Banned 451

this will be a short one.

just to let everyone here know peacekitten has been banned from huffington post without so much as a warning or a cautionary email.  all i got was a lousy lightning bolt.

of course i am but one tiny fish in a pond that is filled with undeservedly banned posters.  but what begins to happen when this sort of practice is accepted without a fight is the chilling of free speech.  who is going to be willing to speak their mind, only to be silenced or punished in a childish manner?    soon, the cumulative effect is that our right to speak freely without fear of recrimination is taken without so much as a whimper, and our own mindset changes so subtly over time that we don’t even realize we are now a faceless part of the crowd.

trying to excuse it because it is a “private” website is not good enough.  it’s apologizing for hypocrisy, because it means that such a place is not willing to honor and stand for one of our most basic rights.  such a place has no right to try and garner the benefits of the public, only to hide behind their privacy when they are too scared to do the right thing.

such things are really much more complex than simply shrugging one’s shoulders, ignoring it and moving on.  eventually, those of us who will NOT conform will end up like the people at the end of “fahrenheit 451,”  who have to essentially become the books they are no longer allowed to read by walking around reciting them from memory.

free speech.  you either believe in it or you don’t.

it is really just that simple.

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Kev
Member
Kev

Greetings from northern Iowa, crappy weather capital of the world! My HuffPo ID is KBinIA, but that site is getting very old, very fast. I haven’t been banned yet, but my comments are often ending up in the black hole of ‘pending’. If I wanted to be told what to say or what tone to use when I say it, I’d just talk to my wife! 🙂 Oh, well.

Peacekitten, I enjoyed your posts on that other site and wish I had fanned you when I had the chance. Best wishes, Kev

javaz
Member

Hi Kev and welcome to Planet POV!
This is the site of the free, the brave and the crazy!
No pending, no scrubbing and civil debate along with some wackiness tossed in!
Glad to see you here!

KevenSeven
Member

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeellll.

Sometimes heated debate.

bito
Member

Kev, A warm welcome from the Planet POV. A civil home for all!

KQµårk 死神
Member

Welcome aboard!

escribacat
Member

Welcome to the planet, kev.

KevenSeven
Member

Welcome aboard.

AdLib
Admin

Q: What is the difference between The National Enquirer and The Huffington Post?

A: One traffics in suspect and sensationalist stories, celebrity news and gossip to profit from exploitating its readers and the other…ah hell, I can’t tell the difference!

What are the most popular stories on HuffPo as of right now? Here’s the list from their front page:

===========================

Most Popular on HuffingtonPost

Pirelli’s 2010 Calendar PHOTOS: Topless, Muddy Nudity, And SO…
425 Comments

Katie Couric Dancing: Party Pics Of Anchor Letting Loose…
988 Comments

Adam Lambert FALLS At AMAs, Simulates Sex, Kisses Band…
1,563 Comments

Kate Hudson’s Near NSFW Slip At AMAs (PHOTOS)
510 Comments

Palin 2012: SNL Gives Viewers A Glimpse Of Horrifying…
3,127 Comments

Palin Supporters Struggle To Explain Why They Support Palin…
8,273 Comments

Michelle Obama Pictures UPDATE: Offensive Image REMOVED, Google ‘SORRY’…
2,821 Comments

JLo FALLS At The AMAs (VIDEO)
426 Comments

==============================

Now, you tell me the difference…

PatsyT
Member

You overlooked the one about Palin, nude, falling at the AMA’s

javaz
Member

AH must be slipping to have missed this goody :

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/11/25/palin-canadian-health-care/

“” WALSH: Ms. Palin, I tried to ask you a question inside, but I didn

nellie
Member

So we’re going from Compassionate Conservatism — which had no element of compassion in it whatsoever — to Common Sense Conservatism led by… well, the standard bearer of irrational (not to mention incoherent) hysteria and nonsense.

