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February 21, 2008
Vandalizing Blogs Is Not A Sport
Because of the continuing saga I partially described the other day, I did not even look at the internet from about Monday evening until an hour or so ago. So I missed the vandalism against Jim West's blog as it happened in real time. I was angry at the deletion of his posts, sad at his apparent resolve to "go out of print" and happy at his return: 14 post in one day!. And all those emotions within ten minute period.
What I want to say here has little to do with Jim and others who have been so vandalized and everything to do with a culture that all too often sees such vandalism as a sport. After all, they tell us, "No one was really harmed. It isn't like someone broke into his house and stolen his priced positions or did him bodily harm. All they did was delete a few files." Well no! What they did was destroy a public body of work. If this same vandal had "deleted" the archives of the New York Times just for sport or burnt down the Louvre just for the heck of it, the righteous outcry would have called him or her by his or her proper name: "criminal." Now I'm not comparing Jims posts with the New York Times archives or the treasures of the Louvre. But I am comparing the activity of whoever maliciously deleted Jim's posts with whoever might so vandalize any other public repository of human experience no matter how great or humble. (I'm also not accusing Jim of being either great of humble.)
As a culture, we cannot allow vandals to vandalize blogs with impunity. I believe that laws in this area need to be strengthened and enforced. At the very minimum, these vandals must know that they are vandals and not the fun loving "hackers" that we all too easily call them.
Posted by Duane Smith at February 21, 2008 7:35 PM | Read more on Current Events |
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Comments
Well done. This is so apt considering my own problems dealing with Language Hat's recent "defense of free speech" at the expense of logic and coherency.
A handful of trolls there are having a pointless "hate-on orgasm" against me (click here). The individuals known as Emerson and "Anonymous" are purposely lying about my blog to confuse readers. And to what end other than lunacy?
Meanwhile, the moderator feigns cluelessness as to how it could be that I may feel insulted when he himself publishes an obviously unconstructive comment like "The guy seems unbalanced and possibly mentally unstable". Really? I mean really? Passive condonement of a crime is just as bad as the crime itself.
So when you say "a culture that all too often sees such vandalism as a sport", your words ring loud and clear. In this environment, it's even more vital to maintain composure in defiance of madness.
Posted by: Glen Gordon at February 22, 2008 5:44 AM
Hey Duane: the internet is a reflection of our culture. Nasty, brutal, unreflective, brilliant, funny, occasionally relevant and very very pushy so, backup your work and defend yourselves. Complaining about vandalism might discourage a small fraction of the dullards but does nothing to really protect your stuff. Put on your pirate hats and prepare to repel boarders. Arrr matey attack the raging unwashed scum who would steal yer doubloons.
Posted by: charlie at February 22, 2008 2:09 PM
Might I urge you to update the link in your sidebar? I appreciate it. And you.
Posted by: Jim at February 24, 2008 11:46 AM
Done. Jim, thanks for reminding me.
Posted by: Duane at February 24, 2008 12:01 PM
Sorry, comments are closed for this post.
Send me an email if it is important.