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Presenting lack of proper moderation as if it's a virtue that protects free speech, when actually it just drives out anyone who doesn't wanna be surrounded by the most toxic hateful abusive people.

— FuchsiaShock 🏳️‍⚧️ (@ThatSabineGirl) January 27, 2022

OK, I got that off my chest. What’s on your mind today?

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 8:36 am

Comments

I am sitting in my dining room looking out the window at the snow coming down. I remember a time when I had gone to church with a man I was interested in. As we were speaking to the priest on our way out the door opened to a day somewhat like this one. I yelled “Holy (not)Moly! Look at it snow! Lets get out of here!”

I suppose it’s not really necessary to say that relationship withered on the vine.

Comment by Cheryl44 Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 8:45 am
I can’t complain about the mild winters in southern Illinois, but I still hate winter like poison.

Comment by Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 8:50 am
I love winter & “amen* to the post concerning proper moderation.

Comment by Lt Guv Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 8:54 am
Can I vote for the Dead Kennedys playing us out today?

Comment by people caring loudly Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 8:58 am
Could not agree more. Those who don’t like the rules could open their own media outlet and spout to their hearts content. Curb Your Enthusiasm did an entire season on that sort of thing, the “spite store.” Rich said once to go scream in a park if we feel rabid. Can envision a Monty Python type bit where someone actually does it and starts ranting in a park. They used to do that at Bughouse Square in Chicago, and audiences used to watch.

Comment by Grandson of Man Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 9:05 am
By my count, this is our 5th snow fall this winter in CU. Total accumulation is still under one inch.

Comment by Pius Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 9:08 am
It is highly cool seeing bald eagles soar around downtown Elgin. I saw some 5-6 yesterday near the dam on Kimble St.

Supposed to be more by Carpentersville dam. I’ll find out tomorrow

Comment by Fav Human Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 9:10 am
A great many ideas since “alternative facts” became a thing and folks decided that their alternative facts need sunshine, be it here on your blog, Rich, or other outlets, or social media in of itself as as an outlet, there’s this feeling that “censorship” exists because “my facts aren’t being seen”, and I’m not discussing this blog, or Rich, but when others are angered by any platform that has no time for ridiculousness.

I’m grateful for a well-run ,moderated place, and this blog is for sure one, and it moves the discussions.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 9:10 am
Right. The other excuse is that they’re “questioning authority.” If that’s true, it’s clearly an adolescent mindset, arrested development. An adult should be able to distinguish legitimate authority.

Speaking of grass bowls, I just finished reading about the Calumet City mayor’s unveiling of his $35,000 forensic audit against the city clerk (Ted Slowinski’s column). It brought to mind the old saying about when you put a clown in the palace, the clown doesn’t become king, but rather the palace becomes a circus.

Comment by yinn Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 9:12 am
The ruling in the DeVore case. Pins and needles.

Comment by H-W Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 9:13 am
Read an article about an Iowa physician (I’m using that term very loosely) who is doing COVID treatments on what could be termed a “subscription” basis and staging “jailbreaks” from hospitals for COVID patients. She touts herself and others like her as “critical thinkers” and everyone else as basically sheep… although she used other tropes that I will not repeat. From the article- “‘What they’re doing is eliminating all critical thinkers from the hospitals, from the police force and from the military,’ she said. ‘And so what you are going to be left with is people who just follow the rules or follow policy.’”

So… pseudo-anarchy is now equated to critical thinking???

Comment by Anon221 Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 9:26 am
Moderation is a good thing.
In moderation.

Comment by Bruce( no not him) Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 9:27 am
This blog is essentially Rich’s building. Maybe it’s not his living room or something, but it’s his property, and (outside of protected classes) he can set whatever rules he wants for us to hang out here.

Same goes for Twitter, FB, etc. They’re not “the public square”, they’re private businesses (and, btw, *We are the product* in those businesses). They don’t owe us carte blanche free speech.

Comment by Arsenal Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 9:27 am
We’ve reached a point in our society where someone can make many thousands of dollars a month posting videos of them advancing and discussing conspiracy theories and all manner of nonsense, like the “flat earth movement.”

