On Political Pistachio and my other political blogs this crops up from time to time, and I promise myself that I won't let these freaks get under my skin, but there are about five of them on the internet that really get my hair to rise and somehow find a way to get under my skin. I also have about a dozen minor irritations that call themselves "liberal" e-mailing me as well (the now legendary Mudkitty being one of them).

If only all liberals were as easy to get along with as my good friend Sam, which is pictured behind me in the photograph on the right. When the discussion of Socialized Medicine (Government paid health insurance) came up, he says to me, "Doug, I can't believe you have a problem with free health care."

Okay, stop laughing.

I respond, "It is hardly free. It comes out of your tax dollars, and in Canada the citizens still need to buy health insurance to supplement their socialized care because the government only covers so much. Besides, don't you want to have a choice, rather than be controlled into only accepting whatever the government desires you to have?"

"Nah," he says, "I don't want to have to think about it. One less thing to worry about."

Then he says, "Besides, it'll give them something to spend money on other than this illegal war."

"How is our military operations illegal?" I asked.

"I don't know," says Sam. "That's what the news says."

I love ya, Sam, and we will always be friends, but sometimes you amaze me with your politically simple mind.

Well, Lance, Ollie, Caday5, Tom, Fred, and BallBuster are not nearly as simple minded. In fact, two of them, Caday5 and Tom, are on the constant attack and can be quite relentless (and ruthless). Lance and Fred are classic elitists, with Lance beginning his attacks by telling me it was my turn to be picked on. He blogged about me, commented on my WordPress Site and old FreeWebs site, and then fizzled into obscurity. I didn't even have to get rid of him. And Ollie and BallBuster have finally quit trying to jump my blocks and bans, though Ollie, from what I hear, continues to be a royal pain in the butt around the MySpace Conservative Sites.

Wait a second, Doug, did you say blocks and bans? Doesn't that make you a. . . (play dramatic music) - - - (pause for effect) - - - Coward?

Not really. In fact, I have never banned or blocked Caday5, because at least he debates me with his feet on the ground, and his brain out of his hindquarters (he comments on my Townhall Blog, if you were curious).

Every once in a while I will get a lewd comment on Carried By Christ, or a spam on my other Christian Blog. So far Political Pistachio News has remained free of attacks from the liberal leftinistas.

But why is it that I really don't allow the nastiest of the trolls to comment here (or on my other sites), and don't really find the desire to engage them?

I recognize that like all human beings, I am damaged, fallible, and absolutely capable of being mistaken. The internet is basically full of people (showing up as electronic pixels) that have their faults and their strengths, their convictions, their beliefs, and their failings. On blogs, a relatively new phenomenon for the most part, those that share common interests or common beliefs pour their diverse mass of thoughts into discussions much in a way friends gather to discuss their lives or opinions at a party.

If you have ever been to a party, then you know that parties often come with "party crashers." If the crashers behave themselves, and don't upset the locals, then more often than not they are tolerated and given the okay to remain at the gathering as long as they behave. If, however, the party crasher is disruptive, makes demands that they shouldn't, or simply upsets the person that is giving the party, it is completely within the realm of decency for the host to ask the "crashers" to leave. If the disruptive person (or persons) refuse to depart from the premises, it is completely within the rights of the host to either ask his or her friends to physically eject the disruptors, or for the local authorities to be contacted if things get out of hand. Now, imagine those party crashers that were ejected suddenly crying out, "You are infringing on my right to party! How dare you take my right to party away from me! By kicking me out of your party that makes you a coward!"

Asking a disruptive individual to leave is not the host being a coward. The host is keeping the party pleasant, and enabling the other party-goers the opportunity to continue to enjoy the gathering without the unnecessary disruptions of the offending party(ies). If the party crashers want to party the way they like to party, then they can go host their own party, or go be an ass at a party hosted by one of their friends. The party crashers ought not to create havoc someplace where such disruptive behavior should not have to be tolerated.

Now, imagine if the host said to the party crashers, "I don't like you here, you are disruptive, but have a sandwich and a beer."

Well, that would make no sense at all, would it? After all, if you felt the disruptive person was a problem and needed to leave, why would you feed him and offer him a drink?

