“… is the fact that all those “free-speechers” who have gathered around the likes of Steyn, Ezra Levant and even one high-profile Neo-Nazi/anti-Semite never raised a stink about that case – and that one was an actual attack on freedom of speech. But since it involved a Liberal, and a non-white person to boot, those “free-speechers” did not much care about the case.”
No – what is “amazing” is that leftie bloggers would simply assume that we read them, and that we follow every twitch in that corner of the sphere. (Do they not know their traffic stats?) For the record, the first time I heard of the Mark Francis case(link fixed) was about 2 days ago. Whose fault is that?
So, what is “amazing” is that his fellow travellers on the left lifted not a hand to help him, expended no effort to get the word out. Even in this post, Patels neglected to provide a name or a source link.
For all the left’s faith in the power of the collective, it rather failed to kick start when needed, no?
Perhaps they were waiting for the government to do it.
Ah, so now it’s also the left’s fault that you don’t leave your echo chamber.
That’s going to leave a mark.
Typical of the “left” thought process , but actually quite funny.
Ok , but it is a rather large world … which “Mark” would you be referring to and perhaps a link?
I still don’t know who is being referred to as the first blogger, can you hook a brother up with a link?
I’ve updated the post and moved the link to make it clearer. Thanks for pointing that out.
http://myblahg.com/?p=2327
Robert, you need to take care of that before you start posting about libel on anyone’s site. There is already one standing offer from a lawyer to represent her pro bono.
I await the notice of libel, you crazy old cooter. But I fail to see what that has to do with how the left is responsible for you locking yourself into an echo chamber.
I read numerous Canadian discussion forums and I’ve seen a few threads on the HRCs but most haven’t a clue what’s going on and the few who do seem to think the information that we post is libelious lies. I can’t seem to get it through their thick skin that the information is coming from HRCs transcripts, they’d rather believe that it’s all lies than investigate or do some research to educate themselves regarding the HRCs antics. To be fair, that is why the leftards hang around Conservative Blog sites without them who’d do the hard work and research?
Well Kate, we have only been blogging about it for a year and a half. And it has only been covered by the Canadian Press, CBC, CTV and other media big names. I have brought the issue forward on several Blogging Tory sites when they have been threatened by “He, who must not be named for fear of sued”, it also only ties in directly to Michael Geist, Open Politics and Wayne Crookes.
In fact I can distinct remember Steve Janke blogging about this Green and Green action and I also remember a few other Blogging Tories doing the same.
Sorry Dear Kate, you are Johnny Come Lately to this battle and the excuse that you didn’t know is hardly convincing, given the amount of noise and media attention that has already been paid to these specific cases.
Friday, April 20, 2007 at 05:17 PM
http://stevejanke.com/archives/223575.php
Even Janke said we should keep an eye on this issue, unfortunately Janke took his eye off the ball.
I will see if I can’t dig up a few of the other blogging tories that noticed this issue, unfortunately Stephen Taylor seems to have disabled or hidden the search tool on the Blogging Tory site, so I will have to dig via alternate search engines.
I could also recommend http://section15.blogspot.com and if you can get over the use bad language, my blog as well for more information. Not that I am shilling for traffic, and I would only welcome people who are truly interested in this case.
Respectfully,
Zorph, The Wingnuterer
What is amazing is that you called Patel a lefty.
This internet self-promoter who has founded numerous blogs is by no means a lefty. Although I do not if Patel is a Conservative, Liberal or Alberta Alliance supporter, I would have thought his views would be as right as yours Kate.
It’s the same reason why left political parties don’t raise as much money as right parties; why left people don’t donate as much to charity as right people… lefties believe in TAKING from others for themselves and righties believe in GIVING their money for what they believe in. It’s the inherent difference between a lefty and a righty.
When free speech is attacked we jump to the defense of the attackee. A lefty waits for someone else to do something about it.
It made news all over the place, and bloggers did send some funds. The problem was, the cases — Crookes is suing Google, Yahoo, PBwiki, OpenPolitics.ca, a dozen or so people — are so many, the individuals are buried in the mountain of claims.
There was press, plus a CBC The National minidoc last summer.
Oh, an entire blog has been removed from the Internet due to a Crookes claim (Crookes v. Google), no court order involved:
http://greencompostheap.blogspot.com/
All over one post which suggested Crookes should use right of reply instead of defamation torts, and someone’s political comments.
The whole blog gone from the planet over one post, due to a complaint from British Columbia.
