Indy Media Watch

How is it possible to have a sensible discussion about Middle East politics when comments such as this one on BC Indymedia demonstrate how woefully inadequate some people's clue (tm) is.

Zionists are, by the very definition of the term, terrorists in every possible way. Hamas is a popular social, political, and national defense organisation of Palestine. The Zionists label Hamas as terrorists because they resist Zionist terrorism. But Hamas are a national service and liberation movement. The Zionists are the invaders, aggressors, oppressors, and international rogue terrorist group. All Zionists should be catalogued and monitored carefully by all the governments of the world. Then we will discover exactly how 98% of world violence is planned and executed.

I mean come on! Seriously. Hamas are a National defense organization? From what? Killer Zionist Babies? For Pete's sake...

Note also the absence of the word "Jew".

Scotland Indymedia is reporting on a group called the "No Borders Network" interfering with Government activity.

Through solidarity, mutual aid and direct action we CAN stop the dawn raids!

In the New Year there'll be continuing protests and direct action at the Brand Street Immigration Centre and we plan early morning 'watches' for Immigration Office dawn raid teams.

Through "solidarity, mutual aid and direct action" you could also stop any form of law-enforcement. Perhaps blowing the whistle on drug raids, warning crime gangs of approaching police or broadcasting the names of undercover police officers. Is this really sensible?

As 2005 draws to a close, let's look back on Indymedia's main issues over the year.

1) Bush=Hitler
2) Blair=Hitler
3) Jews=Hitler
4) Hitler≠Hitler

I think that just about covers it.

Scott has very kindly given me an award in his Year End Awards

The Lifetime Achievement Award goes to Indymedia Watch. The Watcher spends a lot of hours wading through the swamps of Indymedia. If I spend five minutes there I need a shower. So, in light of his underappreciated work, I hereby bestow this award to a good man who has the patience and stomach to deal with the lunacy that is Indymedia. Congratulations my friend.

I am truly flattered.

In fairness, the award came only after I bitched in his comments and forced his hand, but I graciously accept it anyway!

Scott and I have never met, but have swapped a few links over time. I consider him a friend. Go and visit the Environmental Republican, who like myself, has matured as a blogger over the last year. Whereas my journal is one-dimensional fluff, Scott now puts out a high-quality product well worth reading.

Thanks Scott.

Anne emailed me to report this piece (now hidden) on UK Indymedia alleging that Mossad (who else?) has been 'caught' spreading AIDS in a Libyan hospital.

Five Bulgarian nurses and one doctor from occupied Palestine recruited by mossad confessed to working for mossad agents in an operation to spread AIDS around the world.

Sure they did...

The article continues:

Another Israeli mass murder using tainted blood to infect people in the world was discovered by the SMH they wrote: 'A reliable source at the Australian red cross provided details of the report circulated by the organization to its members warning of imported blood units contaminated with the AIDS virus, hepatitis and bilharzia. The blood units were manufactured by an Australian company and Israel treated them before they were sent to Third World nations,' the paper wrote on August 24.

I highlighted the word "organization" as it struck me as odd that an Australian newspaper - the Sydney Morning Herald would use American spelling. Unsurprisingly (of course) Googling revealed nothing.

Checking Sydney Indymedia however showed this similar piece posted in the last week and this one this morning. Both pieces are still visible on the Sydney newswire, and the spelling in both, as well as several comments in support of the article, give us some insight into the intelligence of the author, and let us take a guess at who it might be.

what a loose jumble of fact and fiction and hateful fantasy generally this all looks. Don't you think it might all just be a terrible accident or poor practices. I hardly think the Jewish Diaspora that lost so many children in the Holocaust would dirty their hands with the murder of other innocent children. Simply to state the proposition proves how presposterous and awful the idea is.

Could it simply be problems of medical practice and governments trying to find any convenient scapegoat for a disastrous tragedy? I think so. Real accountability for the infection of those children might be a better objective wouldn't you think, as in systematic improvements in the medical systems of Libya?

If you really want peace in the middle east, which surely you do, maybe avoiding deliberate provocations would be a useful guideline, on all sides.

Too right. The response?

what (sic) is up with that anon commentor,(sic) the mossad (sic) agent confessed to doing this they (sic) where (sic) cought (sic) red-handed !

Why of course they did... Six errors in one sentence. Is this a new record? This is followed by more 'anti-Zionism' (yeah right):

its time to see how many jews can fit in a vw ash tray again...

Sydney Indymedia continues to provide a quality service to the community. The question is "Which community"?

What's also interesting is that Google indexes Indymedia. It would be unsurprising to see a search for "Mossad" and "AIDS" showing such crap in the future, to help propagate subsequent anti-Jew lies. Sydney Indymedia remains complicit in this crime.

Via Scott, here is a wonderful story.

TYLER, Texas -- A Marine who's planning to marry a Texan got an early Christmas present: A fellow shopper picked up the tab for a $3,000 diamond engagement ring after the two struck up a conversation in a jewelry store.

The 54-year-old Dallas woman who paid for the 1-carat, princess cut diamond ring wants to remain anonymous, Helzberg Diamonds spokeswoman Stacey McBride told The Associated Press on Friday. The woman's father was in the military, her brother was a Marine who died in Vietnam and her nephew just got back from Iraq, McBride said.

I previously reported on the doubtful claim from a single source that George W. Bush said "Stop throwing the Constitution in my face - It’s just a goddamned piece of paper!"

I suggested it had "all the markings of a myth that will never die" and advised readers to "watch and see how this dubious quote spreads with all the agility and grace of a plastic turkey..."

Well It has.

A Google Search for "Bush" "It's just a goddamned piece of paper" shows over 300,000 sites are now discussing it.

Update: Check comments. Whilst it's clear the quote is being discussed widely, due to Google voodoo, the exact figure I quoted is being debated.

This article on Arizona Indymedia states:

We mourn the passing of our dear friend and community member, Bill Rodgers, who worked tirelessly for the causes of social justice and environmental sustainability.

Part of this work landed him in prison for 'eco-terror'.