Trolls are much like those party crashers, but sometimes can be worse. Not only do they crash the party, but they begin to make demands. Fred, a blogtalkradio troll, actually demanded once that I name contemporary artist on the spot (which, of course, was completely off-topic). He wasn't specific so I named a writer (writers to me are artists). He responded, "See, you can't," and then went on to snivel about him being educated and intelligent and how people like me can't even name contemporary artists. The question was not a question as much as it was a statement. Fred was making the statement that because he can name a contemporary artist and I couldn't, that somehow placed him on a higher level. It made him an elitist that I could never aspire to, in his opinion.

Many of these liberal trolls define their world by "I'm right" and you're either 100% with me or 100% against me. Problem is, when they start pulling this junk, since I am very strong on my convictions, I become sucked in by my own curiosity and confused fascination. Then the rules are tossed out the window, and they, like the party crashers, begin to ignore the wishes of the blogging community around them. They attack mercilessly, using tactics that I would never dream of using, and then when I disagree with them or make a statement in my defense, they choose to either take the disagreement as attack, or as some kind of level of stupidity. They respond to all opposing opinion with condemnation and quite often, profanity-laced anger.

Then, because of our fallible human nature, we take the bait, and the fireworks ensue. The civil disagreement becomes frustration and anger, and then it becomes attack and condemnation. The recipient of the troll attacks, or at least in my case last year, becomes a casualty (meaning I got kicked off quite a few blogrolls because of my "disgraceful troll problem" that was making the publisher of those blogrolls "sick."

It was then that I realized I had a duty to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for my readers and commenters. Problem is, the trolls at that time (Mudkitty and Tom) would not honor my request to cease and desist, so I began to moderate my comment section. That proved to be tiresome and time consuming. Then I decided to change over to Haloscan so that I could effectively "ban" the commenters. Mudkitty has remained banned and off Political Pistachio ever since, but Tom, being the computer genius that he proclaims he is, eventually figured out how to circumvent the ban and has returned to commenting on Political Pistachio (this, after telling me he would be honorable and abide by my "silly" ban). Now, I am back to moderating.

Honestly, this stupidity of attacking sites that disagree with you is a confusing thing to me. I visit liberal sites on rare instances, more often than not I do not comment. It's just bad form. I visit to see what the other side is saying. The blogger is entitled to his or her opinion on his or her blog, and if I don't like their opinion, then I am free to blog on the subject on my own site. This is honorable, in my opinion, and the way it should be. This way the community of my blog, and other blogs, does not wind up in confusion and shock because of the sudden war of words that erupts.

I will have to admit that when I see such interchanges in comment sections, or even find myself participating in such an interchange, it's an amazing thing to watch. People, knowing that they are nothing more than an electronic bundle of pixels, let out their dark side. You begin to see sides of people that you never suspected lurked beneath all the letters they've strung together on the internet. And when a momentary ceasefire emerges, the victim of the troll attack is left with asking themselves, "How do I both protect myself, my ideas and convictions while balancing my emotional reaction, and somehow walk away from the trolls who only want a fight and to get everyone riled up in the first place?"

Problem is, the trolls tend to use tactics that often creates problems within the community. Fred, for example, has only one goal in his attacks. His tactics are all designed to disrupt, and he admittedly thinks that his disruptions are nothing less than hilarious. I pointed this out to many, and battled him often before finally banning him from the chat room of my Political Pistachio Radio Show, and blocking him indefinitely in other chat rooms so that even if he is present, I cannot see what he is typing. One of my listeners told me on my instant messenger after one such battle between Fred and I that she didn't understand why I was such an ass to him. After all, he was only asking legitimate questions, and all I had to do was answer them honestly. Well, remember that Fred's questions, like most troll's questions, are not really questions, but are actually statements designed to create havoc. Anyway, weeks later that same person contacted me and told me that I had been correct from the start about Fred. Fred is a sick individual that will stop at nothing (and I mean nothing) to get a laugh at other's expense.

One tactic that trolls use, which Tom and Fred are both quite inept at, is to try to use bloggers against each other. Tom's latest attempt at this is having convinced Jennifer over at Conservative Chic with his one-sided (he posts what I say, but adds commentary that is in a very different direction of the context) and malicious posts that I am somehow cowardly because I don't put up with his garbage and have finally gone back to moderation just to keep him off my blog. Divide and conquer, right Tom? Pretty childish of you, to be honest. I thought you'd have a little more maturity than that.