I think it has always been the case that a person can make money by spreading false information, but platforms like YouTube have made the monetization of that process incredibly easy. At some point I think we need to create a process that holds the platform accountable for the content it monetizes and the content that it promotes through algorithms because those are intentional choices by the platform to reward and spread misinformation. Though part of the problem is there are dozens of members of congress whose brand is this misinformation and they rely on it and support it and use it to help bolster their own support.

If we rely on the better angles of our nature, we should ask ourselves what if they never come?

Comment by Candy Dogood Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 9:27 am
Just saw a picture of the West Virginia governor addressing the state legislature while holding up his dog’s butt and telling his critics to kiss it.

Wonder why Rod never thought of that.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 9:29 am
===Wonder why Rod never thought of that. ===

I don’t think he had a dog.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 9:30 am
=and the content that it promotes through algorithms because those are intentional choices by the platform=

Here, here. Very well argued.

Comment by H-W Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 9:31 am
After the week I have had, I would vote for “it’s 5 o’clock somewhere”.

Comment by Huh? Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 9:37 am
Thank you Rich for your moderation. (not snark)

Comment by Skeptic Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 9:39 am
To paraphrase Truman, “Rod couldn’t even find a dog to be his friend”

Comment by Columbo Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 9:40 am
Certainly is a noble goal but sometimes the toxic, ad hominem attacks (because they choose not to address the substance of the post) against the few commenters who dare challenge the establishment gets by the moderator.

Comment by Lucky Pierre Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 9:42 am
Cue the Pittsburgh bridge collapse conspiracy theorists in 3…2…1…

Comment by Dance Band on the Titanic Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 9:56 am
===who dare challenge the establishment===

The victimhood? C’mon, bud.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 9:57 am
Can someone explain the term “Extensive juvenile probation” to me?. Was this 16-year old supposed to report monthly to anyone, as I heard he was turned over to his mother and warned.

Comment by City remap Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 9:58 am
“Extensive juvenile probation”

Double secret probation??

Comment by ddp76 Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 10:04 am
Tired of winter.

I tune out most news, except this site, which I think is a reliable source. And I just read a few posts here. Makes my life less stressful to tune out most news. I scan headlines so I am not caught off guard, though.

I hope everyone has a good weekend.

Comment by Dog Lover Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 10:06 am
Agreed. I think we all understand that ultimately this is Rich’s site to moderate and keep out “dangerous” positions as he sees fit, but there is definitely a different standard applied for what type of personal attack gets you in trouble.

Accusing those of us who oppose mask or vaccine mandates that we are selfish or we “don’t care about our community” when there are many reasons to oppose mandates has been permitted, but hypothetically categorizing (I do not believe this) that those who support the masking of 2-year olds “do not care about children” would be immediate grounds for removal.

Not trying to rehash those arguments but pointing out that there sometimes appears to be a different standard being applied for what is crossing the line as far as personal attacks and assigning motives to people.

Comment by GoBullz Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 10:12 am
Is Mercury in retrograde or something?

Comment by LakeCo Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 10:14 am
==Just saw a picture of the West Virginia governor addressing the state legislature while holding up his dog’s butt and telling his critics to kiss it.

Wonder why Rod never thought of that.==

I’m actually surprised Rod didn’t stoop low enough to pull a “Forrest Gump meets LBJ” moment during a press conference and tell the reporters to kiss his you-know-what, with his back turned to the audience. Unless that was bound to happen had he been not been removed from office, considering how crazier he was getting at the time of his arrest and afterwards?

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 10:16 am
=== the few commenters who dare challenge the establishment===

Not all of us are being compensated to post propaganda and talking points here. I resent the people who come here to that regularly. If you can’t handle the blow back, find another place to comment or find a better job.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 10:16 am
= “Extensive juvenile probation” =

The correct term is “intensive probation supervision”, and is used in both adult and juvenile probation departments. It involves more restrictions and supervision than regular probation, additional counseling, drug testing, etc.

Comment by JoanP Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 10:17 am
===Accusing those of us who oppose mask or vaccine mandates that we are selfish===

Aren’t these the same folks who tout “freedom” and ‘Merica… and liberty.