Gotta hand it to the GOP. At least they’re running true to form.

javaz
Member

Here’s another one ;

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/11/25/report-gop-purity/

“At Least 40 GOP Lawmakers Fail A Principle Of The Purity Test”

Republicans – Gotta love ’em!

bito
Member

javaz, “Think Progress” is one of my first sites I go to in the morn. Their sourcing is really good, it takes me all over the progressive sites.
It is too bad about the Palin book tour, it is overshadowing all her in depth op-eds and position papers on HC, foreign policy, climate change,etc. Ya know those presidentialy thingys. 😉

javaz
Member

LOL!

She’s just so darn mavericky!

We need a happy go-lightly article about something fun for Thanksgiving, but I’m having a hard time with that.
Are you interested and maybe if Nicole is here, we could meet in the author’s corner and discuss something fun?

bito
Member

Food mishaps at Thanksgiving? just a thought.

Mogamboguru
Member

Relax.

If PlanetPOV would sum up each and every post of mine which ever got scrubbed at the HufingtonBitch, you could lay back and read literally TENS OF THOUSANDS of insightful, intelligent, charming, funny, spitefull, serious, on-the-spot posts of mine, which would last perhaps a year to read.

And I am NOT imposing.

Just today, Huffy, AGAIN scrubbed two of my long, serious, honest and decent postings for no reason whatsoever.

If the Devil himself got to read all the postings which have ever been scrubbed at the HuffingtonBitch, he must be the best-entertained, best-informed and loudest-laughing being in this Universe – even surpassing God.

AdLib
Admin

Bring your long, serious, honest and decent posts here, Mo, they won’t be treated like that here.

BTW, you can always link to them at HuffPo and if they wipe that link, just put it up again.

FeedUp
Guest

Peace Kitten welcome, you are now in better company that want you here. Your piece you wrote brought tears to my eyes.

When I was seventeen my family moved from the Chicago suburbs to
Florida. I could not believe the Klansman there, my family had
been republicans but my Dad never discussed politics or cared much about it after he saw first hand the disgrace of discrimination.

Your parents were very wise. So sad 35 – 40 years after Civil Rights we are still stuck in this time warp.

You will love Planet Pov, I have been here since August 09 and the
site has evolved greatly.

BTW – my husband and I just moved from Florida to Texas (for job reasons)

SeeknDestroy
Member
SeeknDestroy

Hello FeedUp…
Nice to meet you.
How do you like Texas?
~Seek~

FeedUp
Guest

SeeknDestroy,

So far so good, everyone has been very nice. But, for the time being I am keeping my politics under my hat and not being public about it. Yet………….

Nice to meet you too.

AlphaBitch
Member
AlphaBitch

Mind sharing where you live? I’ve got a good handle on the state. Dallas – ultra right wing. Ft. Worth – more mixed (they published Molly Ivins in THEIR paper). Austin -no problem. San Antonio – conservative in some parts, liberal in others. West Texas and East Texas – WAY conservative.

At least that’s my take…..

And FYI: I also call Houston “part of Lousiana” which I now feel bad about, since they were hit so hard by Katrina…..

Maybe we should do local Planet meet ups sometime?

FeedUp
Guest

Dear AB,

Just arrived in TX on 11/14, we are in Temple. And like I told
SeeknDestroy everyone has been exceptionally nice.

My husband got a fantastic job offer from a leading company in the area.

I still can’t get over it, our apt. complex has Maple trees (leaves are turning brown and yellow) and palm trees. Seeing a bit of change of seasons is nice.

My husband has a sister and her family in San Antonio, been a republican all her life. But, she has admitted that GWB turned out to be a disappointment. She has two grandsons that can’t find any work after being in the Navy. So, she won’t say it but she is a bit bitter.

We are looking forward to exploring the state, any input would be appreciated.

Have a Great Thanksgiving.

PlanetPov meet up sounds like fun.

AlphaBitch
Member
AlphaBitch

Hey there Feed Up! I knew Temple primarily as a thru=way from Ft. Worth to Austin. It IS a VERY conservative area – near Waco (or as some liberals call it, Whacko). But it’s prettier than people expect from Texas.

