Why I don’t like blacklisting

I’m not afraid of opposing views, why should anyone else be?

This has been said before, but I’ll say it again:

Too many people here use the blacklist option simply to silence the opposition. It’s just that simple, and it’s just that sad.
It seems that, if they meet up with someone they don’t like or who slams them particularly hard on some point or points or other, they will just slap a gag across that person’s mouth, silencing them by keeping them from posting on their articles.
I’ve noticed a strange thing, though; most of the blacklisters, or at least as I’ve noticed, are very often some of the most excessively loud advocates of liberal ideals and perspectives, and will often react as if burned with a hot poker when confronted with opposing ideas and/or points of view.
Yes, it’s quite often the liberals here, those staunch defenders of free speech and expression, often profusely reprimanding us conservatives for our repressive ways and our oppressive means, who employ the blacklist to deny their opponents the opportunity for unfettered expression and speech.
In this, they act like the worst Nazi Gestapo agent or Soviet or Chinese Commie bureaucrat; they mimic the most petty, egotistical, insignificant, mustachioed, mirrored-sunglassed, be-medalled, cheap-uniformed, tinpot banana republic dictator. (deep breath)
“We must speak and not be opposed in our views, as we know that our views are the correct ones!”, they seem to declare.
So, when some conservative once too often challenges their facts or figures, offering other facts and figures in refutation, off into Siberia they go, languishing in the blacklist gulag, unable to post on the blacklister‘s articles.

This is patently unfair. Now, there are some I’ve seen in my year on JU who have deserved blacklisting, and even probationary banning, but too often the blacklist is simply used by posters as a weapon instead of a punishment, as it should be.

I oppose blacklisting; if you don’t agree with me, that’s cool. I might think you’re a tree-hugging moron or some kinda Pencil Neck Geek (“Classy Freddy” Blassy, remember him?), but that’s your problem. I’ll accept any opposing views, and will answer them as best I can. Sometimes I can’t, and that’s okay, too. After all, “a man’s got to know his limitations.” (“Dirty” Harry Callahan--Magnum Force--1973)
Others here need to do the same, instead of simply killing the messenger.
6,515 views 32 replies
Reply #1 Top
I've blacklisted exactly two people. One was a "character" and one was a liberal. I've taken the real person off my blacklist already.

Blacklisting is a personal choice and our experience on JU is what we make of it. We have the option of molding it into what we find satisfying.

If you love debate, then sure, never blacklist. If you are sensitive and get your feelings hurt easily, go ahead, blacklist abrasive JUs.

If I detest someone's attitude I won't hesitate to blacklist them. Why should I allow them to crap all over my day?

As far as frequent blacklisters most often being liberal, I'm not sure how you could possibly know this. You know who has blacklisted YOU. That's all you know.
Reply #2 Top
See, lil' whip? I'm, avoiding plagarism by crediting the originators of those quotes! It's not that hard, is it?
Reply #3 Top
As far as frequent blacklisters most often being liberal, I'm not sure how you could possibly know this.


I admit that this is just a personal observation, and that I really do not "KNOW" this for a fact, but I have noticed that some the lefties on here seem to be the most "sensitive" to attack, which makes them the most likely, to my mind, at least, to employ the blacklist.

(in case you hadn't picked up on it, Tex, this is aimed at one particular person, but, if someone else reads it and it applies to them, then great)
Reply #4 Top
I black list people all the time.  I don't care if people comment on my articles and if they say things I feel are obnoxious or unwanted then I make them go away.
Reply #5 Top
Why should I allow them to crap all over my day?
--TexW

Because they have the right to be complete jerks and do the crapping. If you're going to put something out there, you should accept that not everyone is going to accept it.
Reply #6 Top
I black list people all the time. I don't care if people comment on my articles and if they say things I feel are obnoxious or unwanted then I make them go away.
---Draginol

Because they have the right to be complete jerks and do the crapping. If you're going to put something out there, you should accept that not everyone is going to accept it.
---Rightwinger

Although, since it's your site, you have the right more than anyone else does to decide what is and isn't worthy of posting. Still, they do have a right to be heard, no matter what.
Reply #7 Top
I too have been at JU a year, and in that time blacklisted one man for his "dirty little insinuation" ( a sexual inuendo)
another for ragging on other Ju posters, ( I won't have people spewing their venom in my home or on my blog)
and one for profanity. I won't have people in my home that have gutter mouths so don't want it where I keep a log of my
life ( boring as it might be to some).
I sure wouldn't blacklist someone because I don't agree with them, only if they have to resort to swearing, name-calling,
and in general behaving in an offensive matter instead of intelligently stating their position on any given issue.
And that's all I have to say on that.
Trudy
Reply #8 Top
Because they have the right to be complete jerks and do the crapping. If you're going to put something out there, you should accept that not everyone is going to accept it.


They have the right to say what they want. No one stops them from going out in their front yard and saying what they want or writing a book or a blog or an email or shouting it from a mountaintop.

This really isn't about rights. No one's rights are infringed by blacklisting. No one is silenced. They still have the ability to say what they want, albeit on their own blog or the blogs of others who have not blacklisted them.

I wouldn't let someone come into my home and insult me over and over again. Why would I let someone come onto my blog and do the same thing?

Why should any of us suffer the presence of an abusive person?
Reply #9 Top

I blacklisted one person, since banned.  Not because I disagreed with him (I did), but because he was a one trick pony and it did not matter what the subject was, he tried to turn it into his goosestepping nazi loving smugfest.