William C. Rodgers, 40, of Prescott, Ariz., committed suicide, according to the Coconino County sheriff's office. The county medical examiner determined that Rodgers suffocated after placing a plastic bag over his head while he was being held in a one-person cell.

Rodgers was one of six people arrested this month in connection with eco-terrorist attacks in Oregon and Washington in recent years. He was charged in the firebombing of a government wildlife lab outside Olympia, Wash.

In an affidavit filed in federal court last week, an FBI agent said Rodgers attended a meeting of Earth Liberation Front members in western Colorado where the arson of a Vail, Colo., ski resort was planned.

Bill was also an active member of the Arizona IMC collective.

Over on SF Bay Area Indymedia they are 'mourning' his passing by insisting he was whacked by the Government.

Four successive comments:

Are we sure that he killed himself? Is there any independent investigation of the circunstances of his dead?
...
government torture
by uncaged

The plastic bag is a common method that the cops use during interrogations to extort informations. Guantanamo and Abu Grahib are everywhere.
Respect for Bill.
...
let's not shy away
by anti-imperialist

He was murdered, people. Face up to it.

Of course.

Tim Blair who has done a great job covering (what's left of) The Sydney Riots is reporting that two youths have been charged for burning the Australian flag.

I have previously reported on Indymedia calls to burn flags. See "Burn the Flag Day" which (mercifully) was a flop.

A comment on Sydney Indymedia says:

Two teenagers have been denied bail whose only alleged crime is the burning of the Australian flag. The establishment is using the race riots they stirred up as another excuse to erode political and civil rights.

I was shocked to read today that two teenagers in a Sydney Court were denied bail, deemed too dangerous to release back into the community until trial, whose only charges relate to an incident where an Australian Flag was burnt at an RSL [Australian Veterans Club] in Sydney. Last time I looked this alleged crime came under the banner of property damage - no violence has been alleged by the Crown.

It is outrageous to incarcerate minors like this for an act of property damage where no one got hurt. Personally I felt like burning the Australian flag myself the day after the race riots in Sydney where the Flag was held aloft as a symbol of racism as people where beaten by drunken mobs. The burning of a flag is essentially an act of freedom of political expression - an act of political dissent. The worst crime these teenagers committed on top of this dissent could only be trespass and the destruction of a relatively cheap piece of property belonging to an RSL. These are not crimes that merit the incarceration of anyone let alone minors

This is just another example of the how the establishment - who fuelled and whipped up the race riots in the first place are using them as yet another excuse to chip away at the right to dissent and freedom of expression. By all means the state should be charging and prosecuting anyone no matter what their background for actual crimes of violence or property damage.

The thing is, the charges which were laid had nothing to do with the political act of flag burning. Another comment points out:

This is ABSOLUTE BULLSHIT, of the type Indymedia is famous.

They were charged with one count of entering a building with the intent of committing an indictable offence and one of malicious damage by fire.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/two-refused-bail-over-flag-burning/2005/12/23/1135032159706.html

They went into the RSL, stole a flag (which wasn't theirs) and burnt it.

It would be no different at all, if they walked into the RSL, stolen a pool table and burnt that instead. They would be arrested and charged. Your whole premise about "the right to dissent and freedom of expression" being "eroded" is irrelevant. However you seem to deny the right of private citizens not to have their property stolen and burned by your 'activist' mates.

This is NOT a freedom of speech issue, only one involving some punks who shouldn't be allowed near matches. If only they had burnt their own property (in a safe manner) they would have likely been fine. Better yet, ended up like this guy:

Elsewhere on Sydney Indymedia (where else?) is this:



And a Happy New Year from Indy Media Watch.

Indymedia UK is trying again to prove the London terrorist bombings were an inside job.

"The only evidence produced to incriminate the accused is CCTV images, which proves nothing, other than their presence at the scene"

But what about the prerecorded video statement of the bombers? Apparently that was faked.

we may consider CGI [computer generated imagery as used in movies], and the smooth soundtrack contrasting with the video edits.

This would not be the first time CGI was used to fake terrorist speeches.

An article on BC Indymedia entitled Indymedia = Conservatives was written by someone calling themselves "Zioinsm hater" (and presumably spelling hater) in response to this poll.

Indymedia may be many things, but conservative?

Meanwhile, it's not too late to vote here for Idiot of the Year, where "All Indymedia sites" has been nominated (and isn't doing too badly).

Checking back in on Sydney Indymedia, I am pleased to report the antisemites haven't (yet) replaced all of their recent crap which was (eventually) hidden by the moderators.

Instead, it's plain old 9/11 conspiracies. Nothing to see here, no need to quote it.

All I can say is this - The conspiracy theorists really missed the boat on 9/11 and the London Bombings (7/7).

The Gubment clearly used their mind-control weapons to convince thousands of New Yorkers that they saw planes crash into the buildings and Londoners that they saw terrorists wearing backpacks.

By the time the conspiracy theorists had a chance to actually document and disseminate their theories, nobody could possibly take them seriously as they had all (clearly) been tricked by the various intelligence agencies' Black-Flag divisions. It was a complete PR disaster.

As a result, and to prevent further embarrassment, the conspiracy theorists have already written, well in advance their proof of why the US Government, UK Government and (of course) Mossad engineered the forthcoming terrorist attack (attack details TBA).

Reports will feature masses of (scientific-looking) scientific evidence as to how the attack (attack details TBA) couldn't have been as reported by the majority of the press and witnesses. Videos with slow-motion FX and gratuitous use of the Ken Burns effect have been produced, as have Flash animations for rapid upload to the usual sites.

Of course all that will be required after the attack is to fill in the date, time and location of the explosion but this shouldn't take long and they already know all the other facts. Oh, and they will need to find out which law-enforcement agencies were training that day (as law-enforcement agencies seem to do every day) and use that to prove even further, that the whole thing was an inside-job.

It will be published on Indymedia too. You watch.

Via comments I learn that Sydney Indymedia has hidden several of the disgracefully antisemitic articles which have polluted the newswire in the last few weeks.

Finally.