Blogspot is hosted in the US. See the clear risk? To sue in Canada, you need not be a citizen. You only have to prove that you have an interest within the jurisdiction you file in.
Chris Tindal wrote a great piece on the Crookes v. OpenPolitics case. I’d link to it, but he’s being sued for libel by Crookes over it, and Crookes sues people — like me — for linking, even indirectly and inadvertently, to posts and even domains he is suing. That case is Crookes v. Geist, as in Micheal Geist.
I own the domain libelchill.ca, but a server crash killed my content. Never got it back up. Maybe it’s time?
You know Kate, I read many blogs I often disagree with, including yours. It is time-consuming, I admit. Try it sometime.
Crookes’ claims:
http://crookeslawsuits.pbwiki.com/
robert mcclelland – the comment was about the failure of the left to raise concerns about ‘one of their own’, that ‘failed Liberal candidate’ (no-name, no link, no knowledge).
If the left is so concerned about human rights then why didn’t they go to his assistance? Why do they expect others/the government to do this?
So, rather than driving by here and throwing out garbage, why not actually answer some questions and engage in a rational discussion?
So now it’s ok for me to ask lefties where THEY were during the Brockie case, when Bishop Henry was charged by the HRCs etc.?
Oh no, wait, that’s different…
Speaking of echo chambers: my stats demonstrate that when the likes of Itty Bitty Lib, Cynic, Dawg, et al link to me, they rarely send over more than a total of about 150 unique visitors.
I know their traffic sucks to begin with, but really: talk about an echo chamber. Their readers are obviously taking what they say about me at face value. They like to label their opponents as “incurious” but I guess it really does take one to know one.
Pfffft disingenuous outrage and fraudulent indigity from a core member of the progressive-soviet.
I’m still waiting for the high trafic left bloggers to take action against all the Islamist antisemitism floating around the Canadian blogopher…but they’re all to busy turning conservative bloggers and Christian ministers into nazis to care about real racism.
Frig ’em…too ethically vacant to bother with, that’s why their blog traffic is nearly non existant.
McClelland “engage in rational discussion”? Surely you jest.
McClelland “engage in rational discussion”? Surely you jest.
failed Liberal candidate was not happy with some of the press about his past and present criminal record.”
First off , do we really require a distinction between “past ” and “present” when we’re talking about a record.
Doesn’t a record, uhm, record both?
It’s difficult to keep all the liberal criminal histories straight, due primarily to their being so many of them.
Which liberal criminal is he talking about?
I posted on this a few days ago and got a comment from Green Party Candidate / Blogger Chris Tindall that for just talking about the libel suit he also got sued by Wayne Crookes.
McClelland – what part of “I am not in that photograph” do you not understand?
Gee Robert, how do you suppose that someone who doesn’t “leave her echo chamber” ever came to read a post on alberta pubdit’s site? Never mind. Too logical for you I guess.
Anyhow, you should be happy that there is someone out there willing to step up to the plate and defend free speech. After all, they are also defending your right to your incoherent mumblings and vulgar bigotry. Something about the Jews wasn’t it?
I may disagree with you, but I will stand up for your right to put your bigotry on display … in your own words of course.
typical of the socialists . . wait for someone else to do the heavy lifting, then cry victim and wait for a government handout.
The real echo chamber is the void between RM’s ears.
McLelland calls this blog an echo chamber. After all these years he still can’t come up with anything more creative. Meanwhile, he has grown his blah-g to two or three fellow leftards who participate in his comment section. And one of them is himself.
It appears he spends more time over here, though, attempting to make some sort of point that he can’t quite grasp himself. Perhaps one day, with a lot of luck and a drug therapy that grows brain cells, he’ll be able to scrap together a moderately intelligent opinion.
Nah, the peckerhead wasn’t born with enough intelligence to begin with. They certainly won’t waste medical breakthroughs on a common house plant.
I have no words for McLelland which can beat a few simple facts.
This is a blogger who claimed to have spray-painted “f*** the Jews” on someone else’s personal property. This is potentially a violation of HRC section 13 AND Canadian Criminal code regarding hate crimes (not to mention vandalism.) Maybe he didn’t actually do it, but writing that his did and repeating the slur online surely could be actionable under the HRC’s fit the HRC’s weren’t run by partisan activists on the left.
AND
This is a person who supports HRC including section 13.
Clearly, he is a person with issues.
