For the past six years I have been subject to ridicule, silly personal attacks, not too subtle put-downs, unnecessary critiques, invectives, epithets and the like: from folks who seem not to understand that I am not on the blogs to cuss out folks and enter into verbal tiffs near every damn column. I was invited to join this writer’s colony by the founders: it was their call to make me one of the original contributors. I didn’t ask for the invite. I was reluctant because I suspected that I would be subject to the very abuse I have received. A blind man could have seen it coming (from Politicker days). It started with Howard “Gatemouth” Graubard and his cronies; and hopefully it ends with him. Gatemouth is not well. Six years is enough time to have observed him.
I am requesting that my editors AUTOMATICALLY close of the comments-section on any column I submit in the future. For the time being, I will limit my options to this route. If this doesn’t work in the short-term -and I am still the subject of Gatemouth’s (and others) crap- then I will have to take my columns the private and personal route. This means that I will only e-mail them to those on my esoteric list. It also means I will stop writing here. I have suspected all along that the object has been to silence my voice on this particular blog (R8). No problem. I can utilize other vehicles for expression. I also have the option of publishing on other blogs (already offered). Even there I will make the same request of my editors (before the trolls stalk me).
Intellectually engaging others is one thing; deliberately “fucking” with another is something else. I don’t need this crap. I don’t need constant lies about me being spread around in ways meant to discredit me and ruin my personal reputation. I don’t need the misinformation being spread around. I don’t need the infantile attempts at pseudo-discussion. 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. This is the same for anyone who writes anywhere.
Stay tuned-in folks.