I’m so happy for you and your husband! Cost of living is probably less, too. So it will leave you time to travel.

San Antonio is decorated for Christmas – come see the lights. It is a colorful town, and I love it dearly. Trinity University is here, near my home,and we attend AMAZING lectures for free – Queen Noor, Pervez Musharref, etc.

The prettiest parts of the state- in my opinion – are HuntTX (especially Mo Ranch, which is a Presbyterian Camp, open to the public, and without any religious overtones – you can go to bird watch, swim, hang out) and Big Bend (including Marathon, Ft. Davis, Balmorhea). Depends on what you like to do.

If you ever get to San Antonio, and want to meet, send me your email (or have AdLib forward it to me, if you request) and we’ll connect.

Write when you feel the need to vent – I see my state with open eyes, and don’t take offense at criticism. How could I, with George Bush, Dick Cheney, George HW Bush, Rick Perry, John Cornyn and Kay Hutchison???? Not to mention Dick Armey (never a more appropriate name). Or Tom DeLay. But it also had Ann Richardson, Molly Ivins, Natalie Maines and the Dixie Chicks for a few.

AdLib
Admin

Nice to see you, FeedUp!

FeedUp
Guest

Thanks AdLib I was off the PlanetPov radar for a few months. Glad to be back.

Khirad
Member

PK, that is BS. You’ve never done anything provocative as far as I can remember. Honestly, do they do this like a sick authoritarian regime: you know, taking a good one and summarily dispensing with them to keep the others in line as a warning?

I’d sure like to think it was a mistake. Others have been banned like K7 and BSM which I thought were ridiculous bannings, but that maybe the mods felt threatened by being called out on their BS. With you, I’m at a loss to come up with a motive.

SeeknDestroy
Member
SeeknDestroy

I got banned for bad language twice, but also for reporting a trolls racism.
Figure that one out.
I’m still baffled by that.
Someone shows up with the n-word as a moniker spewing pure racism, and I get banned?
Psssbbbtttt!
I have given up trying to understand HP…but I still play there sometimes….

Obama20082012
Member

PeaceKitten, you are still showing up on my list over at HP. I thought when one was raptured, their avatar would dissappear off my fan list………..

PatsyT
Member

Hello PeaceKitten

Enjoy the fresh air, it is quality not quantity.
Time to celebrate……
How about some Music…..
This is a kinda fun …..

AdLib
Admin

Thanks for the musical interlude, PatsyT, enjoyed it!

whatsthatsound
Member

I never got banned! I feel like Bugs Bunny in the cartoon where he is upset because the bounty on rabbits is only two cents.

Nice to see you here PeaceKitten!

KQµårk 死神
Member

KQuark (my first moniker) is still alive over there but KQKollider (my troll fighting moniker) got destroyed.

choicelady
Member

Is THAT what happened to you! You were my very first “fanned” person – and when I went back to the list, you were gone. I thought YOU had removed yourself not liking what I had to say. I never dreamed you’d been BANNED. Your posts were superb in every way – thoughtful, deep, intelligent. I can’t believe you got zapped!

When I saw KQuark I realized it was you (or thought so) and then followed you here.

What IS going on over there? I find this deeply scary.

Well, I’m glad I found you again and even more glad you posted the link to the Planet. It’s really nice here! Thank you!

AdLib
Admin

Well said PeaceKitten and welcome back to The Planet, missed you!

That’s why we started this site, the downward trajectory of HuffPo has been clear for a while and there needs to be a place for true freedom of expression.

The jolt is when it becomes stone cold clear that they really don’t care about Progressive values such as freedom of speech, they are just a corporate investment vehicle masquerading as a liberal blog.

If AIG or Morgan Stanley owned a “Progressive” blog, would we expect anything different from what HuffPo is today?

nicole473
Member

“they are just a corporate investment vehicle masquerading as a liberal blog”

Nice turn of a phrase, and so disgustingly true. 🙁

HITO
Member
HITO

Good night kids.

Great being here with all of you. Thanks.

