Morning Call Allows Hate Speech, But Stifles Criticism

If you belong to the local KKK, I'm sure you know all about The Morning Call Readers' Forum. Filters may prevent even the mildest of profanities, but people can and do make outrageous remarks about anyone who is different, even lefties.

Do you honestly think there's a difference between "I hate niggers" and "I hate n****rs"? Does it really matter that words like "shit" or "bitch" are filtered when people can still refer to Allentown's minority population as "filthy mongrels"?

On the plus side, there's lots of good advice on where you can buy cheap Swastikas, get skinhead haircuts and have your sheets cleaned and pressed.

Minorities, homosexuals and Jews have been easy targets for centuries, so this is really nothing new for them. But it's still hypocritical when the paper sponsoring that venom piously beats its chest and proclaims it stands for "[t]olerance and respect for all persons, irrespective of differences of race, religion or culture. When people disagree about issues, we will advocate for and provide opportunities for a civil discourse that seeks common ground and constructive solutions."

In reality, The Morning Call stands for the Almighty Dollar. All hail!

The paper has yet to publicly acknowledge its readers forum is even a problem, let alone promise to do anything to stop the hate.

Here's what kills me.

The KKK can congregate all over the readers' forum, so long as they don't curse. But the paper has habitually blocked comments from Bill Villa, a Morning Call critic, to the forum or on Morning Call blogs.

Who the hell is Bill Villa? He's a nobody, a schlep like you and me. Not too long ago, his daughter was taken away from him by a drunk driver. Is he angry? Yep. Bitter? You bet. But he's also smart and thinks there has been an injustice. Maybe he's wrong. Maybe he's right.

Until recently, columnist Bill White has denied Villa's comments are deleted. "I have never deleted any comment by Bill Villa. If he tried to post a comment and it didn't go through, it's because of the same occasional glitch that has blocked me from posting comments on my own blog on several occasions, always from home." Yet just last week, Villa was again blocked from commenting on a Bill White blog. This time, there was a different explanation. "Mr. Villa is engaged in a dispute with our editors, and I'm not going to inject myself into it or make this a forum to debate it."

So the local paper apparently is blocking comments from the father of a drunk driving victim while enabling the Aryan Nation. I have one question - are these people out of their frickin' minds?

Villa's blocked comment is posted in its entirety at AJ's Weblog.

In Northampton County, Bloggin' is Dangerous to Your Health!

Last night, the Northampton County citizens' task force met a sixth time concerning our election troubles. It should have been a quickie. The only agenda items were approval of a much needed letter to the Department of State and finalization of a survey. But it was a long and rancorous evening before a packed house.

Physical threats. A goofy lawyer. Accusations that our local papers are lying. Complaints and compliments about Registrar DePaul. Political consultant Shawn Millan's compelling indictment of the elections office. This all made for a long night. DePaul and her Bucks County mouthpiece, brought in as a "buffer," spent most of the evening popping up and down like bobbleheads, trying to drown everyone out. The elections panel refused to let that happen. Peg Ferraro and Greta Browne repeatedly had to remind DePaul to let others speak. Finally, an exasperated Jack Bradt told DePaul, "We want to hear from the audience." I'll give you a blow by blow account, but that will have to come later.

Right now, I want to focus on events that occurred before last night's raucous meeting ever started. I knew it was going to be a rough night. The entire right side of the room was filled with DePaul supporters, including mostly the people who work for her. The left side of the room was full of Republicans, the League of Women Voters, voter rights activist Alan Brau and me. Express Times reporter Sarah Cassi shunned the press table, sitting instead in the back of last night's very vocal and rowdy peanut gallery, soaking in the ambiance.

As I picked my way through the crowd to find a seat, I saw something I hadn't seen in previous meetings. Northampton County Democratic chair Joe Long was in the house! He didn't look too happy to be there. And when he saw me, smoke started blowing out his ears.

"Oh, there he is. Hey Bernie, I hear you're gonna' have me for lunch." (Oh shit, he saw my Hannibal Lector post!)

"Actually, I said dinner." (I'm a cocky bastard.)

"You think you're pretty funny, don't you?" (Not amused.)

"It's called humor, Joe. You should try it sometime." (Still cocky.)

"I'll fix your humor. Anytime you're ready, just let me know." (Now the steam is coming out of his moustache, too!)

"Pardon?" (I heard him, but always say that when I'm puzzled.)

"Anytime you're ready." (Idiotically triumphant. I wonder if he's packin'.)