I'm cautious to speculate whether this represents a dramatic shift in Sydney's policy, however will always give credit where it is due. Having said that however, it took several days/weeks for it to happen. How long will it take idiots to repost them, and what will happen subsequently? We will watch and see.

One thing is for sure, as many bloggers and political sites know. If trolls are constantly and consistently beaten down, they will go elsewhere. If they are allowed to thrive however, they will do just that instead.

Meanwhile, a comment which appears on an otherwise unrelated post raises some interesting points. I'll reprint the whole thing here with my comments embedded in turn:

I've been an IMC hack for various Indymedia centres across the planet for the last few years. I also do spots for Indymedia Radio shows.

I write anonomously, and gets lots of good feedback for my work.

Not all posts to IMC sites can be viewed being as "failures". I do agree though, we get all sorts of crap being posted by conspirac-nuts and as you say "bigots, trolls and Nazis" but some stuff is really good stuff.

I don't dispute that. However, the good in many cases doesn't justify tolerance of the bad. Bear in mind also (as I do) that some IMC sites are certainly better than some. I accept that reading my blog you will seldom hear of the good work, but this is a result of the amount of negative contribution to society made on the IMC sites I critique (and that it would make this blog a lot less entertaining).

Stuff that you would not see on the mainstream media. Not because its bad writing - but because it attacks the corporate agenda of those who seek to profit at virtually any cost.

I think you come across as rather unfair on many media outlets who, it may surprise you, do have a conscience and ethics. Certainly Indymedia is not in any place to throw stones.

Perhaps appreciate the volunteer nature of IMCs, and understand the demands the of day-to-day grass-roots struggle that activism entails...

I have heard this argument used to justify the failure of moderators to hide articles which are offensive/illegal/disgraceful and discussed the problem at some length here.

I can somewhat appreciate your examination on Indymedia. Akthough I am not entirely sure what you're trying to achieve.

If it causes Indymedia to shape up and make an overwhelmingly positive contribution to society (or failing that, shut down with honor) I'm happy.

Why not write some good quality journalism yourself and use the facilities of IMCs. Perhaps be an example instead of an outright hostility against the good work of IMC volunteers.

A fine suggestion, however it will not address the fundamental problems of IMC. I don't believe this blog or my actions represent "outright hostility" as legitimate criticism, which is in my opinion seldom heard by IMC. I say this based on the number of emails and comments I have received from people who have simply walked away from IMC and migrated to other forums, blogs and websites across the Internet. They are the "quality journalists" you would seek to endorse, yet are/were completely frustrated with the unprofessionalism, amateurishness and in many cases downright stupidity of the respective IMC site.

Perhaps join your local Indymedia editorial collective yourself and actually change the media itself ...

Been there, done that. Have generally avoided talking about it lest it be seen as sour grapes. It isn't as I can stand behind all I have written on this site.

To cut a long story short, I guess I just thought I'd say I don't quite get where you're comin from. Your banner at Indy Media Watch reads:

"Indymedia was set up to fill a void in the corporate media"

Actually, IMCs were set up for communications between activists at the WTO in 1999, and to tell the stories directly from the frontline of protest. So in one sense you are correct: the corporate media does little to really tell the stories of those who oppose exploitation at the expense of others.

Different IMCs may have different opinions on what their role is. Some agree with me, others with your interpretation. It doesn't ultimately matter, as long as they are doing good things, instead of dumb.

But to imply that IMCs can replace or take over mainstream profit-driven media outlets is erroneous.

I agree. The two could be complementary. At the moment, Indymedia isn't.

So why not try to help the IMC phenomena rather that attack what is an excellent medium for dispersal of information.

I am trying to help. Really. The choice is for my arguments (which I am certainly not alone in making) to be accepted.

Furthermore, I'd really like to read some positive suggestions from you about how to improve the quality of IMCs?

I'd suggest simply reading back over numerous posts on the understanding that most (not all) of what I link to is an demonstrable example of something wrong.

As a 'quick-win' however, the various IMC sites could get serious about preventing the posting of material which is hateful, libelous, antisemitic or factually incorrect. This could come about through responsible management, diligent enforcement and in some cases user-registration or some other hoops to reduce 'drive-by stupidity'. It is not a hopeless task, many other political blogs and news sites do it so Indymedia could - if they wanted to. The issue is intent. Thanks for visiting.

The California Patriot blog is reporting on an annual tradition:

As is tradition during finals week, a bunch of Berkeley students go streaking through the library. No one but the organizers know beforehand when and where the run will take place, but those in the right place at the right time get to witness a time-honored Berkeley tradition. Though nothing will ever take the place of being there, with the power of the internet and cameraphone technology, the rest of us aren’t deprived a peek.

Warning: Nudity follows...

The other students seem less than impressed and some of their comments on the page are hilarious.

Mexican President Vicente Fox



and

Further to the recent violence in Sydney, a collection of Unite Against Racism Rally Photos includes this one:
Considering it was touted as an "anti-racism" protest, a subsequent comment asks:

Does the communist party of australia realise the the USSR (they have a hammer sickle flag) was one of the most racist regimes on earth, basically deporting or killing every minority in russia (chechens, jews, ainu people and others) while massaring the rest of the russian population anyway. ihave no problem with communists, just stalinists.

Some responses:

Eh. I *think* the australian communist party are Maoist rather than Stalinist actually. Not entirely sure.

either way , theres only like about ten of em, and there all senile.
...
Briefly, dying Maoist sect with very small presence in select unions. Crazier than a shithouse rat.
...
any organization who claims they are maoist/stalinist are a bunch of lunatics.
...
Maoists are pretty much Stalinists on crystal meth, and I have no time for either of them. There's a particularly wacky Maoist-Stalinist sect in New Zealand which recruits big among students because they combine fire-breathing radical rhetoric with a complete withdrawl from fighting any real-world battles.

And so on...

A post on Melbourne Indymedia reporting on the march makes allegations of police brutality

Police harass people, singling out these banner holders..

And here's a picture of this "harrassment".

The bastards! Others respond:

sorry, I'm calling bullshit on the comment given with his photo. police harassment? crap, i was there and they didn't single out people with banners and they didn't harass anyone. what a pointlessly whiny thing to say.
...
in fact, the police were quite decent.