Those seem to be selfish in an overall idea of, what is it, “promote the general welfare”?

Those seem to be in conflict if one believes they are not selfish.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 10:20 am
==but sometimes the toxic, ad hominem attacks (because they choose not to address the substance of the post) against the few commenters who dare challenge the establishment gets by the moderator==

And sometimes the people who insist that they’re nothing more than brave truth-tellers are actually making toxic ad hominem attacks and engaging in bad faith arguments. So, before you insinuate that there’s a double standard, make absolutely sure you know who is who.

Comment by Arsenal Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 10:48 am
==but hypothetically categorizing==

So this has not happened? We’re not complaining about an actual double standard, just one we think would happen?

Comment by Arsenal Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 10:49 am
This blog’s moderation queue must be a spectacle. Thank you, Rich.

To the post: We are parents concerned today about what might come out of a Sangamon County courtroom. We are anxious for our family to return to as much normal as possible, but these Parler games and resistance to simple, pragmatic safety measures that keep our kids out of the hospital and away from long-term illness make that increasingly less likely. Our eldest had a breakdown this week. They are vaccinated, but their younger sibling is not yet eligible. What do you tell a child who has been so patient and so willing to consider her family and classmates safety when that is not reciprocated?

= OK, I got that off my chest. =

tgif

Comment by Dirty Red Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 10:51 am
@yinn ==It brought to mind the old saying about when you put a clown in the palace, the clown doesn’t become king, but rather the palace becomes a circus.==

I’ve never heard this phrase before, but I love it and I’m stealing it.

Comment by Homebody Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 10:58 am
===She touts herself and others like her as “critical thinkers” and everyone else as basically sheep===

Imagine how egotistical someone must be to believe that some 75% of humanity are mindless followers.

===What do you tell a child who has been so patient and so willing to consider her family and classmates safety when that is not reciprocated?===

This is one of the truly frustrating parts of the pandemic for parents. If you find out, let me know. Not just for my kid, but for me too.

Comment by thechampaignlife Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 11:22 am
24 hours and nobody has opined on the new Bears coach.
I guess we’ve already seen this show too many times.

Comment by Proud Papa Bear Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 12:01 pm
“It is highly cool seeing bald eagles soar around downtown Elgin”

Ditto for St. Charles. There is a pair hanging out in Pottawatomie Park.

Comment by Proud Sucker Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 12:19 pm
==24 hours and nobody has opined on the new Bears coach.==
Allow me to be first.
Got to admit, I’ve never heard of him. Maybe that’s good? Or maybe not?
I’ll withhold judgement till at least after the first game. Maybe.

Comment by Bruce( no not him) Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 1:10 pm
Bears: It’s difficult to get excited knowing how many coaches have come and gone with the same basic results.
Social media: Youtube comments are bad enough; I reported people who threatened me for daring to prove false their conspiracy theories. The person or company running said sites/blogs have every legal right to remove or review content, but if they hold themselves as conduits of the exchange of ideas, they need to keep their personal and corporate positions on a short leash, lest they ban or remove “objectionable content” that turns out to be totally legal and factual. (Rich, I am not saying anything bad about you or CFB on this issue, and think you do a good job on moderating)
YT has gone this way, once suspending me and sending such a vague notice that I had no idea what I was actually accused of doing. I appealed and pointed out that if they can’t tell me what I did wrong or how I violated the TOS, the appeal was actually a useless formality. A few days later I was reinstated with no explanation. Hate to think what would happen if I actually broke the rules…

Comment by thisjustinagain Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 1:32 pm
Waiting and watching on Bears but have seen this “touting” of early accomplishment before when elevating coaches and GMs into roles they’ve never had.

How about Demarr though. First Bulls starter on All Star team since D Rose I think? Don’t think Butler ever made starter until he got to the Heat. That’s a long drought for a franchise that had MJ.

Comment by Frank talks Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 2:57 pm
==24 hours and nobody has opined on the new Bears coach.==

Anyone care to predict the day that the Bears will fire their new coach?

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 2:58 pm
I love Bette Midler.

Comment by Dotnonymous Friday, Jan 28, 22 @ 4:12 pm

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