The left looks for any reason to elevate their own self-esteem, they will cling to this silly notion desperately. The majority of lefties I suspect would love to work for the HRC’s and are simply ticked off they didn’t think of it before the tide turned.
Who is this “Robert” person? Never heard of him or any associated blog.
iowavette
He’s nobody. He will remain nobody.
Robbie the Retard said: “Ah, so now it’s also the left’s fault that you don’t leave your echo chamber.”
It is, actually. You’re boring.
Just finished that lengthy article about Warman and the HRC in Macleans. What a sick way to get rich. Seems he has made himself the god of social conscience here in Canada.
I was a bit angry last week now I’m totally P#&&#d. You will be getting another $50.00 donation in May and it will continue till this is won.
Another amazing fact: Some bloggers (I won’t mention Warren Kinsella’s name) use the term
“free speecher” like it’s an insult.
What next, “democracy fanatic”? How can one withstand such punishing epithets?
The leftards are no different today than they have been throughout history. They claim to take a higher road, which makes them feel superior. The truth is that they’re scared shiftless of the decline of the civilization that pampers them. They think, however, that they won’t have to take a stand against tyrants because that will be done by “others”. They can sit at home and tut-tut the dirty masses that do the heavy lifting and then, in the end, enjoy all the same liberties that those same masses fought and died for.
I find it disgusting….
No offense, but that crack about the echo chamber is bang on.
The fact is, Mr. MacLellan, we should be keeping a much sharper eye on those of the political left, and in some cases, we should be keeping guns and ammo close at hand too. It is our fault that the HRC’s are a legal trainwreck, it is our fault that Richard Warman is cashing in on frivolous lawsuits instead of being pelted with rotten vegetables, and it is our fault that idiots like Warren Kinsella actually held a political office.
But the fact is we are coming out of the echo chamber and we are not liking what we see at all. The left is going to lose this battle over freedom of speech, and rightfully so. If you liberal dolts even had a clue, you would be asking yourselves how it is that you came to defend moslem racism, islamofascism and political censorship.
The rebellion has just begun too. Now would be a really good time for certain liberal individuals to STFU, lest they be held to answer for their doings.
Is there a reason why my previous comment was not posted here Kate? I did get the message that my comment was pending your approval.
rabbit,
I’m waiting for the short form accusations of ‘speechism!’ and ‘speechist!’
So now it’s ok for me to ask lefties where THEY were during the Brockie case, when Bishop Henry was charged by the HRCs etc.?
We’re discussing libel, Shaidle. Do try to keep up.
McClelland – what part of “I am not in that photograph” do you not understand?
It looks like you. Besides, since when did the truth ever matter around here.
Curiousity peeked, I did some Googling for the story involved and finally found the blog in question.
The link that Google tossed back to me was from today and it mentions that Kate has talked about the story and provided a link to this post.
What was missing?
Hows about a link to the STORY!!! I’m sorry, but not only is the left side of the blogoshpere apparently an echo chamber, but by all appearances it ain’t very bright either……
THAT is what is really amazing.
Before putting much stock into that blather, may I suggest that anybody google the author Werner Patels. He has spawned countless blogs and been banned from most areas where open comments have been allowed.
Werner has some serious issues as his rather well documented internet history attests to. If he had some indications of a grasp on reality, I would take some of his postings seriously. So far however, he appears to be as out of touch with reality as he ever has been.
When the defenders of the attacks on free speech are of the caliber of Werner Patels, it shows how truly weak the case that the people supporting censorship of the internet really have.
Robert – “since when did truth ever matter around here?” Bullsh-t happens when you post it, Robert. It appears that truth isn’t that important on your blog either. If it were important you would correct the record – make a full retraction of your statement along with a sincere (now there’s a joke)apology to Kate for the uncalled for insult.
Robert, you’re like to kid that nobody likes always showing up for shinny, or baseball. When it comes time to pick teams you’re always chosen last. Maybe that’s why you have that “attitude” as a grown up (sorry, make that “adult”) – you’ve yet to grow up.
Mclelland and his ilk are no different from a previous era’s fellow travellers who suddenly became pro-war only after the Soviet Union was attacked.
Zorph wrote:
“Is there a reason why my previous comment was not posted here Kate? “
Too many links.
I’ll let you in on a secret. I don’t tend to read blogs that devote themselves primariy to slagging other bloggers – so that excludes 90% of the Canadian leftosphere, doesn’t it? There’s your real definition of “echo chamber”. You’re all very eager to throw the accusation at me, but you’ve never wondered why your readership levels are forming a scum line at the bottom of the tank?