That is how trolls play the game, and they are especially dangerous around newer bloggers or commenters (or commenters that are inherently passive and trusting). Newer commenters and bloggers tend to side with the troll, willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, especially when the old hands attempt to slap down the troll out of frustration. The more experienced, or less trusting, bloggers often know the history of the troll, and have often decided to take a stand to defend their community and hunt the troll until they've left the community or blog, or they simply ignore the troll altogether. Newer people, not knowing that the troll may be currently presenting the mask of the maligned victim in order to garner support and thus keep the battle going on longer, may openly side with the troll in an effort to defend their new community or blog from bullies. In the end, however, like my friend's dealings with Fred, the trusting blogger or commenter gets burned, or finally realizes that he or she has been had. By then, the damage is done, and the situation has gone way beyond the level of debate.

I realize that the term, troll, can be highly subjective. What some readers may characterize as trolling may be to others a legitimate contribution to the discussion, even if controversial. I understand that a simple opposing position may not necessarily be trolling - hence the reason I have not gotten rid of my argumentative commenter on my townhall blog, Caday5. I realize that I cannot always recognize a writer's motives. But, most controversial posts attract strong responses from those unfamiliar with the robust dialogue found in some online comment sections.

Unfortunately, sometimes I am not very skilled at using the most effective way to discourage a troll, which is to ignore him or her, because responding as I am here more often than not encourages a true troll to continue disruptive posts — hence the often-seen warning "Please do not feed the troll".

Frequently, someone who has been labelled a troll by a group may seek to redeem their reputation by discrediting their opponents, as does Tom. No matter how even-handed ... how just ... we try to be, the fact of the matter is, we are not perfect. We snap. We jump to conclusions. We get tired and cranky. But what separates us from the trolls is that we are able to step back and re-evaluate our behaviour. I try to learn from my mistakes, to learn when to stop reacting, and simply walk away from what I feel is trollish behavior.

Trolls seem to intrinsically need to be understood, which can make it difficult to walk away from that chance at communication, and possibly teaching the troll a bit about the truth. But some battles are won only when they aren't fought at all.

In the end, I prefer conversations with my buddy Sam - but, being the person that I am, I cannot let a few nasty nuggets by Tom the Neurotic Liberal to go unanswered, so watch for (in the near future) my response to posts (I will provide the links when I respond since he cries so much that I don't give him his due credit) called "Inherintly Dishonest," "Say What?" "A Giant Strawman," and the one that begins, "Doug bitched me out for posting a comment on his blog. . ."

Many of America’s most decorated war heroes from Iraq and Afghanistan have packed their bags and are hitting the road on a national bus tour to take their non-partisan message of progress and freedom from coast-to-coast.

The Vets for Freedom National Heroes Tour is about supporting our troops, honoring their commitment, and rallying the country to complete the missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

At this critical juncture in our country, we need Americans, lawmakers and the media, to fully recognize—and appreciate—the sacrifice of our brave military and the dramatic success they have achieved, especially in Iraq with the new counterinsurgency strategy.

Visit their site for information on all of their stops.

Winter Soldier II is a replay of a Vietnam War event in which a minority of soldiers speak about the atrocities of war. Eagles Winter Soldier II Testimony Challenge is a group of Patriotic Citizens Standing Up For Our Troops on March 14, 2008 demanind truth in any atrocity testimony (times, dates, places, witnesses, leadership, all under oath). The event will be at the National Labor College, 10000 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20903. Be there, if you are able, to support our nation's troops, and challenge the liars that have only anti-Americanism in their speech. Winter Soldier False Testimony of 1971 betrayed Vietnam Warriors - - - it cannot happen to our current generation of warriors - - - SF-180 will be required for witness testimony validation.

Then, on March 14, 2008, Stand Up For America, Our Troops, and Our Fallen at the Eagles Patriot Muster and March. Muster at 10:00 AM South of Constitution Avenue (Washington Monument Vicinity). March begins 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Be there to lift up America, our troops, the fallen, their families, and to honor those that have gone before us. The March Route is from Constitution Avenue near the Washington Monument proceeding East, Finishing West of the U.S. Capitol. All Patriots are welcome to participate; Boots on the ground, Wheel Chairs, Carts, or however else you can. Anti-America elements like those that participate in Anti-American Rallies in Washington D.C., Berkeley California, and the like only tear down our nation. The Eagles Patriot Muster and March is designed to honor America, support our troops, and respect our fallen, Missing In Action (MIA), families, and sacred ground.

