The Lonely Goatherd Blog And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats - Matthew 25:32
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All original content on MoreThings.com copyright 2008 Albert Barger or the respective authors
August 28, 2003
Our happy hate crimes :) I know it's not very sensitive to mock someone who is obviously psychologically disturbed. However, if you insist on publicly calling me a "stupid bigot" who would actually support the institution of black slavery in modern America- well, really, you're asking to be made sport with, aren't you?
Mac Diva, now a former Blogcritic, went ballistic repeatedly in the comments section of my column "Colorless Friends." After several orgasmic gushes of racial invective, she announced her resignation from Blogcritics.
Today, she added to that by notifying us that she intends to write a letter to Amazon about our evil racist website, noting four specific examples of our awful bigotry. I'm proud to note that they are all Al Barger columns- two of which are from my personal website and are not even at Blogcritics.
The intent would be to convince Amazon's management that my writing is so heinously offensive that they would want to drop our routine Blogcritics commission deal with Amazon that helps to pay the basic costs of the site.
That's pretty spiteful of her. Still, I do like the attention. Let me return the attention by addressing to Mac Diva personally some follow-up comments on the specific columns of mine to which offense was taken.
Ms Diva- Thanks for the plugs for my writing [comment #49], but I'm a little confused by your choices.
You seem to think that I'm commiting some hate crime for not even expressing an opinion, but simply stating the FACT that the Emancipation Proclamation didn't free any slaves. If you like, I can post this to Blogcritics for your public critique. Indeed, I think I will.
You apparently think I commited another hate crime by expressing the opinion that the federal government was wrong to murder members of Randy Weaver's family over a trumped up weapons charge based on entrapment. I have no idea how you could possibly twist this into some charge of hatred on MY part. Hey, it wasn't ME that was murdering women and children.
Granted, Mr. Weaver has been reputed to have had some negative attitudes about some ethnic groups. However, he was living up in the mountains doing no one any harm; he voluntarily put himself on time-out from society. Am I commiting a hate crime for expressing the opinion that it's wrong for the government to murder the families of anyone suspected to hold low opinions of ethnic minorities?
Finally, thanks for plugging the "Chuck D is a signifying monkey" column. I'm particularly proud of that one. Unlike the other two examples, this does at least involves me criticizing a person of color. However, I don't see how you can really accuse ME of "racism" for the crime of calling out a racial demagogue like Chuck D. [In fairness, he has toned down his rhetoric a bit in recent years, with some comments that mitigate his infamous disrespectful statements about Elvis Presley in particular.]
Again, thanks for the plugs Ms Diva. Sorry you feel the need to leave. Don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya.
Now, if a business partner got concerned and came to Blogcritics looking for hostile racist talk, they could find some. Ms Diva's examples were silly, but look at all the wicked things she said about me in the "Colorless Friends" comments. There are other places with similarly hateful language directed against me. They could also specifically look through the comments directed toward me under the "22 Greatest MCs" column after I expressed a low opinion of Tupac Shakur. Being an incestuous Klansman was perhaps the least offensive thing I was accused of there. Yeah, they called me everything but a white man... No, wait, that's exactly what they were calling me. Oh, that's just the worst.
OK, well maybe I egged them on just a wee bit in that last thread, so I won't bitch about that TOO much. Note also that there were black folk in that thread calling out the main dumbass kid who was saying most of the worst stuff.
Also, I recognize that I am sometimes purposely pushing people's buttons a bit. Perhaps once in a while I may legitimately get flagged for unnecessary roughness on the field. Just ask that dirty no good commie sonofabitch Brian Flemming. [Hugs and kisses, Brian :)]
It's all good, though. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.
Still, I am a victim in all this. I am VERY angry, and my feelings are hurt. Yes, yes they are.
Therefore, I deserve a LOT of sympathy. Also, you all must hereafter agree with anything that I say, or you are an insensitive bigot to be censured and scorned in decent society.
Now show me some pity for my victimhood, or I will cry. Or throw a tantrum, depending on my mood, and which way I think will get me the most advantage.
PS This column turned into quite an interesting little group therapy session over at Blogcritics. Feel free to JOIN IN.