I was there too.

This of course casts further doubt on any claims on Indymedia of 'police brutality'.

A final comment on the question of ethnic integration is priceless:

they're about as integrated into the community as Mike Tyson at a debutantes' ball.

UK Indymedia reports Blair Knew About London Attacks.

Look, we get it.

Thanks to Indymedia, we all know beyond any doubt that Mossad, the CIA, the Jews Zionists and MI5 were behind the London bombing (and 9/11 of course).

Can we move on please?

Sigh...

Leigh from the House Of Wheels writes:

Further to the last two stories on Sydney Indy Media that the Jews/Mossad were behind the Sydney race riots, we have this latest gem

A fire witnesses said was started by jewish mosszad agents destroyed a west Sydney church hall linked to the riots in Cronulla, NSW Premier Morris Iemma says.

As Leigh notes, what the hell is a "mosszad" agent?

As a comment on the Indymedia post notes:

Come on Faruque (sorry, "Walter").

We all know Sydney Indymedia won't bother hiding your antisemitic articles, but now you aren't even trying!

Too right. Completely unsurprisingly, there is no mention of this in any other news source.

It makes me wonder however, if Google indexes Indymedia, could the frequent posting of such antisemitic articles essentially be a giant Googlebomb for future antisemites' convenience?

Probably won't matter if people are only looking for "mosszad"...

Permalink # posted by Dan @ 6:20 PM | |  | 1 comments

On BC Indymedia, this article cynically asks: "Am I The Only One Who Sees Iraqi Fighters As Human Beings?"

I wrote two days ago that George Bush's assertion that 30,000 Iraqi "citizens" had died was wrong, not just because it didn't give credence to the controversial Lancet study which estimated (more than a year ago) 100,000 dead, but because Bush was clearly and deliberately asked about all Iraqis, including "civilians, military, police, insurgents, translators." The corporate media dutifuly echoed the 30,000 number without question.

Did they? This article argues the exact opposite point. It seems Indymedia is once again drawing a rather long bow in its accusations about the 'corporate media'.

According to Big Muddy IMC:

Black Ops has been ordered to WHACK all Dissidents both by conventional means and with the use of invisible Electro Magnetic weapons... (a hitmans dream-come-true).

Fuhgeddaboutit! As the article says " HAIL THE INTERNET FREE PRESS!" (no kidding).

Nazimedia is a nickname which has been given to Indymedia on several , predominantly conservative websites. It's one I have avoided.

Until now.

Sydney Indymedia has completely opened the floodgates of antisemitism, and it is clear the moderators of the website wish to do nothing about it. That is, they are accepting of it, and therefore complicit.

This article repeats a blood-libel (Wikipedia Definition) previously posted by Faruque Ahmed.

In January 2005 New Zealand police arrested an as yet un-named Israeli who was accused of poisoning 40,000 liters (over 10,000 gallons) of milk.

See the nature of the only other sites which are quoting the same (mysteriously unavailable) article and went into a frenzy when the New Zealand spy scandal took place. Some of the commentary in here includes:

if the thieving jews gave back the land they stole resestance would not exist
but we all know that the rabid thieving jews never give back what they steal.
they must be beat down and removed from humanity.

Isn't it funny how antisemites seem incapable of using capital letters or spelling? Must be something about their intelligence.

These comments and their continuing display on the site force me to suggest Sydney Indymedia might as well rename itself Stormfront or perhaps Hamasmedia.

Seriously. How low is the bar set? Is anyone at Sydney Indymedia proud of their achievements? I'd be thrilled to hear from any of them. I know from my referrer logs that numerous Sydney readers visit.

Other Australian Indymedia sites do a much better job and Darwin Indymedia (permanently offline)

Due to increasing costs in providing hosting for multiple sites, Perth Indymedia has had to make the decision to only host websites located in Western Australia.

Please check again at a later date and hopefully darwin indymedia will have found a new home.

We apologise for the inconvenience this causes, and wish the darwin activist community the best of luck.

Yours in liberty,
The Perth Indy Gang.

is a model Sydney and several others should consider.

If you look in the left hand column of moonbatmonitor.blog-city.com you will see that "All Indymedia sites" have been nominated for the Idiot of the Year award.

Currently, Cindy Sheehan is winning, closely followed by the ACLU. Indymedia is not ranking highly.

Vote early and vote often.

Further to my previous suggestion of the perfect children's' book for Christmas, UK Indymedia, in this article warns:

Few are talking about, but the truth is out there.

Santa Claus is in deep do do.

As global warming melts his Arctic homes, Rudolph and his brother and sister reindeer are under threat, along with - polar bears, ice-dwelling seals and several forms of Arctic vegetation - not to mention the many indigenous human inhabitants of the area.

The article is actually quite amusing, subsequent comments however are not:

Many people kill themselves at Christmas thinking of these things. Do nature a favour, don't kill yourself but kill somebody richer and who consumes more.

A later comment refers to the seriously cool Norad Tracks Santa webpage (www.noradsanta.org) however notes:

Every year NORAD also assign airforce fighter jets to track Santa across their airspace. They have this cute little website where you can watch SantaCams on board fighter-bombers. Seemingly they have been busy tracking Santa for 50 years, perhaps this helps explain why they were so unprepared for 911.

Can you say "bah humbug"?

BC Indymedia is promoting a Free E-book: Anarchist Stories for Children (PDF). It's the perfect gift for the child who wants to learn how to topple governments, distrust police and shoplift. Some extracts:

Chapter 6 - "I Pledge Allegiance to No One".

"Hi," she said. "I'm Elizabeth. I'm in your class."
Amy turned and smiled. "Hi, Elizabeth. I'm Amy. Did you wait
here for me to come out of detention?"
Elizabeth blushed, "Well, um, yeah, I was, well I was wondering
about, you know, the pledge and why you didn't say it."
...
"Elizabeth," said Amy. "Do you know what flags are for?"
"Flags are about war," she continued. "Flags are about blindly
rallying to the call of murder. My father blindly rallied to the
call of murder, behind that very flag, and now he's dead. I
won't let them program me in to following like a lemming over
the cliff."

