Another comment blocked by the Lebedev newsgroup. This time The Independent

Posted on | Wednesday, 16 February 2011 | No Comments

The US bank and the secret plan to destroy WikiLeaks



It seems the last paragraph caused the problem?! Baffles me

“Ironically you've strengthened the thrust of my argument. Take a handful of recent information, in no order or priority because that's how it showers down on us, whether leaked or gathered through good investigative journalism - whatever its source, lets call it 'informed' news, e.g., Chevron's unchallengeable devastation in Ecuador; Union Carbide's slithery escape from blame for the destruction in Bhopal; NHS cuts; UK Government assisted release of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi; US release of 7/7 bomber Mohammed Junaid Babar; NHS cuts; cuts for the disabled; scrapping of Nimrods; sale of forests; illegality of Iraq war, children slain by rising knife crimes, et al - the list is now history and will be replaced by a new deluge tomorrow. It washes over us like water on a ducks back. The sheer volume of information intended to stir us into action, spiced by celebrity entertainment, produces such a heady mixture it simply doesn't penetrate our social conscience. With so much information flooding through our new social networks and the Internet, we have become blasé and apathetic. And that's the tragedy.

Governments are aware of this, i.e., our apathy. They of course expect criticism through channels such as this, but such diatribe doesn't threaten their hold on power; it doesn't deter them from implementing change not sanctioned by the electorate.

20-30 years ago, we were probably fed more propaganda than we knew at the time. But at least when we became aware of real issues, eg, Vietnam we got off our arses and demonstrated. Now, we receive so much 'news' we no longer care a shit. We Tweet or complain in these columns and believe we've done our bit. We are beginning to live in a world of virtual reality.”

Another comment blocked by the Lebedev newsgroup. This time the London Evening Standard

Posted on | Sunday, 6 February 2011 | No Comments

Boris Johnson rages at Tube bosses after Jubilee line chaos

Dick Murray and Ross Lydall
4 Feb 2011 


My comment referred to Johnson being the cause of the problem in the first place and rather than rage in the Press, he ought to be down where the problem is and sorting it out 'on the shop floor'. I expect my comment was pulled as I referred to him as a arse 'ol and tart. Now maybe the wording was a bit rich, but nevertheless warranted given the crass decisions of this man

The UK's 'Independent' newspaper unjustifiably censors reader's comments

Posted on | Sunday, 23 January 2011 | No Comments

In fact a somewhat mysterious application within the Independent's comment page, called DISQUS throws up the message to say a comment has been withheld pending moderation. Now I entirely agree with a moderating function on any open comment page but what is extraordinary is the innocuous nature of the post that in my humble view doesn't justify rejection (which has subsequently transpired as the original attempt to place a comment was 24 hours ago and it hasn't appeared).

The article that I attempted to comment on was in Saturday's issue, 22 January 2010, entitled, "Tony Benn: Protest is Vital to a Thriving Democracy" (http://ind.pn/f54noo) Benn's treatise would have us believe key historic demonstrations were peaceful. My response (the one blocked by Disqus/The Independent) read:


Mr Benn, we are somewhat surprised by your naivety.  Well before Gandhi or Nelson Mandela, or indeed the Suffragettes mounted their demonstrations, a North American slave encapsulated the need to demonstrate, but he called for more than just peaceful demonstrations. His name was Frederick Douglass, and he wrote:

“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them, and these will continue till they are resisted with either words or blows, or both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress.” 

If you believe the causes led by Gandhi,  Mandela, Grivas,  and a host of latter day freedom fighters (referred to as 'terrorists' at the time) were without violence, you are mistaken.  

Neither The Independent nor Disqus have responded to my subsequent emails asking why the comment had been rejected. 

Be warmed, freedom of speech stops at The Independent. Who's to know whether our comments are or are not filtered and selectively fed to the ISS. Frightening thought isn't it, but one we need to consider seriously when attempting to speak 'freely' though some of the UK media who would have us believe they are independent of state censorship. It's disturbing to realise that The Independent does indeed resort to third world censorship.

Update 6 February 2011. The Independent finally responded to my numerous emails through a Laura Davis presumably from their Moderation section to say she has posted my comment - that's over 2 weeks since Tony Benn's article! Go figure...

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