omits other's with whom apparently has no quarrel? I mean seriously, can there be any doubt as to why he is conducting his blogging in such a fashion?
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Reader Comments (46)
The Almighty Knower of Things has once again been exposed. I wonder who will step up to the plate and bring forth comments on this blog post? You present so much damning evidence, I don't even think HE can rebound from your research.
It's STD meets Alton's MZM research.
The Almighty Knower of Things is steadily losing his smarts...
What seems to be happening is an escalation on his part, whereby, he throws out the information anyone would need to figure out my full legal name...
The message being, I have researched you, and unless you quit rebutting my posts, there will be more to come...
That is not an exchange of ideas.... That is something else entirely, and I put this out for my fellow bloggers to decide.
In comments Waldo took offense at that and challenged me to provide proof. I declined because it just wasn't something I wanted to spend time with.
So, thanks for documenting it here. I'll link back to it later.
I have been following your blog quite closely over the past few months. I have been very impressed with your art work and find it humerous, cutting edge, and relevant...especially the one with Jim Webb's eyebrow during the State of the Union. LOL.
It is good to see another bloggers changing the face of the blogosphere by using cartoons to get a point across.
Your work has impressed me and I look forward to continuing to follow your blog. Keep up the good work.
The Dog
P.S. You and I will have to differ about Waldo. I would not back off of criticism of Waldo. He has been given a free pass way to long.
Thanks. Although I can't take credit for the Webb-brow. A friend did that for me.
As for Waldo, he's certainly fair game for criticism. Just no ~so much~ on this one.
The libs have shown how they can "macaca" our candidates. Now they will do the same to us. Waldo has already done this by going after Keith Drake, chairman of Albemarle GOP, and now he intimidates by calling you by your first name (and repeats it when responding to you, a bold act of trying to shut down dissent, coming from such a "civil" blogger ... some "tone" he's setting for the rest).
The blogosphere is changing. It used to be dominated by individuals who kept their own blogs and worked alone ... but no more. The lefty bloggers changed that. The future is small groups of bloggers working as a team, and those who work alone will eventually become dinosaurs.
http://www.capitoltalk.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=65
If it didn't require signing up for an account, I'd point out to him that Waldo makes the decisions regarding who is and is not on his blogroll. That point, of course, being what set a lot of this in motion.
But, as we've seen before, facts seemed to avoid Terry like the plague.
Oh please, I'm well aware that Waldo decides who is and is not on his blog roll. My point was that if you're going to criticize him all the time, don't turn around and take advantage of the "services" he's providing. If you "lothe" him as much as you all seem to, remove yourselves from the blog roll.
You said:
1) I'm well aware that Waldo decides who is and is not on his blog roll.
and
2) If you "lothe" him as much as you all seem to, remove yourselves from the blog roll.
Well, which is it?
And, sorry, I know some of these concepts are difficult for you. But I can actually disagree with Waldo on a number of issues and actually still have a civil discussion.
If Waldo doesn't want me there, he can remove me. But it will be his decision.
And it won't be because these posts get under your skin.
What is your love affair with Waldo all about? I am starting to think that he controls you and worst yet, tells you how to think. Waldo is a big boy… let him fight his own battles. The infatuation with Waldo you on the left espouse is beyond normal.
"Oh please, I'm well aware that Waldo decides who is and is not on his blog roll. My point was that if you're going to criticize him all the time, don't turn around and take advantage of the "services" he's providing. If you "lothe" him as much as you all seem to, remove yourselves from the blog roll."
Terry:
None of us are on Waldo's aggregator.. I was the first to ask to be removed, and Waldo tossed SWAC GIRL, Elle, TJCM, and Alton also asked to be removed... Who are you talking about?
GGD:
Unfortunately the same pattern was followed by others, when I challenge them they don't come to my comments section, they send like their brother!
I know that YOU are not on there, I was referring to Ward, who attacked Waldo yesterday, yet still uses his blog roll. It's hypocritical.
"Terry’s mantra, “I am Chiwawa, hear me yap… Waldo sent me over here because he is too much of a girlie boy to fight his own battles… yap, yap, yap…”"
Oh please, please prove that Waldo sent me to "fight his battles" otherwise what you're doing is libel. I've never had any contact with Waldo except via email to ask him to update his blog roll to reflect that I had moved to my new blog.
& Terry says:
"I know that YOU are not on there, I was referring to Ward, who attacked Waldo yesterday, yet still uses his blog roll. It's hypocritical."
Again, Ward attacked Waldo? Ward disagreed with Waldo, and stated the reasons...
This is the same rhetoric that was thrown at us when we supposedly 'attacked' Waldo for censoring the Dog... on what was his bi-partisan aggregator!
Is this not plain for everyone to see?
Thanks for pointing that out, Chris. When we state facts, we're accused of being unreasonable, uncivil, and attacking. When they really DO attack with profanity and personal slams, it's considered okay. Thanks for pointing out the hypocrisy.
Great job.
I don't like this first name intimidation tactic one bit. Waldo's true colors are showing!
Terry can argue all he wants, but Waldo lost a lot of credibility these past few days. Not that this is anything new to me.
I saw the true colors way back here in the comments.
http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2005/11/willie-mae-kilgore-lawsuit/
When a grown man makes fun of how a woman, mother, grandmother looks...Nuff said. I can easily assume he would say the same of my mother.
I shook his hand once. That will never happen again. Those ethical bloggers for Waldo...Makes me sick.
I never had the luxury of knowing a "civil" blogosphere since I came on board during the falsehoods, innuendos, and mud slinging of the Allen campaign. Calling STD out by his first name is juvenile, just as it was when they called George Allen by his full name.
Where will this lead? Waldo has already shown he intends to personally attack the grassroots by going after the Albemarle GOP Chairman. To him no one seems to be off limits and that, to me, is NOT ethical and, in fact, something RPV needs to pay attention to. We need to meet fire with fire.