I threatened others, only recently due to a thread that I dont care to get involved with.  The warring parties did listen to my desire and stopped their bickering on that issue on my blog.  No futher action was necessary.

Reply #10 Top
Why should any of us suffer the presence of an abusive person?


As I said, some people really do deserve it....if they're being deliberately stupid just to be an ass, or terribly abusive in one way or another, sure....but I know that some people hereabouts do sometimes seem to blacklist in order to keep some people away.
Them and their annoying way of always opposing them with better arguments or more pertinent facts. It happens.
If they deserve it, sure...banish'em, by all means. But they shouldn't be banned just because you don't like their ideas and the presentation of such.
Reply #11 Top
it did not matter what the subject was, he tried to turn it into his goosestepping nazi loving smugfest.


Hmmmm....gee, wonder who that might have been?
Reply #12 Top
Other than the middle of the second paragraph, good article.
Reply #13 Top
Other than the middle of the second paragraph, good article.
--Philo

Thanks....tried to make it a little lighter in tone, but I guess I failed, huh?
Reply #14 Top

Hmmmm....gee, wonder who that might have been?

Sounds like (tugging ear) Mickey Mouse.

Reply #15 Top
I blacklisted Karma once... we tend to get on each other's nerves. And Brad's, on occasion... lol...

Dan
Reply #16 Top
"Although, since it's your site, you have the right more than anyone else does to decide what is and isn't worthy of posting. Still, they do have a right to be heard, no matter what."


They can be heard. Unless they are banned from the site completely, they can post what they like on their own blog. When I eject someone from my living room, I am not limiting their ability to express themselves, I have just excercised my right to decide how people should behave under my roof.

I think I know who you are talking about with this article, and I agree that it is childish. If it is who I think it is, she has me blacklisted as well. Still, I have to support her right to say who can and can't post on her blog. That right also prevents her from telling ME what I have to allow, and that is well worth it.
Reply #17 Top

When I eject someone from my living room, I am not limiting their ability to express themselves, I have just excercised my right to decide how people should behave under my roof.

Exactly!

Reply #18 Top
my blacklist is again at zero as MM the peacemaker tries again.
Reply #19 Top
If it is who I think it is, she has me blacklisted as well.
---Baker

It probably is, and that fact doesn't surprise me one bit.

Still, I have to support her right to say who can and can't post on her blog
---Baker


But what I'm saying is....we're not having these people over for a polite brunch of tea and crumpets; we're posting articles that reflect our beliefs and ideas, and there are people out there who won't agree with them, sometimes vehemently. These people have a right to voice their opinions on your thread, within the bounds of decorum, of course.
Reply #20 Top
nah, there are people that disagree with me on 99% of what I say, and basically think my ethos is a threat to the world, and yet I look forward to them posting. I link most of them on my page.

On the other hand, not when wastes of skin wander on to every other blog and say "Bush is an A**H*LE" whether the subject touches on politics or Bush or not, though. I have written blogs that barely touched on politics and had them come on and paste their usual paragraph in from wherever they are issued their propaganda.

No, quite frankly, no one has the right to voice their opinions on my thread. They have the priviledge. Just like being on JU at all. So far, only about two people have permanently lost that right in the years that I have been here. Not bad, considering the dangerously fluctuating ass levels around here.
Reply #21 Top
No, quite frankly, no one has the right to voice their opinions on my thread


No, I have to disagree with you here, Holmes....if you're going to voice opinions, you should be ready to hear it, and defend it as best you can, from the opposition. Especially when dealing with politics and social issues.
Reply #22 Top
More invention of rights . I get tired of the "everything that is not expressly forbidden is a right" junk. People are rights nuts in the US, and few people understand them.

No one has the right to post on my blog but me. That's why I have a blacklist button, and that's why I can close it to comments altogether. You can make up some sort of moral value that says people SHOULD be able to post on my blog, but you can't impose it, and it is silly to pretend your values are universal.

Evidently, Brad and the architects at JU didn't believe posting on other people's blogs was a right, or they wouldn't have given us the tools to deny them the ability. Rights are spelled out. Your right to free speech can't be hampered by the government. No where in the Constitution does it say you have the right to impose your views in a privately-managed venue.

If that were so, anyone who gave a public speech would be legally bound to sit and listen to anyone who wanted to offer retort. Instead, we can say "No more questions" and walk off. Even better, we can decide who to take questions from.
Reply #23 Top
Fine, fine....do as you want. I'm not going to argue anymore with you; neither one of us is going to convince the other, anyway. If you come to my thread, though, you can be certain to have your full say, as no matter what. Well, as long as you don't get too foulmouthed or blockheaded.
Reply #24 Top
Freedom of Speech is a guarantee in the consitution, however one can't go around yelling fire in a theater. One can peacefully protest and bring about a peacefull parade, as long as you get the proper permissions from the local government and the agreements and paperwork. In Joe User you're dealing with instead of the public you're dealing with indivisuals and some will be easy going and say, free to disagree go ahead and post, some will be more close minded and only amicable towards their own opinion.
Reply #25 Top
mgosh: we are guarenteed that the government can't stifle our speech by the constitution. We have no rights whatsoever when dealing with one another. If a network TV program wants to censor someone, they can, and do all the time.