Later in the evening, when I was addressing the committee myself, I mentioned Long's threats.

"That's not true. I have witnesses."

Earlier this week, an unnamed local party boss tried unsuccessfully to muzzle blogger Richard Wilkins. Democratic party bosses are very upset with bloggers for calling public attention to their attempts to fix the primary. Having failed at that, Dem party bossman Joe Long is now resorting to physical threats, and right before a public meeting!

These heavy-handed intimidation tactics might work in the loansharking business or against union scabs. But Joe, goon squads are a just a tad out of place in a democracy.

Besides, they've got the wrong guys. First, they go after Wilkins, who in fairness has been Joe Long's only pal in the blogosphere. Brilliant. Then, the party boss distinguishes himself and his party by physically threatening me. Hey Joe, we're just passing on info we got from LVDem. He's the real rat. So break his legs, damn it.

Maybe I'll challenge Long to a duel or something. I've been practicing with my lightsabre all night.

And so the battle rages.

Norco Dem Bosses Try (and Fail) to Muzzle Bloggers

Not too long ago, LVDem told us about Norco Dem boss Long's attempt to "clear the field" for Sam Bennett's congressional race. I had my own report about DA John Morganelli's attempt to do the same in Lamont McClure's quest to be elected to Northampton County Council.

For some reason, these leaders are terrified of primaries. I asked then, and I repeat - Are these dudes actually afraid of a little democracy?

Apparently, the answer is yes.

Blogger Richard Wilkins reports "bullying and intimidation" yesterday by an unnamed local party honcho. What dastardly crime did Wilkins commit? Why, he had the temerity to suggest an open congressional primary. Someone called to say he doesn't want to see "this stuff in print." It's all "garbage." Funny thing. Nobody called me. I don't think LVDem got a jingle, either. Looks like it failed with Wilkins, too. He's writing away. Strong-arm tactics fail again.

I'd like to know what garbage is making party bosses so upset. That way, I can write even more. And what party boss could be so thin-skinned that he'd fly off the handle over something a mere blogger writes?

These Democrats just don't act like democrats.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm having Joe Long for dinner.

Norco Exec Stoffa Orders Blog Block Lifted

Northampton County Exec. John Stoffa called tonight to tell me he has ordered the blog block lifted. He doesn't like freedom of speech stifled in any way, and thinks it inappropriate to censor what county workers see on the net without first establishing some sort of policy, which is currently nonexistent. About an hour after I spoke with Stoffa, I received a second call from Vic Mazziotti, Northampton County's amiable Director of Fiscal Affairs. He explained how the block occurred in the first place. I pretended to understand as he used computer terminology I've already forgotten.

One thing Vic did acknowledge, and on behalf of the county, is that my blog does not fall into any of the "73 categories of unacceptable material, including adult, gambling, violence and hate topics." That I understood.

Hooray for our team!

I was worried county officials had discovered my upcoming photo essay, Alluring Ladies of the Northampton County Courthouse, which is being separately sold later this month as a calendar to benefit impoverished title searchers. A sneak peek at Miss January is attached.

I want to thank the Express Times, Morning Call, VoicePA and GrassrootsPA for casting a public spotlight on this issue.

Lehigh Valley Ramblings - The "Hate" Blog

Today, both The Express Times and Morning Call cast public light on Northampton County's decision to block Internet access to this blog. Concerns that it was being singled out have been addressed. The county now blocks all blogs using the blogspot.com address. Gee, thanks.

County exec. Stoffa assured me in an email yesterday that this decision was not directed at me specifically. But when I read today's Morning Call account, I learned my blog "was snagged by software the county has begun using to stop employees from looking at Web sites containing 73 categories of unacceptable material, including adult, gambling, violence and hate topics."

Give me a break.

This isn't Hustler and I'm no David Duke. And honestly, I don't know very much about gambling. I pretty much listen on that subject. What I have done, and with some relish, is poke fun from time to time at the hypocrisy of local public officials. I have said that Northampton County judges spend public money "like drunken sailors," and they do. I have reported that county court administrator Onembo is called "the snake," and he is. And is it me, but doesn't that new courthouse rotunda look like a giant crayon sharpener?

OK, I am a miserable bastard. But lumping me in with adult, gambling, violence and hate topics is a bit much. It's defamation by implication, if you want to get technical.

Northampton County Blocks Lehigh Valley Ramblings: Was it Something I Said?