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew strength; they shall mount up with the wings of eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint (Isaiah 40:31).

And for more information, listen to the archive of Political Pistachio Radio on March 11, 2008 where I interview one of the organizers, COL Harry Riley, USA, Ret of Eagles Up.

From Patriot Event Network Calendar:

Ok folks, this is the call to arms. It doesn't matter where you live, Northern California, the Western States, east coast, where ever - tell everyone you know, forward this email, call them, whatever - get the word out. It doesn't matter if you ride a bike or drive a cage. This is a call to arms for all veterans, all patriots, and all that truly respect the military. Please forward this email to every veteran you know, every organization you know, every post you know. Assume you are the only one that has received this email and spread the word. Also, if you have the time, please make up small signs showing date, time, location, and try to get them put up in motorcycle stores, AL Posts, MCL Posts, etc. And forward to whomever has an email list. This Mission will only work if we have a LARGE turnout.

Due to the garbage in Bezerkeley, we've made a decision to have a massive show of support for the Marine Recruiters, and Veterans everywhere. Bezerkeley, the City Council, the Mayor, Code Pink and the other moonbats want to step all over veterans, past, present and future. We need to show them we're not going to allow that in Berkeley or anywhere else. I'm not using the term "demonstration" for two simple reasons - "demonstration" is tied together with "counter demonstration". Neither of those terms come in to play in this instance. I want a true "Support the Troops" event. Come by motorcycle, car, truck, whatever means you have. Bring an American Flag, and if you have them, Flags of the Armed Forces. If you want to make signs, please limit them to support ie: So and so, or family of, or organization so and so supports the troops. And one other - VNSZ (Veteran's No Spend Zone) Lots of those.

On March 22, 9:00AM, we will all meet and/or stage at the Watergate Market, 2390 Powell St, Emeryville.

Click Here for map of meeting point

The rally point was picked in that it has food and fuel readily available. When getting off the freeway, there is a Chevron Station on one side of the freeway, and a Shell on the other (the direction you'll be heading). There is a Denny's where you get off and the Watergate Market has sandwiches (I believe). Across from the Market is the Emeryville Police Dept. There is parking along the street to the left of the EPD. You will directed to parking when you arrive. Currently, there will not be a "formal" check in, but see me when you get there. I'm not hard to find. When you eat or fuel in this location or any location outside of Berkeley, please keep the receipts - if we have a big enough group, I will collect those receipts and deliver them to the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce on Monday the 24th. Hopefully with the assistance of the news media.

We will depart at 10 for Berkeley. The Emeryville police will assist us in getting on the freeway. ( If you are driving directly to the city - not driving in with the "convoy", please meet at the recruiting office.) There will be 3 approach routes to Berkeley that will be announced at that morning. All approach routes will lead to the US Marine Officer Selection Office at 64 Shattuck Square - it's a one way street and therefore will be on your left side. After driving past the recruiting office, please park your vehicles carefully as I'm quite sure the parking police will be around. I would park one vehicle (includes motorcycles) per parking place as long as you don't mind the paring fees - also - I've been warned about feeding the meters. Move your wheels periodically so as not to get cited or towed. Coordinate with each other on shifting vehicles. If you park in lot that is restricted to customers, then buy a cup of coffee or a coke, or whatever. I can make a drink last a LONG time. While wandering around like any other tourist, if you talk to shop owners, please remember, we're not there to get in THEIR faces, but to make a point to the City Council. If our presence, our taking parking places, our not spending money has a negative impact on the individual business owners, they will need to go to make a decision on who to recall and who to vote for. If the individuals don't like the war, don't like the administration, don't like the military, GTG, but what the City Council has done is baloney! Besides, if they don't like the military, then why would they want our money.

I'm asking Melanie Morgan and MAF to start speaking at 12 in front of the Recruiting Office. Other speakers are welcome. I'm asking Capt Lund and some of his staff to be there, in uniform of course.

