Vacation Reading

“All of us, from the wealthiest and most powerful of men to the weakest and hungriest of children, share one precious possession: the name “American.” It is not easy to know what that means. But in part to be an American means to have been an outcast and a stranger, to have come to the exiles’ country, and to know that he who denies the outcast and stranger among us at the moment also denies America.”

- To Seek a Newer World by Robert F. Kennedy

Filed under: Housekeeping

Not Everyone’s Comments Are Welcome

Today I was confronted with a decision as to whether or not I should permit an active Conservative apologist on Blogging Tories and elsewhere around the web to post on this blog. In and of itself, being a Conservative apologist is unfortunate but not a punishable offense. Nor are inane, long-winded postings an offense. I, myself, am guilty of the latter offense on a daily basis (though mine are far less confusing). 

But upon review of this particular fellow’s online footprint, a number of comments were found on various blogs that were so offensive that I made the decision unilaterally (I try to be a benevolent dictator) to ban his comments from this blog. I will not  be publishing either his name or the name under which he posts in order to protect his privacy. But to give you an idea of how to get yourself banned, among the highlights of his bigoted absurdity are the following:

• A reference to homosexuals as sexual deviants;
• A theory that gay marriage and abortion are both sins against humanity that have been legalized as part of a conspiracy to create an industry around adoptions (he actually sent a letter to the Queen requesting that she refuse to give royal assent to Bill C-38 on this basis); and
• A seeming attack on a courageous rape victim who fought to bring her attacker to justice on the basis that she seemingly fails to recognize homosexual men for the pedophiles he assumes that they are.

The comments above are just a selection of his comments that I have come across. So let this serve as a notice that those who choose to peddle ignorance and discrimination are not welcome here. I will not begin to speculate as to why the Blogging Tories continue to allow him to post on their site.

Filed under: Housekeeping

My Triumphant Return to the Blogosphere

My absence from the Liberal blogosphere has been a mere 582 days, seventeen hours, thirty-eight minutes and eighteen seconds. But whose counting. Though it may all be a figment of my imagination, I feel my absence has been felt and missed. After much consternation and soul-searching, I have decided to return, bringing with me the constant sarcasm, common-sense and occasional vitriol that were the hallmarks of my first stint on the series of tubes that make up the internet.

For those of you who do not know (or cannot remember) me, my name is Zack Ziegler. I am a born-again Liberal and Democrat. In a previous life, I was the opposite. In the old days (when it meant something different than being part of a coalition of the religious right and the blatantly wrong) I was a Progressive Conservative and a George H.W. Bush Republican. About four years ago I saw the writing on the wall (or more to the point, I saw the people in my party writing John 3:16 and hanging Confederate flags on the wall) and realized that I was getting more (or decidedly less) than what I had signed up for.

Nevertheless, I am now and forever will be a Liberal and look forward to bringing some fight back to the Liberal blogosphere.

Filed under: Housekeeping