Yeah, I know you know it’s me, but I have my reasons for posting here.
The last time I got into a pissing match with Hackshaw, he wrote or suborned about 1001 pseudonymous posts calling me a racist, and I felt compelled to answer them on my blog.
As a result my archive started stinking like the Gowanus Canal.
I regard my archive as a precious possession, and want to preserve its value. By contrast, this blog has over time evolved into my B-List dumping ground, and is this a perfect place for crap like this.
Anyway, as previously noted, Rock has closed off his comments section
This all started because Hackshaw published a defamatory piece of idiocy essentially accusing the Brooklyn DA of fumbling a case in order to help a politico that DA clearly considered a political enemy, and who that DA was prosecuting unmercifully.
When someone raised the incredible problems with Hackshaw’s logic, he went crazy (I mean crazier than usual).
For months, Rock has been stalked by some trolls who posted the most idiotic crap in response to his pieces.
Instead of ignoring them, he responds to each and every one with relish.
He clearly loves it.
But challenge him on substance and he closes his comments, essentially saying “if you don‘t like me, how come you‘re reading me in the first place. You must find me irresistible“.
Allow me to refute:
Rock, it's not that we can't keep ourselves from reading your stuff.
It is more like when you have a sore on the roof of your mouth, and no matter how hard you try, you can't help touching it with your tongue.
I think a lot of the political world reads your stuff, so they know what lies and falsehoods are out there that they have to protect themselves from.
Let me explain why Rock’s closing his comments is a problem.
Rock has often acknowledged he does not fact check. He practically boasts about it.
Despite this he prints damaging and often highly inaccurate information about people.
It is unspeakable to allow Hackshaw to print pure libel and then allow him to close his comments so people cannot even defend themselves
In trying to excuse this repugnant behavior Rock says:
"I have always maintained that if one dislikes my columns, then simply stop reading them. That’s a plain and simple human request. One doesn’t have to make a negative comment near each time down the floor. If I offend someone in my columns then they do have legal options for remedies."
How disingenuous. Rock knows especially that standard for libeling a public figure makes it nearly impossible for them to use that remedy
But it is more than that.
First, he sometimes writes stuff that's plain foolish; we all do. That's why we need a comments section.
But, it is more than that.
The plague of Google is stuff posted on the blogs lingers forever. Then one day, someone finds lying bilge that lies unrefuted and takes it as fact.
Even a lawsuit can't correct that.
The only thing that can serve as an effective truth check on such comments it is a comments section.
The best cure for factual falsehoods is for contrary assertions to be published in the thread where the falsehood occurs.
To deny others the right to have their versions of the story appear side by side with yours is morally reprehensible.
See, I finally made a moral argument.
In addition, some stuff, which is offensive and should be subject to correction is not actionable.
Take this comment by Rock today concerning Andrew Cuomo’s motives for passing same sex marriage:
“All Andrew Cuomo has succeeded in doing is this: he has gotten back at the Roman Catholic Church for a perceived personal slight. That was his motivation all along.”
This is probably untrue; it is offensive in the most personal manner, and yet, as a matter of opinion, it is clearly not actionable.
Yet if offends the very core of human decency that such an obscene assertion cannot be answered in the place it was made.
Good G-d Hackshaw, have you no sense of decency, at long last?
Say whatever defamatory flatulations come to your sick and perverse mind, but please at least let people respond!
Not offering people non-judicial means to correct inaccurate and malicious slurs upon their reputation is unspeakable.
As such, from now on, until further notice, this blog will be dedicated to offering a space to post comments a bout Rock’s piece
Here is Rock’s latest epic.
I ask everyone to restrict their comments to those pertaining to that piece.
Thanks.