She was silent for a time.

Can't imagine why. Bearing in mind this is intended as a children's book, it gets better:

Amy continued, "Look at the President. Are his daughters
fighting in the war? Have you heard of the son or daughter of
any wealthy corporate man that has died in the war? Have you
seen any soldiers living well and enjoying the things the rich
enjoy? You haven't because they are not rich. The republic
belongs to the rich and it is paid for with the blood of the poor.
It is not your republic and pledging allegiance to it is like a
slave pledging allegiance to her master or a rape victim
pledging allegiance to her rapist.

Mommy, what's a rapist?

Chapter 10 - "Shoplifting"

This is a story of two boys, Juan and Gustavo. They've never met, but they share something in common. Both have shoplifted.

Terrific. No need for those lucky children to wait for Santa Claus, especially since Chapter 8 of the book tells them Santa Claus is really a corporate myth.

Chapter 11 - "Faggot" is by far the most kid-friendly

The school bell rang. It was the end of the day and Andres was looking forward to going home. When the school door opened, he joined the flow of students exiting the Junior High School.

He carried a large stack of books in his arms. The wind was chilly and the frozen grass crunched beneath his boots. Andres was a day-dreamer and today was just like any other day. His mind was on something, out there, beyond this world
while he crossed the school yard. Suddenly, out of no where, he felt a heavy blow to the back of his head. His vision was temporarily replaced with a splash of white sparkles and then darkness. He fell to the cold ground and lay motionless for a
few seconds, unconscious. As he came back to consciousness, a loud ringing filled his ears and the pain in the back of his head was intolerable. He was confused and disoriented, not sure where he was for a few seconds, when he heard the voice of one of the school's bullies taunt, "Faggot!"

He rolled onto his back and as he started to get up, a foot kicked him in the face. Blood ran out of his nose. His hand went to cover his nose when another kick connected with his throat. For what seemed like a whole minute he was unable to
breath. The kick caused his throat to swell instantly and air could not enter. He knelt there, holding his neck, blood dripping from his nose, gasping for air.
...
These attacks happened nearly every day. Andres was a sweet boy. He was gentle. He didn't like sports. He didn't like to fight. These daily attacks were robbing him of his self-esteem.

Gosh! What will young Andres do? Will he tell his parents? Will he confront the bully? Will he speak to the School Principal?

He went home, opened his closet and made a noose out of some rope. He climbed up on a box in the closet, slipped his neck into the noose and just before he kicked the box out from beneath himself, he thought of his cat and how lonely she'd be without him.

Feel the love.

BC Indymedia is proud to present: "Ending Capitalism 101"

Fucking taxpayers. Fucking fools blinded by the delusion of 'democracy'. Fucking naive idiots who've yet to consider that figuring out what you are is a prerequisite of having any just authority. The proud. The stupid mother fuckers who will do anything but pay attention to what is needed to find harmony on this planet. It is your responsibility. YOURS.

The biggest goddamn curse is knowing it's not your fault you are so stupid. So, it's not even about forgiveness. Everyone is as much a product of their experience as I am- so this is where I'm at.

Not a whole lot within the article about capitalism, but it's terribly colourful isn't it?

UK Indymedia is hosting some photos from the WTO summit in Hong Kong.

It's a very interesting look at the 'protest antics' of the Hong Kong locals compared to Australian/European smashfests.

This non-Indymedia article, explains the unusual actions of the protesters and notes the protests went from violence to non-violence (instead of the reverse, more common in the West).

This report on UK Indymedia (click for photo) demonstrates that even the undead can still oppose the WTO.

After some discussions, activists from Vamos! (Paris samba band is part of the group Vamos! ), CIRCA, groups against advertisement, Pink Panthers (queer group) and others decided to organise a zombie insurrection against WTO. All converged under the name of Federation of Insurgent Zombies Associations (FAZI).
...
Near [one] hundred Zombies and Clowns are occupying since 2:30 pm the supermarket Carrefour to denounce the WTO submit.

[insert obligatory jokes about eating brains and mindlessly following their master]

I look forward to articles on Sydney Indymedia suggesting Jews were responsible for reanimating the dead.

Via Sydney Indymedia, more articles claiming the local riots were really the work of Jews. Sydney Indymedia, wanting to be taken seriously as a media outlet, does nothing at all about this, or past highly antisemitic and completely untrue posts passing itself off as news.

For Heaven's sake.

Whilst looking for news on the Sydney riots, I discovered this article in the Sydney Morning Herald which I am reprinting as a service to the activist community.

Another of Phil's penny-saving scams is dumpster diving. Come again? "It's where you raid industrial-sized bins out the back of supermarkets [for free food]," he explains.

After squelching his hands past "rotting vegetable matter", Phil claims to find quality produce such as "organic, wood-fired sourdough bread, biodynamic yoghurt and organic bush honey" - all protected from other garbage by plastic packaging. Such items, he says, get thrown out because their labels are damaged or their use-by dates have passed - not because they're inedible.

Phil says he's not the only one who does it. An international activist network known as "Food Not Bombs" prepares free feasts at protest gatherings using pre-loved ingredients from supermarket bins.

Previous report on "Freeganism".

Meanwhile, apparently unclear on the distinction between "scamming", "rorting" and downright theft, it would appear the Sydney Morning Herald endorses theft, including copies of its own paper:

OTHER DODGY TRICKS
...
Look swish: Buy a suit from a department store to look good at a job interview, then return it the following day to get your money back.

Lost and found: Go to CityRail's lost-property office and "reclaim" items you supposedly mislaid - they don't always ask if they're yours.

Petty pilfering: "Borrow" plates, glasses and cutlery from shopping centre food courts to stock unfurnished student pads.
...
Stay informed: As you stagger home after clubbing all night, "collect" the weekend papers on the pavement in front of your local newsagency at 5am.

Free CDs: Tell record companies you're setting up a new magazine so they send you CDs to review.