Since starting this blog, I've written 114 posts mentioning Northampton County. Sure, I'll write about Nazareth (35 posts) or Upper Macungie (8 posts) or even Iraq (31 posts), but Northampton County is usually on my front burner. This week alone, I wrote that no Northampton County judge deserves retention, and actually criticized judicial plans for a veterans' memorial outside our very own Taj Mahal. Well, the Empire has struck back! I learned Thursday that someone somewhere has decided to impose a block on county employees seeking access to my blog on county-owned computers.

County employees seeking access to my blog get this rather scary message:

403 FORBIDDEN - Access to this website has been blocked due to organizational policies. * * * ALL ATTEMPTS ARE BEING LOGGED

The message goes on to explain that "X-rated sites are often blocked." Some employees tell me that if they try to get access three times, sirens go off and they're jolted by a nonlethal blast of electricity.

O.K. I made that part up.

Holy cannoli! I'm X-rated, bippy, and the county is censoring me! I asked someone to type in LVDem's url, and that bastard's blog popped right up

Who could have wanted to shut me up? Actually, that list is pretty frickin' long. I did confront court administrator Onembo, but he had no idea what I was talking about.

I decided to check this out, called information services, and was told they are in the process of blocking non-work related sites, although I still don't know who made this decision. Eventually, no blog will be accessible from a county computer. Newspapers are exempt for now, even though they're not work-related. But it's only a matter of time for them, too.

Did information services decide on its own to regulate content like this? I honestly don't think so. I don't believe it is within their province to decide what employees may or may not see. This is a command decision.

Concerns about Internet gambling or pornography might justify some regulation, but the county is actually censoring ideas, treating them as though they are something filthy.

By making it hard to get on this or any other blog, the county has just guaranteed that those who really want to do so will spend far more time gaining access. And in a county workforce that already has terrible morale, you sure don't improve things by treating employees like little kids.

Why not just make clear to employees that web-traffic is being monitored? Why not explain that anyone who spends too much time on non-work related web-sites risks disciplinary action?

I believe the real reason for restricting access has nothing to do with improving employee productivity and everything to do with censoring the free flow of ideas. If this is the county's goal, it will fail.

Attempts to suppress speech always do.

And so the battle rages.

Update:Enclosed is the text of an email I sent to the county executive and information services today:

Yesterday, I became aware of a block that was placed on my blog by information services. County employees who want to take a look get the following message: "403 FORBIDDEN - Access to this website has been blocked due to organizational policies. * * * ALL ATTEMPTS ARE BEING LOGGED" In a telephone call with a very nice lady in Information Services, I was told this block was imposed because my site is not "work-related." But many other local blogs and other news and/or opinion sources have not been blocked.

The purpose of this email is to request that access be restored at your earliest possible convenience. I make this request for the following reasons:

1) You are a public, and not private, employer. I have a first amendment right to petition my government for the redress of grievances. But increasingly, NC is making it difficult for citizens to exercise that right. There's only one way in, and you might die of old age before you get there. Email addresses are rarely published. And now, sites like mine, that deal directly with NC and may even be work-related in some instances, are being blocked. After my second post about the Liberty Bell, I got a call from a then county official who was looking at the blog. Like the ostrich, the county is burying its head in the sand and will miss future opportunities to address matters of public concern by blocking this blog.

2) Some private employers do impose restrictions, but that's counterproductive. You don't make employees better by treating them like little kids. You cause resentful behavior, especially when they've had no raises for nearly 4 years. In the end, they actually become less productive.

3) I've just been lumped in with X-rated sites. Someone, somewhere within the county, whether it is in administration or information services, has decided to defame my blog by implication. They tell employees that 403 sites like mine are "often" X-rated. They are acting in a defamatory manner and are undermining my credibility, whether intentional or not.

4) You are discriminating. Why are some blogs up while others are not? Why are other news sources, like the mainstream publications, still up? Of course, those sources have more credibility, but isn't that a decision a reader can make for himself? How long will it be before someone somewhere in the county decides that The Express Times or Morning Call is no longer work-related? That decision will surely follow some critical article.

5) I could understand a block directed at X-rated sites or online gambling. If that is your goal, then whatever tool you are using is far to extreme.

I repeat my request that this block be removed immediately. I'd also like to know whether my blog was specifically targeted, and the reason for that.

Update #2: I didn't expect to receive a reply from the County Executive today. He's a busy beaver. But late this afternoon, Stoffa was kind enough to drop me a line to say he's looking into my complaint. He assures me no block was specifically targeted at my blog, and thinks we can work things out. I appreciate his very prompt response and willingness to look into this situation. It really sets him apart.