Anybody who has been unlucky enough to spend time wading through the comment threads at Bolt or Blair’s blogs know that their commenters (supporters and opponents) can say some pretty poisonous things. However, the uneven moderation policy at both sites tends to filter out a lot of comments that are roughly critical of the writers, on the grounds that they use abusive language or that the commenter is “trolling” (repeating themselves over and over.) The hypocrisy is stark given that the same abusive language and trolling behaviours are apparent in (published) supportive comments.
The best part about all of this is that Bolta has the nerve to link commenting at his blog to exercising free speech! Hands up if you’ve ever had a comment rejected at his blog. Hands up if it was nowhere near as poisonous as a published comment who agreed with the writer.
And it’s not just moderation with extreme prejudice at play here. Comments at Bolt’s (not sure about Blair’s) are routinely “snipped” if Mr Bolt becomes bored with reading them, and comments at Bolt’s have even been outright edited for content. In that particular case, when the commenter in question asked for an explanation he was labelled a “troll” and told to go away.
So it’s time for Pure Poison to use the combined resources of its readership to collect the most poisonous examples of comments at the blogs of Andrew Bolt and Tim Blair. Every month I’ll kick off a comment thread where you can cut-and-paste the poisonous comments you find (try to include a link where possible.) Remember that we’re looking for poisonous comments from commenters who agree and disagree with Bolt and Blair.
I’ll place a link to this post at the top of the sidebar so it’s easy to find once it sinks down the page.
Have at it!
26 Comments
How about dosing some poison Akerman’s way?
I agree re Akerman. I’ve been abused for politely querying some point he made ages ago, then moderated, then banned.
Great idea for a thread.
My familiarity, & contempt, with AkerBoltBlairBrechtsenahan stems from only being able to view news.com sites at work. This means I can fill in a few spare minutes by incredulously perusing the daily rantings of above RWDB crusaders. It makes me feel dirty but at the same time it gives a little window into the mental machinations of the conservative, self-indulged intelligentsia.
I have definitely been edited, abused, banned, ridiculed or dismissed on more than one occasion…contrast that with the regular choir of nodding dashboard ornaments that get posted unfettered by Bolt etc numerous times daily. Hmmmm, there is a pattern emerging.
To me, the biggest blow to Bolt’s (whom I’m most familiar with) credibility is the way he is quite happy to allow this sort of filtering to occur. His limpetlike ideological followers never disappoint with their entirely predictable & rabid denunciations & make a strong case in point against Bolt’s supposed adherence to “good manners” & civilised argument.
I’ll be watching this site with interest.
Even better, here’s a whole thread:
http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/couldnt_they_cheer_rudd_like_he_was_bush/#commentsmore
It was this thread that got me banned (as Uncle Bert/Uncle Bob/Uncle Blob etc) from Bolt, as I put in a comment basically calling him a traitorous C-Bomb, then used an inventive combination of ALL the bombs to tell him what I thought of him. Needless to say it didn’t get posted.
Isn’t this an attempt to get some unstable person to attempt to assassinate the elected PM of Australia? Isn’t this treason pure and simple? Why is this turd still walking the streets?
I get so sick with rage I can’t read the whole thread, but I’d draw your attention to the following comments just for starters (they are in physical appearance order not time order as some comments are on other “people’s” comments – using the word people extremely loosely indeed):
Lethal @ 19/12/08 12.58pm
Gordo @ 19/12/08 1.17pm
Peter of Mt Eliza @ 19/12/08 12.41pm
Marilyn of Albury @ 19/12/08 11.52am (plus attached comments for more “fun”)
Harry Buttle @ 19/12/08 4.32pm
Note the sub-human lump of filth posted this cheery thread SIX DAYS before Xmas!!!!!
Somebody over at Grods said the Federal Police check out Bolt’s blog. They certainly should be checking this out. And this isn’t the only example.
And by the way I’d say exactly the same things if a lefty was exhorting the assassination of a Liberal PM. This is treason in my view and ought to be dealt the way they used to deal with treason back in WW1. Sorry, I get so angry about this I’m now seeing double.
This one is a favourite of mine…Blair comments on Pope Benedict’s welcoming in from the cold the catholic cult led by the anti-semitic Bishop Richard Williamson as a sign of the Vatican’s decline.
Commentator ‘Aristocracy of Grunts’ goes on to say that Benedict is probably attempting to rescue the Catholic church from Islamic fundamentalism by…welcoming into the fold an avowed anti-semite!
Aristocracy of Grunts replied to C.L.
Tue 27 Jan 09 (08:27am)
“Hear hear, CL.
Pope Benedict sounds, if anything, as if he’s rescuing the Church from a wobbly phase, esp. in regard to the Presbyterian menace.
