An Open Letter

Att: Audra Estrones and Judy Rebick of Rabble.ca

This is an open letter.

I am extremely disappointed with the way your organization is running the "babble" BBS. You individuals are clearly not living up to your own policies as documented here ( http://www.rabble.ca/babble/policy.html ) and quoted below.

"rabble.ca is a public, progressive news and information source. As part of rabble, this message board (babble) was created to ensure that readers/participants could explore any issues of interest and concern. While all points of view are welcome here, repeated attempts to provoke conflict, bait or taunt will not be tolerated. Offenders generally receive warnings before being suspended. Continued abuse could result in eventual or immediate suspension of posting privileges. Posters using multiple identities can be banned outright. Continued participation on these boards is at the sole discretion of the moderator(s) and staff of this site."

I signed up over the weekend in the spirit of lighthearted debate and encouraging a different point of view. From the outset I was attacked for my principles. One of the users even set up a post dedicated specifically to me. Below is a sampling of the hurtful and hatefilled comments that were directed at me:

• "Babbler # 4169 - Oh fear and dread, we are all doomed ... a conservative who considers himself superior to everyone else. The "great right hope" has come to smite all us inferior commies and our socialists ideals. Welcome to babble, we don't get very many conceited pieces of shit conservatives any more... no more than one or two a day. You certainly are a rarity, how will we ever deal with the likes of you?"
  
• "Babbler # 6061 - Oh goody, yet another neo-Con clone to have around. Rick your words are very wise. I really like the way you equate a certain babblers name with terrorism. That was super duper. As a lefty I cannot tell you how pleased I am to see you here. Just so much wonderful, inspiring and ummmm.....original thoughts coming from your blog. You must be super proud. I can't wait for you to teach us/me the horror and depravity of our ways. Besides.... This way I can have yet another reason to have zero hope that neo-con and 'progressive' are words that play well together. Again welcome to Rabble oh neo-con lord of dogma and hate. Really have a seat... sorry for that little incident. I didn't mean to pull the chair away from you while you were sitting. Good thing you won't be around long enough to muddy my lefty mind with enticements of free pictures of Canada's favorite neo-cons - signed and framed."
  I hadn't been there for 20 minutes and that individual was dead set on having me removed simply because I have a different point of view.
  
• "Babbler # 518 - But the problem is not staying on topic, the problem is that your opinions are childlishly stupid. They add nothing to this board."
  
• "Babbler # 4795 - Now, now... no fantisizing about me, Dickie boy... I reserve all my homoerotic dreams about paleocons for Raheem. Hinterland is the one who wants to see your pasty white ass and use your jaws for calipers. Now dance, doughboy! You gotta put on a show for Hint. Pretty soon, we'll have you not only biting, but biting down on the halter bit Hinterland's bought for just you. (He's always wanted a pony.) So dance, doughboy, dance!"
  

The sexual references were completely out of line and in my mind, constitute sexual harasment.

• "Babbler # 3582 - psssst, don't tell anyone, but we may have hit upon a way to contain a troll: put its name on a thread and make the thread all about the troll, that's what it wants after all. . . ."
  

The thread went down hill from there. Individuals within the thread said they were going to get me banned because of my position on how the terrorists at Gitmo were being treated. Some were offended that I posted a (graphic) picture which is no different than others posted in other threads ie ( http://www.rabble.ca/babble/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=28&t=001194&p= ).

Several individuals went so far as to visit my web-log and encite my readers / commenters to violence:

• Babbler # 4014 - "My aren't we a cleaver little thing, did we learn all our big words at commie martyr's primary school? And the civlity is startling I bet Mom and dad would be so proud of their little clone if they knew who their progeny were. I'm pretty sure I'm not "cleaver". Anyway, Richard...your little buddy here seems to be going Ted Kaczynski on me. You do know of course that you are liable for the commentary on your blog, right? Of course you do. Hinterland 07.17.05 - 1:42 pm # "
  

I never received any warnings or other contact from the moderator and yet got banned from posting anyway. I wrote to the moderator asking why and got no response. This indicates to me that the moderator, operating on behalf of Rabble.ca condones this sort of treatment of individuals. Let me be perfectly clear on this point. I was harased, I was discriminated against, and I was removed from the BBS by your moderator. This is not consistant with your stated policy and I'm demanding that reparations be made.


To that end, I'm requiring a written apology from Rabble.ca for the conduct of it's moderator and posters as Rabble.ca is ultimately responsible for what happens on it's BBS. I will also be requiring that the following users loose their posting privlidges indefinately:

• No Yards rabble-rouser Babbler # 4169
• Cueball rabble-rouser Babbler # 4790
• Stargazer rabble-rouser Babbler # 6061
• Hephaestion rabble-rouser Babbler # 4795
• jeff house rabble-rouser Babbler # 518
• Hinterland rabble-rouser Babbler # 4014
• RealityBites rabble-rouser Babbler # 6718
• fern hill rabble-rouser Babbler # 3582
• N.Beltov rabble-rouser Babbler # 4140
• Nikita rabble-rouser Babbler # 9050
• Vansterdam Kid rabble-rouser Babbler # 5474
• anne cameron rabble-rouser Babbler # 8045

I thank you for your prompt response. Further, I expect that response by the end of the day as I have already contacted both the AB and ONT human rights comissions on how to procede with putting an end to that sort of discrimination and harasment. This letter is at their request. I have copies of all relevent supporting documentation including screen shots, ip addresses and the e-mail previously sent to your BBS moderator.

The ball's in your court,
Richard Evans