SeeknDestroy
Member
SeeknDestroy

Right behind you HITO..
Good night everyone…
Enjoy.
Peace…

Corgi Lover
Guest

mcantwell just announced she’s been told “Tweety” will no longer be on “THE LIST” of proscribed words. Good for mcantwell. But does anyone know why it was there to begin with? Am I missing something?

HITO
Member
HITO

Here’s a little ditty,

I was there, and posted a congratulations to Tweety, and it was scrubbed in 30 seconds.

Just great to see that, isn’t it?

escribacat
Member

Incendiary stuff, those congratulations.

SeeknDestroy
Member
SeeknDestroy

Felonious!
I have a Gringo suggestion for you..

DingoAteMyGringo?

Yes?
No?
Maybe?
Get bent Seek?
~smile~

HITO
Member
HITO

Hey Monk, your cohort in crime agrees.

DingoAteMyGringo is no. 1 choice…but may well only last about an hour.

Go for it.

escribacat
Member

Agree. Excellent name!

Corgi Lover
Guest

I’ve considered “GringoLuvsAndrea” but didn’t figure it would last either. What about “BananaBoatGringo”?

HITO
Member
HITO

What about “GringoDidAndrea”. A bit more hard-core, however, is that not deserved?

You have to know Volvo would do it in a NYminute, IMO.

Corgi Lover
Guest

Sure it wouldn’t be “AndreaDidGringo”?

HITO
Member
HITO

Gringo would have to get her lit like the fourth of July and go for it.

Her on him? No way Jose.

And your BananaBoatGringo could get you banned based on an outside ledge of inferred intent. Remember how Lorne got time outted? Over less than bananaboating.

Corgi Lover
Guest

So something more subtle like “SwiftBananaBoating” probably wouldn’t work either? Shucky darn.

SeeknDestroy
Member
SeeknDestroy

GringoAteMyThingo?

Corgi Lover
Guest

NoThingoGringo?

I believe you were there for the banana boat reference today. I’ve never seen Andrea react so quickly to a “suggestion” before. 🙂

SeeknDestroy
Member
SeeknDestroy

Hate her too.

SeeknDestroy
Member
SeeknDestroy

I like both, especially the BananaBoatGringo..
That would chap his narc ass..
I hate that guy..

Khirad
Member

I read those all. I love you guys, so clever! I had a few snorts of glee (that just didn’t sound right, did it?).

escribacat
Member

Keith Olbermann showed hypocritical headlines tonight from Drudge and Fox…their twisted versions of the State dinner. Can’t help wondering when he’ll have to stop interviewing AH on his show and start including Huffy headlines in the rogues gallery.

SeeknDestroy
Member
SeeknDestroy

LOL…..

AdLib
Admin

Heh! I thought HuffPo was a Rogues Gallery!

escribacat
Member

Hey, KQuark. Did you say you made that picture? It is extremely cool. I love it.

imusintheevening
Member

Yes, it is very cool and fits the title. Nice job KQuark

AdLib
Admin

BTW, nice to see you around The Planet!

SeeknDestroy
Member
SeeknDestroy

It is very cool, KQuark..
Great job.

AdLib
Admin

KQuark is one gifted artist!

KQµårk 死神
Member

Gifted thief.

KQµårk 死神
Member

Wow, even though I said I found the original image and just added the text I feel like I mislead everyone with the responses.

AlphaBitch
Member
AlphaBitch

Welcome to all the newbies! PK, they LOVE cats here! Read through a few blogs and see for yourself. Even as a “dog”, I feel loved here. Everyone is welcome.

It’s great to be part of this. I was able to make one donation, and will ask for another as part of my Christmas wish-list! I want this site to kick ass (but in a nice way…)

escribacat
Member

Merowwww alpha

AlphaBitch
Member
AlphaBitch

Woof, ecat! Howl you been?

escribacat
Member

LOL. I have an integrated household…cats, dogs, squirrels. birds. Skunk.

AlphaBitch
Member
AlphaBitch

Pepe?

escribacat
Member

LOL. A real live one that has nailed my dogs twice in the past three months (last week).