Matt attempts to build the argument that LGF's blogger, Charles Johnson, is racist. His proofs for this claim are:
- Anti-Arab and Anti-Arab comments have been posted in response to some LGF posts
- LGF subsequently posted a disclaimer notifying AOL users that they are blocked from leaving comments because some extremely nasty Anti-Semitic comments have come from AOL users.
- LGF put in a comment filter which changes racist terms such as "rag-head" to Arab, but there are still ways around the filter
- LGF displays an Anti-Arab/Anti-Muslim tone in some of his posts
For all I know, Charles and LGF may be racist, or he may just be expressing the extreme side of his opinions, or even stirring the waters to get more hits on LGF. But Matt, if you are going to frame your argument, you need to make a stronger case.
I respect your view, however, my conclusion is based on the fact that, according to Charles Johnson, slurs towards Jews/Israelis are bad (which I agree, and I'd delete and ban them as well).
However, I ask why he does not do the same thing for anti-Arab/anti-Muslim comments.
He says that they are so few. If that were true (though if you just read any post relating to Arabs and Muslims, you will see they are far and few between), why doesn't he delete them?
I uncovered a few posts where he exhibits his hateful disdain for Arabs (which I consider racist).
His "criticism" of Islam is hate speech thinly veiled as "criticism." I don't buy it.
But thanks for your thoughts.
Posted by: Matt O. | April 11, 2006 5:09 PM | Permalink to Comment