Tomato tricks: Snap the green stems off expensive vine-ripened tomatoes before reaching the supermarket checkout to pay the less-expensive price.

Bum deal: OK, now we're scraping the bottom of the barrel. Nick toilet paper from an office or public loos to use at home.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE SCAM? POST A COMMENT ABOVE.

As the article isn't satire, it seems some parts of the MSM, notably the Sydney Morning Herald and Indymedia really aren't that different after all.

Do stolen newspapers count towards circulation figures?

Since my report of Sydney Indymedia blaming Jews for recent ethnic rioting, numerous comments on that post have pointed out that the writer is, as the Aussies might say, a dickhead.

One however points the blame squarely at Indymedia itself:

why do you allow such nonsense to be published on your sites? Is there anything that you don't blame on the mossad?

please. quit with this paranoid and irrational fear/hatred of jews.

when indymedia first came about I thought it was a great idea, but now it's just infested with lunatics. Do yourselves a favor and stop allowing such idiotic and baseless allegations to be viewed publicly. WE at indymedia have become the laughingstock of the entire political blogosphere. Get some credibility back and weed out insane drivel like we've just read from james.

Sound familiar? I've been saying the same thing since starting this project. However, in many cases (notably Sydney) exactly zero has been done. Whilst I seldom report on Hidden Posts (previous explanation of why, here), Looking through Sydney's hidden posts, I can see that someone there is hiding certain articles (and according to Evil Pundit, comments) but not others. That is, it hasn't been left completely unmoderated and wide-open.

Therefore, it is quite reasonable to conclude that Sydney Indymedia really is comfortable with, and accepting of, the bile and drivel spewing daily from its newswire. The word is: Complicit. The other word is stupid.

Here's another word: Seppuku.

From the Sun Online:

Arnie Terminates Tookie

I thought you might enjoy this rambling from LA-IMC. A kid gets his post "hidden" by a moderator and goes berserk.

From the moderator:

"Moderating is not censorship. Without a moderator a good debate can become a shouting match."

I say too late.

So do I. However, the point about censorship versus moderation/editorial is a good one. One which is generally ignored by many Indymedia sites to their peril and our sorrow.

Geoff has emailed me:

You may have noticed that there were riots in Sydney between Lebanese and White youths. The riots started as a response to the bashing of two volunteer life guards by Lebanese youths last weekend. Local youths, who think they should have the right to determine who comes to ‘their’ beach, saw this as a culmination of 5 years of anti-social behaviour by middle eastern gangs. A mob of 5000 drunk whites attacked middle easterners at the beach on Sunday. Middle Eastern gangs then attacked people and cars at other beachs. Last night there were revenge attacks from both sides.

Personally, I think the state government has a lot of responsibility. They have not been willing to confront anti-social behaviour and curb gang violence. The middle eastern gangs were allowed to victimise innocent white women and on Sunday the whites were allowed to victimise innocent Middle Eastern people. Despite the mob being drunk for most of the day a number of liquor stores were allowed to remain open.

Of course, Sydney Indymedia has been buzzing and do you know who is being blamed?

I will give you a clue, they start with the letter J:

Jackasses? Janitors? Joggers? Journalists? Of course not...

Like everything else, it was the Jews:

Some in the crowds where (sic) identified as israeli mossad agents provoking and directing the attacks the (sic) mossad operation began with a staged attack last week on two beach lifeguards, while the mossad agents where (sic) posing as men of Arab origin.

Since then, jewish infested local radio talk shows have broadcast lies to instigate unrest and have carried out a cell-phone text-message campaign calling for violence.

Local people have been used by mossad operation (sic) to further their agenda of stealing land in the Middle East.

Hmm... Evidently not content merely with tiny Israel, evil Jews are now trying to steal land in the beach suburbs of Sydney...

Gee that Mossad sure gets around (round get around, I get around, Yeah Get around round round I get around...Sorry, it's a beach thing.)

Let's see now - pathological Jew hatred, appalling English and antisemitic dislike of talkback radio. Sound familiar? It must be our old friend, Faruque Ahmed.

Geoff continues:

Here is a good article about the problems of policing in Sydney.

It certainly is a good article and worth reading.

While Indymedia is going beserk trying to "save Tookie" and "save Mumia" here is another capital case that would be worth everyone's attention, even if you are pro-death penalty.

I predict you won't be reading about it on Indymedia though.

Atlanta Indymedia is running yet another mutation of an article which started as an anti-genetically modified food and has since evolved.

The original article points to the EPA's draft rule for "Protections for Subjects in Human Research " in relation to intentional dosing of humans for testing pesticides. It states:

"The IRB (Independent Review Board) shall determine that adequate provisions are made for soliciting the assent of the children, when in the judgment of the IRB the children are capable of providing assent...If the IRB determines that the capability of some or all of the children is so limited that they cannot reasonably be consulted, the assent of the children is not a necessary condition for proceeding with the research

There are however other conditions. The Organic Consumers Association incorrectly (as far as I can see) infer from this that:

Under this clause, a mentally handicapped child or infant orphan could be tested on without assent. This violates the Nuremberg Code, an international treaty that mandates assent of test subjects is "absolutely essential," and that the test subject must have "legal capacity to give consent" and must be "so situated as to exercise free power of choice." This loophole in the rule must be completely removed

Reading all of the EPA document, it's fairly easy to conclude that the aims are good and it's ultimately not a major deal. That is, until Indymedia put their spin on it:

USA is planning to test Dangerous Chemicals and Drugs on Orphans and innocent Children worldwide.

Stop the cruel Atrocities on Defenseless children.

Just say NO to Bush Gestapo.
USA industry and global corporate Pirates put profits ahead of children's welfare.

A new rule will allow government and industry scientists to treat Defenseless Children as human guinea pigs in Dangerous chemical experiments

Try to remain calm...

My favourite bit however, is this genuine (100%) quote from the Bible

Do not let the Blood Thirsty Americans torture and Butcher another child. Isaiah 1:17, Isaiah 10:1-2

The hyperbole gets better:

Stop the American Cannibals from carrying out Atrocities and destroying Helpless people.

