On the one hand, and via Robb at Sharp as a Marble, an unkown-to-me conservative weblogger has been receiving threats for the past few years from a particularly unstable, violent, and vile individual, who has taken it upon herself to extend those threats to the weblogger’s child and mother.
What was Jeff’s (the weblogger in question) reaction? Well, you can read the entire, sordid timeline here, but suffice to say that numerous restraining orders and orders of protection have been filed, arrests have been executed (but invariably end up with the stalker being released on probation), contempt-of-court charges and preliminary injunctions have been filed, and countless other legal actions have been executed, but, unfortunately, the nutcase is still strolling the streets, free as a bird to libel, slander, threaten, and verbally assault her chosen victims. However, Jeff can safely say that he has documented the threats, brought them to the attention of the authorities, and done everything he is legally permitted to do.
On the other hand, Alan Baird claimed, and still claims, to have received not one, but two death threats in response to his vile and violent invective.
What did Alan do? Why, he deleted the posts, deleted the comments, deleted the threats, and made it all disappear.
I make no claims about being an infallible human polygraph, but, sometimes, it is fairly easy to tell when someone is just fabricating threats in order to receive sympathy for being a supposed victim, and when they are not… Oh, and it probably surprises no one, but Alan has not responded to my email – I sincerely doubt he has the integrity to do so.
The difference is between someone who knows and respects the law (even if he may not agree with it or be confident in it’s effectiveness), and someone who’s life is devoted to subverting the law.
Alan Baird has shown which side he is on by his words and actions. As that line from the most delightfully ridiculous movie “Knight’s Tale” goes, “You have been weighed, you have been measured, and you have been found wanting. In what world could you possibly beat me?”
Yeah, my bullshitometer pegged too.
@bluesun – Heh, only, in this case, it is the good guys coming up with that line first
.
It amuses me to no end that Alan would find the “death threat” so very concerning to the point of buying himself and his wife firearms (that they undoubtedly have no intentions of practicing with, planning with, or anything of the sort), but not concerning enough to alert the authorities. ‘Cause, y’know, that is what anyone would do in the face of an honest-to-God death threat… oh, wait, no, no it is not.
@Rau̡bjorn РSeems all-too convenient, does it not?
[...] when all else fails, blame someone elseLinoge on get your screw onLinoge on matched pairsLinoge on methinks i see a patternWeer'd Beard on easy button! *whack*Rustmeister on when all else fails, blame someone elseRauðbjorn [...]
[...] We have talked about this before, but it bears repeating as often as the opportunity presents itself. [...]