Today I was banned from As Maine Goes

I should add that this is (0.00 / 0)

even less surprising considering that my comments to the Stand for Marriage Maine (S4MM) facebook page are routinely deleted. Fascinating that they treat their supporters exactly like the school kids they want to "protect" - knowledge is simply too controversial an idea for them.

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by: Gerald Weinand @ Sat Oct 17, 2009 at 16:11:31 PM CDT

It's a shame (4.00 / 1)

Divorced from the events that transpired, it is really unfortunate that any debate is censored.  Unless it is outright hateful or vulgar, I think all debate should be allowed.  If anything it is a good opportunity to prove your point to those questioning you and further reinforce your arguments.  

One the best conversations I've had at my blog was a long debate about merit pay.  We never came to a complete agreement, but I now know read his blog regularly and visa versa.  I've debated a few people on Question 1.  There was never hope of changing anyone's mind.  Debating issues like same-sex marriage is somewhat akin to trench warfare.  Gains will be measured in inches.  I've managed to stay cordial in the debates I've had so far.  Those were one on one though.  I didn't jump into the lion pit covered with bbq sauce :P

After all that rambling, I'd like to applaud you for your bravery in trying to spread the No On 1 message to every corner.  You did what you could.  It is Scott's site and ultimately his choice, but unfortunate that it ended this way.

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by: Derek Viger @ Sat Oct 17, 2009 at 17:55:59 PM CDT

? (3.00 / 1)

Gerald: Now that you are gone from AMG, how do I contact you privately?  Did you get my response to your last question?

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by: Dan Billings @ Sat Oct 17, 2009 at 18:40:56 PM CDT

Dan, and everyone else (0.00 / 0)

for that matter:

My email address is gerald at dirigoblue dot com

And no - I did not get your response. Thanks for asking Dan - I appreciate it.

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by: Gerald Weinand @ Sat Oct 17, 2009 at 20:21:30 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I was banned but I post their CR*P (4.00 / 1)

Gerald,
As the editor of UnionMaine.Blogspot.com I was banned for nearly a year and then due to a new system they probably mistakenly let me post again.
Scott Fish has no tolerance for personal comments and no ability to refute the facts about his blatant one sided views.

On My site I am currently hosting a debate about whether the MSEASEIU local 1989 should disaffiliate from SEIU and the most active poster is an anti-union activist.

I have only minimal rules, no profanity, no outright stupidity, and disagreeing with me is not outright stupidity.

The teaparty mentality at AMG finally caused me to stop posting there even after their mistake of letting me in again. S.F. and the amg crowd would refuse to believe the truth even if they knew it were true.

When I left amg my comment was, I am leaving, I hear banjo music.

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by: NarsBars @ Sat Oct 17, 2009 at 19:23:52 PM CDT

I wouldn't worry too much... (0.00 / 0)

...cousins are only dangerous to EACH OTHER.

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by: GraciesDaddy @ Mon Oct 19, 2009 at 22:33:11 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

It's a team building exercise ... (0.00 / 0)

As Paul Graham would say:

You can't distinguish your group by doing things that are rational, and believing things that are true. If you want to set yourself apart from other people, you have to do things that are arbitrary, and believe things that are false.

That's the YES side in a nutshell at this point.

What saddens me the most, personally, in all of this, is that I remain 100% in favor of any group's right to separate itself from the public school system and operate its own private institution(s) of learning.  

That said, my takeaway from the latest YES ad is that the animus against the gay community runs so deep among these folks that even our long-established public accommodations designed to protect religious beliefs and education are no longer enough for these folks.

They appear to be clamoring for the absurd right to remain both separate (as teachers at a private Christian school) and somehow more equal than their public school counterparts.

Is Maine planning to run a referendum on private Christian school curricula anytime soon?  

For what it's worth, I'd be as opposed to that as I am to this "People's Veto" travesty.

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by: Chino Blanco @ Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 06:37:54 AM CDT

P.S. Maine conservatives need to read this ... (0.00 / 0)

Why Conservatives Should Support Gay Marriage:

http://www.patheos.com/Explore...

As far as gay marriage is concerned, Maine got it right the first time around by enacting it via your legislature.

Scott Fish has got Edmund Burke spinning in his grave.

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by: Chino Blanco @ Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 07:05:33 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Edmund Burke (0.00 / 0)

I have a feeling Burke would get labeled a liberal if he were alive today.

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by: Derek Viger @ Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 07:50:45 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Look at Nixon - remove Vietnam (0.00 / 0)

and his paranoia, and he was pretty progressive too.

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by: Gerald Weinand @ Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 08:23:41 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

AMG Ban mentality... (0.00 / 0)

"If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all."  - Noam Chomsky

(Gerald:  I just guessing on the despised part.)

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by: Bruce Bourgoine @ Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 08:50:15 AM CDT

I'd welcome more debate on my site, (0.00 / 0)

even from the Halls of Wingnuttia. That guy knows a lot less than he thinks he does, but he's not really nasty in a personal way. On the other hand some of them get their little feewings hurt so easy, like this wingnut "Mike," who banned me a few years ago.

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by: Maine Owl @ Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 13:08:50 PM CDT

I welcome more debate here too (0.00 / 0)

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by: Gerald Weinand @ Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 16:33:48 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

bwahahahah (0.00 / 0)

AMG's??? Do we really care about those blind fools lead by bloggers like Naran??? I mean really, we are dealing with some real nasty power trips with this crowd. Just move on...no way to sway them.

When I left amg my comment was, I am leaving, I hear banjo music.

No on 1.

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by: blueoctgal @ Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 19:56:56 PM CDT

I was banned also (0.00 / 0)

from As Maine Goes in 2005 or 2006, without any justification, and in a highly unprofessional manner to boot.

Subsequent inquiries to be reinstated fell on deaf ears.

I wish the site well, there is a good deal of significant news and discussion that takes place there (not all of which, by any means, from a policy perspective that I agree with).

At a certain point, I've had bigger '"fish" to fry' (pun intended) so it's long since fell, for the most part, to the back burner of my radar screen.  

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by: alexhammer @ Tue Oct 20, 2009 at 09:19:07 AM CDT