American Cannibals? Hang on... They were only talking about poisoning, torturing and butchering the defenceless children. You mean now we have to eat them as well? I already told you. I only eat pesticide-free children.

Please prevent the Evil American Economic Vampires from sucking the life blood out of our Country. Do not let our country become a whore of the global corporate pirates.

Okey dokey.

Joining the Plastic Turkey, an article appearing on DC Indymedia has all the markings of a myth that will never die. According to it, George W. Bush, referring to the US Constitution said: 'It's just a goddamned piece of paper'

Last month, Republican Congressional leaders filed into the Oval Office to meet with President George W. Bush and talk about renewing the controversial USA Patriot Act.

Several provisions of the act, passed in the shell shocked period immediately following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, caused enough anger that liberal groups like the American Civil Liberties Union had joined forces with prominent conservatives like Phyllis Schlafly and Bob Barr to oppose renewal.

GOP leaders told Bush that his hardcore push to renew the more onerous provisions of the act could further alienate conservatives still mad at the President from his botched attempt to nominate White House Counsel Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court.

“I don’t give a goddamn,” Bush retorted. “I’m the President and the Commander-in-Chief. Do it my way.”

“Mr. President,” one aide in the meeting said. “There is a valid case that the provisions in this law undermine the Constitution.”

“Stop throwing the Constitution in my face,” Bush screamed back. “It’s just a goddamned piece of paper!”

What was the source of this rather concerning exchange? According to the author:

I’ve talked to three people present for the meeting that day and they all confirm that the President of the United States called the Constitution “a goddamned piece of paper.”

Uh huh... Sure you did. It continues:

And, to the Bush Administration, the Constitution of the United States is little more than toilet paper stained from all the shit that this group of power-mad despots have dumped on the freedoms that “goddamned piece of paper” used to guarantee.

This was originally reported by one Doug Thompson in his blog here. It is instructive to note no source URL was provided in the DC Indymedia article which blatantly lifted the offending piece. Visit Thompson's site and see some of his latest other material:

• It's the culture, stupid
• Americans no longer buy Bush's lies
• A failed attempt to sell a failed policy on a failed war
• Pentagon, intel pros tell Bush war cannot be won
• Doom and gloom sweeps over the GOP but Dems aren't home free
• Buying Congress
• Liars on parade
• Ain't no free speech allowed in Dubya's America
• The con man and his peers
• A gutless, draft-dodging coward named Dick Cheney
• Partisans can't be journalists
• Bush's betrayal
• Burn in hell, Mr. President

See a pattern? That doesn't stop his 'report' being spread on Indymedia as news.

Of course if someone without such (how should I put this) issues could prove Bush actually said it, I'd be only to happy to retract the above. Until then, I'm doubtful.

Nevertheless, watch and see how this dubious quote spreads with all the agility and grace of a plastic turkey...

Update: Google Search for "Bush" "It's just a goddamned piece of paper" shows over 300,000 sites

From the pot and kettle blackening department, comes this comment received on my post entitled Indy Media Watch: Anti-Semite Arsonists Have their Feelings Hurt...

I fucked your mother last night. She was a lousy fuck. Your sister told me she sucks Arab cock. Your site is stupid. go get a life.

I don't have a sister, so he is a liar about that and I suspect he's not my Mother's type either.

This guy came to my site via a Google search for "Hippie Joe Indymedia" (AKA Antisemitic Joe) and wrote the above a few seconds later. He is telling me to get a life? My new friend should probably Google for "chutzpah"...

Via my referrer logs, it seems Idiot Savant (without the Savant) - Faruque Ahmed is appearing in court.

Date of hearing: 10.00 am - Friday, December 9, 2005
Administrative Decisions Tribunal, Sydney, Australia

Statement of Facts re: Matter No: 051058 (Faruque Ahmed vs Radio 2GB/Macquarie Radio Network)

From what I can gather, a Sydney radio station is somewhat more discerning than Sydney Indymedia and has refused to allow Ahmed on air.

Consequently, their listeners won't get to hear his thoughts on "Zio-Nazis" and Holocaust Denial and Faruque is mad as hell about it. Clearly it's all part of some big conspiracy against him, orchestrated by guess who...

1. I was a long-standing and valued contributor of Radio 2GB. I used to speak on average at least 6 times a week.
...
2. Things changed since the election of Arial (sic) Sharon, appointment of a New York Public Relations agent to spin for Israel and I went on to expose Israeli war crimes and genocide's (sic) in 2GB (sic).

3. Firstly Jim Ball and then other announcers of 2GB falsely started to claim, "we can not put you on the air because of your poor English" yet they did exactly that after 12 years of my contribution with compliment rather than complaint. As I mentioned earlier, Jim Ball and his "Jewish" wife praised me on air on many occasions. However, 2GB changed it's attitude and refused to give me air time consistent with reasons mentioned in point 2

I'm unsure why "Jewish" needed the scare quotes though it's obvious how he reached his conclusion. His rant (and that's really the only way to describe it) continues, wavers, changes topic and ultimately goes around in circles. Not an easy argument to make, but then most of Faruque's arguments that I have seen, aren't.

Subsequent comments on the page:

Hi brother Faruque,

I read your story but it certainly does not sway me about pro-government right wing media corporations. Nor should you let it bother you.

Because of your cross-cultural differences you need to understand how Australia works.

Firstly, there has always been a boys club. If you don't know Mrs Smith then you're not in the club! It is as simple as that!

That is why we have never recognised the best artists in this country because they were not in the club and were not granted the opportunity to be recognised.

So no need to lose any sleep over it, is not worth it.

What you do is start your own club, tribe clan or org. Or join a friendly one!

Then you move on with more strength and find another way to broadcast similarly to what we do here on Indymedia.

This will only make you grow stronger.

Remember that persistence and determination is omnipotent.

For even schoolteachers end up on park benches!

Good luck! You are welcome here!

Cross cultural differences? Sorry, the guy's a raving Nazi who would be more suited to an Iranian pulpit than a beach down-under. This warm welcome to a serial bigot however, and the underlying attitude toward mainstream media, versus the 'virtues' of Indymedia, appears to entirely sum up Sydney Indymedia.