However, on Gaza he has publicly taken the “more dialogue”, “all sides must come together”, “room for all in the Holy Land” position of most naive head-tilters. It is unfortunate that Popes are obliged to pronounce on international relations, since this kind of twaddle is all they can be expected to produce.
Palestinians include a tiny minority of Catholics. Christians and their churches have been regular targets of bombings and other violence in the Paleo zones, including in 2006, after the Pope’s much-rioted-about remarks on Presbyterianism.”
Notice also the delightful reference to ALL Palestinians as ‘Paleo’s’…charming.
Pure Poison Guys,
Here is a story from Queensland you might like to follow up on:
Brisbane Times, 21 February 2009
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/queensland/hightech-highjinx-as-website-hijacked/2009/02/20/1234633046342.html
I have moderated a comment in this thread because it came from an anonymous Brazilian IP address and made a big deal about revealing regular Bolt commenters as being racist. No coincidence at all, I’m sure.
sm, the term “Paleostinians” is one that’s thrown around by the likes of commenters at blogs such as A Western Heart. In this read, for example, it is used by Elijah (RIP) and Nilk (whom Blair recently linked to in a post). Nilk also used the term when commenting at the Blair/Bolt Watch Project blog and when spruiking for a Daniel Pipes event on a charming site where many Blair commenters malinger.
Other terms used in reference to Palestine include “Pallywood”, which suggests that all video accounts of human suffering in Gaza and the West Bank are fiction.
Blair and Bolt don’t need to look far for examples of racism among their own readers. Of course, the collection of hateful conservative voices at blogs like A Western Heart and Tizona may all be sock puppets of the commies. Just because they’re paranoid doesn’t mean we aren’t after them.
Oh sorry, that was kinda off-topic (and that word “read” in the first link should be “thread”).
This one tops out February for me (so far, anyway: there’s still some of the month to find another knuckle-dragger as bad as Chris M):
“At the heart of the Atheist Left is everything Satan stands for – deception, lies, intolerance, violence, hatred, envy and even murder.
BTW no wonder they embrace Mohammadanism so keenly.
Chris M
Sun 15 Feb 09 (01:35pm) ”
There’s little else one might say to that, really, is there? That this should be published in a thread ostensibly highlighting the abusive comments of LeftyGreens is even more ironic.
I do not read any of their blogs.
Here’s a beaut from comments on Andy’s post on Cornelia Rau (Saturday):
It makes you wonder what was edited out of this one:
Andy’s angry accusation that he’s been the victim of a nasty left-wing conspiracy is your bog standard rage of Caliban on seeing his reflection in the mirror.
A nomination for comment of the month:
(Link here.)
That comment should’ve been deleted. It’s shite.
Notwithstanding your kneejerk demand for censorship, Scott Bridges, it certainly meets Pure Poison’s criteria for “Poison Comment of the Month,” and I hope you will give it due consideration.
“Roger of Scoresby” is rather a prolific commenter to Andrew Bolt’s blog, and I understand from your mission statement that you are desirous of giving credit where credit is due.
Here’s one for abject gay-bashing. A Leftist reader replying to a comment by Rightist Jay Santos on Andrew Bolt’s blog post here:
There are other Leftist bloggers who regularly call Jay “Gay,” obviously meaning it to be a put-down. That playground taunting demonstrates that many Leftists still think that there is something wrong and shameful about people being gay.
No wonder so many homosexuals on the Right say that it is easier to be gay amongst conservatives than conservative amongst gays.
Gecko, how is Ricky a leftist?
I am seriously curious as to why you banned my “Barking Gecko” login/user account.
Too close to home?
Silencing dissent?
What a bunch of pathetic wusses.
We have absolutely no control over your Crikey account, Gecko. If you’re having problems with it contact Crikey.
You are not moderated or banned from Pure Poison.
AND I have a screen shot of my latest comment under moderation on this post as “Barking Gecko II” (necessary name change, since you BANNED my original “Barking Gecko” ID).
Scratch a leftist, find a fascist. Every. single. time.
The first comment from every user account is moderated. Once the account’s first comment has been approved that user is free to comment without moderation.
Settle down, Gecko.
Scratch a Boltard, find a cliche.
“K.Rudd. Prime Minister of Australia. Rascist.
This is the main reason for bad feeling between Aboriginal and non Aboriginal Australians. One set of rules/laws for ‘’them’’, another set for ‘’us’’Integration means all should be treated the same.
therednek ”
Dontcha just love it! ‘Rascist’.
Presumably therednek would be happy to have his life expectancy reduced to 50 years. {Deleted inappropriate comment about “theredneck” — Scott}
In comments about Bolt’s post about Rudd’s racist Aboriginal health initiative, “Concerned Australian” of Melbourne, who claims to be an Aborigine, earns some spiteful responses. Among them:
Other commenters compare the government’s policies to Apartheid. No snipping.