:: walterindenver ::

:: Sunday, November 24, 2002 ::

Debate?

James Capozzola, writing on his blog, the Rittenhouse Review:

I can no longer in good conscience include on the Rittenhouse Review’s blogroll any weblog that has provided a permanent blogroll link of its own to the site known as “Little Green Footballs” or “LGF.”
It is with great regret and considerable lament that I have adopted this position -- or been forced to adopt this position -- as I am normally a passionate advocate of an author’s right to choose his associates and to establish and maintain her own chosen associations.
However, it has become painfully clear, to the extent it wasn’t already, that the hosts of LGF, while preciously coy about their own political persuasions, all too willingly and not without satisfaction have allowed their site to become a vile cesspool of racism, bigotry, prejudice, ignorance, and hate.
Little Green Footballs, its readers, and what can in fairness only be described as its many contributors, have long since moved beyond the realm of civilized discourse.

How about some examples of that racism, bigotry, etc.?

LGF is not a regular read for me, so after reading the above I hastened over to LGF to find some nastiness. What I found was a whole bunch of people really unhappy with Islamic terrorists around the globe. News items culled from mostly foreign press sources are reprinted and linked to highlight the terrorists as generally bloodthirsty and backward. I think it's safe to say they don't like the way Islam has spawned violence. That's a politically incorrect position to be sure, but is it bigoted? Is it unfair? Well it might be, but the burden falls on the accuser to prove his case.

Mr. Capozzola instead opts to avoid debate, and to refuse to engage LGF at all, saying it's a matter of 'conscience' for him to avoid LGF, even anyone who links with LGF. If one wants to claim the moral high ground, he must first establish that he stands on morality while others don't. This blackballing goes against the spirit of blogging. The strength of a blog is the ability to engage the opposition, to debate, and to fact check. By refusing to engage one gives off the impression of either arrogance or inability to refute his opponent. Certainly that isn't what Mr. Capozzola intended.

LGF responds to the Rittenhouse Review here.

:: Walter 2:49 PM [+] ::
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