Wouldn’t the logical approach be to ask me how to structure your surfing habits, in order to present something that keeps your readers coming back?
Here’s another secret – when you habitually trash up your commentary with the f-word and the c-word and the kkk-word and every other vile expletive, and when you permit the Ti-Guys of the blogosphere to smear feces all over your comments sections, I’m not linking to you.
And if there’s virtually no chance of linking to you, I’m not going to waste my time reading you. Besides, you all spend most of your time slagging bloggers.
That said, what’s wrong with the left? Why isn’t Mark’s war chest topped up to the six figures by now, if it received that much exposure? I mean, don’t any of you own wallets?? I know what my primarily conservative supporters contributed in the space of 48 hours, and without any major media coverage at all.
So where are Mark’s friends, Zorph? Why should he need help from his political adversaries?
“http://myblahg.com/?p=2327
Robert, you need to take care of that before you start posting about libel on anyone’s site. There is already one standing offer from a lawyer to represent her pro bono.”
HOLY SHIT Kate, you do keep EVERYTHING! Guess you weren’t kidding the other day when you said
“The Canadian left have provided me the fodder for a full time career as a plaintiff.”
Kathy Shaidle said if she sold enough books she could blog full time. In your case you could blog full time from the proceeds of lawsuits. WOW.
Horny Toad
AtlanticJim – This guy is suing anybody who links to the story. So that’s why you won’t find the original thing linked in a lot of places.
And McLelland, this story wasn’t even picked up on the big lefty blogs – it was just floating around with intolerant, gay-bashing, anti-semite bottom feeders like you.
HT – Robert was informed by me, in his own comments section, that I’m not in the photo.
The person he has to worry about is Carol’s campaign worker, who by now, has a pretty good case, I’d say.
… when you habitually trash up your commentary with the f-word …
I made the mistake of making a quick visit over there, and while I can swear with the best of ’em, a blog really comes across as childish when it’s peppered with f-bombs as Zorph’s is.
So where are Mark’s friends, Zorph? Why should he need help from his political adversaries?
Gee Kate, I didn’t think Freedom of Speech was left vs right issue here. Face Kate, if Mark, Michael Geist and Open Politics lose their cases, you are dead in the water, and that is a fact.
And I am sorry if you can’t be bothered to take an interest in the world outside your own site, but maybe you should start making the effort and then you will not caught off gaurd in the future.
Lastly, I even managed to find reference to this whole issue on your blog, you do read your blog I hope.
Anyone who has read Patels’ blog and still believes his obstuse claim to being ‘conservative’ can have first dibbs on my perpetual energy machine.
Conservatism ain’t skin deep.
Ridiculous Kate. As Robert said, you don’t leave your echo chamber? It was on the friggen National even. When THE INTERNET (Yahoo, Google, P2PNet, etc.) get SUED, you don’t notice? And one doesn’t exactly think first thing when they could get sued for just linking to something, that they ought to write left, right, and center about Mr. Crookes’ lawsuits.
Still, congratulations for noticing. Finally.
“Gee Kate, I didn’t think Freedom of Speech was left vs right issue here”
Well, that’s a point we’ve been trying to get across to the left on the larger issue of the so-called “human rights commissions” pursuit of speech, isn’t it? To little effect. So, yes – it appears it is a left-right issue, for you.
My question wasn’t about that though, was it? I asked if any of you had wallets. What were you waiting for? Mark’s post states he had so few donations that setting up the website again wasn’t worth it.
How much did he get from CC, do you suppose? McClelland? Murphy?
Would it buy him a burger?
Robert,
I believe Kate is indicating she’s big enough to take a blow below the belt from a junior flyweight like you without crying to the cops.
Now go get your shine box.
Wait, Zorpheous has a blog? It seems so! I just went there, and if Mark Francis was ever mentioned I’d have missed it.
Mark Francis got sued for linking to a guy who linked to a guy who had something “libelous” about some guy named Wayne Crookes, ex-Green Party member from BC? News to me.
So I google “Mark Francis” and get bupkis. Google “Mack Francis case”, nada. Finally google “Mark Francis lawsuit”, I get two (2) hits.
That’s some bigtime coverage, Zorph. You guys just never shut up about how free speech is being threatened in this country.
If I said “the process is the punishment” Zorpheroonie, would you give me an argument? I’m thinking probably yes.