Purpose of this Mission is to show support for the troops in general, all veterans, and for the Marine Recruiting Office. It is not for physical confrontation - that needs to be avoided. We need to set the example - Code Pink, ANSWER and the other moonbats would love to see us get slammed in the media and they will try to do that. On Feb 12 there were a couple of people attending who apparently were there just to cause trouble. Please be careful. I am by no means saying "turn the other cheek". I'm just asking that you are careful with any response - let them take the fall.

If you need places to camp or stay - please remember to get a place outside of Berkeley.

I need some volunteers - one or two to handle billeting for those that need it arriving Friday nite and/or staying Saturday nite. I need a couple of riders - 4 to 8 - to help get people to Shattuck Square and then to help with getting people pointed to parking areas. I'm also asking a local CB/HAM/motorcycle club to help with any communications necessary. If your scoot is equipped with comm gear, please ID yourself at check in (IF you want to be put to work). And I need couple of people to help coordinate at the staging area.

Currently we know that Trader Vic's is offering us a banquet room that evening for a buffet dinner. They are also giving us 15% off coupons. We will work on some more like minded stuff.

Response - if you are coming, please respond with just numbers - I only need names if you are available to help (you pick the category). And I need to know numbers for Trader Vic's - they have 2 different room sizes and need to put one aside for us. Normally I respond to every email. HOWEVER, because of the anticipated volume of response, I will only respond on offers to help or to questions.

Doug Lyvere
PGR Regional Ride Captain
SgtMaj, Marine ret

www.patriotguard.org
www.eaglesup.us

Date: Saturday, March 22, 2008
Time: 9:00am-5:00pm
Duration: 480 minutes
Priority: High
Access: Public
Created by: Eagles UP! West
Updated: Monday, March 3, 2008 12:10am
Participants: Patriot Accessible

Note: I co-host on Monday nights with Andrea Shea King of WDBO AM 580 in Florida on her BlogTalkRadio show and tonight's guest was Doug Lyvere, organizer of the event. Click these sentences to listen to the show.

Kathleen Willey, wife, mother, and Democratic Political Activist, was working as a White House volunteer when, in 1993, President Clinton sexually assaulted her in the Oval Office. On the same day, her husband of 23 years committed suicide. Four years later, she was drawn into the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit and subsequently, the Monica Lewinsky scandal, when she was forced to testify against Bill Clinton. Now, she has been targeted by the Clintons for daring to tell the truth, becoming the focus of media smear campaigns, terror tactics, and witness intimidation.

Willey was also betrayed by Hillary Clinton, stating in her book, Target: Caught in the Crosshairs of Bill and Hillary Clinton, that Hillary Rodham Clinton also ". . . betrayed all of the women her husband abused when she brought her power to bear on her husband's prey."

Despite Hillary's husband's 20 years of infidelity, made famous when the Monica Lewinsky affair broke in 1998, she is now a Democratic presidential frontrunner with Bill by her side.

Tonight on Political Pistachio Radio Kathleen Willey is our guest. She will explain years of accusations by women such as herself, Gennifer Flowers, etc. And we will discuss Mrs. Clinton's actions, and how she was willing to do whatever it took to ensure Bill Clinton's actions did not ruin their political careers. After all, for Hillary Clinton, it is all about power, and she is willing to do anything to reach the White House again.

Willey also says that her book contains explosive revelations that could damage Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, including accusations of campaign finance violations, new revelations about harassment and threats by the Clintons and their associates, and the identification of the person who threatened her just prior to her testimony against President Clinton - a man who turned out to be linked to the Clintons. Willey was also the target of an unusual house burglary that nabbed a manuscript of her book, while little else was taken from her home.

Now, Kathleen is warning that the Clinton Machine will sharpen its attacks on Obama, now that Hillary has been losing a string of primaries and caucuses to Senator Barack Obama. Willey has said that Hillary seeks to break Obama's momentum, "and we are going to see a lot more of the same Clinton tactics that I and a number of insiders have experienced."

Indeed, the Clinton Camp has launched a new "kitchen sink" strategy which intends to also go after pledged delegates, intended to get them to switch sides, regardless of state's caucus results. "In their desperation, they are creating another scenario for war within the Democratic Party."

Join us tonight at 10pm Eastern Time as we discuss this with Kathleen Willey on Political Pistachio Radio.