A subsequent response:

Faruque, you claim you were a "long-standing and valued contributor of Radio 2GB".

Presumably it was the material which has made you such a " long-standing and valued contributor of" Sydney Indymedia that made you unpopular.

You deserve to lose and pay costs. No doubt you will be convinced its all a great conspiracy, but that's the truth. You are a bigot and a fool. A search of this site for your work (posted under cowardly and constantly rotating nicknames yet easily identifieable by spelling and content) will demonstrate this to Sam [the poster of the comment above] who appears to be new.

Oh, good luck!

This is responded to in turn, by this spew:

You don't have to wonder why people hate jews

Why are you such a freak?

You sound like a spoilt little rich jewish cunt!

If that's what a jew is I'm starting to get the idea why people think that they should be blown off the map.

Personally yours is waiting for you around the corner because you have a bad attitude. And what you project is what you get!

I have no doubt the writer had no opinions on Jews prior to writing his comment. No doubt at all... Chalk him up as another Indymedia regular of course.

We will watch this one with interest.

Update: More case details within the comments.

An article on UK Indymedia is arguing Capitalism Loves Violent Revolution.

Had a talk with a fellow today saying that however much we want to avoid a violent response to the innate fascism of capitalism we may not be able to.
...
Instead many find that they would rather rely on the tactics taught to us by the exact world we would oppose. Instead of taking the moral responsibility to stop paying taxes we would organize mass violent demonstrations that would see Grand Freemason Temples and police stations themselves under siege... the adage is true- live violently, die violently.

Moral responsbility indeed. I also cannot help but wonder whether some who tell others to "stop paying taxes" will be the first to complain when their next welfare cheque doesn't turn up.

Scott has drawn my attention to a Very Good Cause you won't be reading about on Indymedia.

The goal of the Yellow Ribbon Group is to send care packages to our troops stationed in Iraq. They accept no money, only products that can make a day in Iraq a little bit easier.

Go there and read it all.

Michigan Indymedia is promoting a Day of Absence to Honor Rosa Parks Legacy.

In honor of the legacy of Mother Parks, we are calling for all youth, students, civic organizations, labor unions, clergy, educators, artists, professionals and retirees to take a day off from work, school, shopping, etc., and join us at Central United Methodist Church on Thursday Dec. 1 between 1:00pm-8:00pm for a teach-in on the significance of the continuing work of the civil rights and anti-war movements.

Hang on. I don't recall Rosa Parks having anything to do with the anti-war movement.

Parks died this Oct. 24, at the age of 92, before she was able to witness this significant milestone in the on-going struggle for the basic democratic rights of Black and other people of color, who are still being treated overall as second-class citizens.

Which "significant milestone"?

Along with citing the 50th anniversary of the Montgomery bus boycott, the National Day of Absence initiative is an attempt to unite various movements that have been fragmented over a number of decades, particularly the civil rights and the anti-war movements. The initiative calls for no work, no school, no shopping—in other words, no business as usual—to bring more heightened awareness about the connection between the heinous war and racist occupation of Iraq

What the? They are "fragmented" because they are not the same issue despite tenuous attempts to join them.

Unsurprisingly, Rosa Parks was unable to comment on the abuse of her memory to support rather divergent agenda to what she was standing up for fifty years ago and until her death.

The Rosa Parks Institute website points out that:

The Rosa & Raymond Parks Institute is sponsoring a 381-day commemorative schedule starting December 1, 2005 in recognition of the 50th anniversary of Mrs. Parks' arrest and the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This commemoration will also celebrate her life's work with young people through the Rosa & Raymond Parks Institute for Self-Development. The activities and programs planned during this period will celebrate Mrs. Parks' life work and engage young people through the Rosa & Raymond Parks Institute.

Reading the list of activities and programs one can see they have nothing to do with the stated aims of the other event, which is nonetheless trading off Parks' good name.

So which concerned civil rights group is organizing this? Someone calling themselves Troops Out Now. I have looked at the list of affiliated organizations and individuals and what a diverse group it is.

International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu Jamal, Al-Awda Palestine Right to Return Coalition, Korea Truth Commission, People Judge Bush and various other disparate groups are all there to name a few, but for some reason, I can't see the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self-Development, Rosa Parks' Estate or her family listed anywhere.

Could it be they weren't asked? Not to worry, I'm sure "Mother Parks" wouldn't mind if her name was used. It does have a nice ring to it.

Donations to the Rosa Parks' Institute here.

Michigan Indymedia is repeating the story of Jeff Gannon, Whitehouse reporter, who various researchers discovered may have formerly been a male prostitute.

However, according to the headline of the article on Indymedia, it follows that George W. Bush is a pedophile. Go figure.

Also on BC Indymedia, got the sniffles? Perhaps it's The Nazi Flu:

Redden: I'd like to begin this interview by asking you about the flu. Many of my friends are sick, and I've read a number of news stories which say that people are sick around the world. So many people are sick that hospital emergency rooms are swamped and doctors are postponing surgeries. But at the same time, the mainstream media is not referring to this outbreak as an epidemic. So let me ask you, is there a flu epidemic underway or not?
...
That's all hogwash, bogus nonsense. The fact of the matter is, we have seen this type of an epidemic since the end of 1998 and the beginning of 1999. People have been hacking and coughing with this bizarre illness that does not seem to follow any logical viral or bacterial onset and transition period. It was something that did not cause a high fever.
...
Horowitz: It's man-made. It can be used as a biological weapon.

It was developed as an AIDS vaccine-related organism. It was extracted from AIDS patients. It is responsible for virtually all of the symptoms which AIDS patients suffer from. The AIDS virus is at best a co-factor, and not even such a strong co-factor as to bring on all of the symptoms of AIDS.
...
Redden: What about the current controversy over chemtrails - the theory that airplanes are spraying the population with some kind of chemical or biological weapon. As I understand it, a number of researchers believe that many of the contrails in the skies these days are not the normal contrails formed by high-flying jets, but are actually trails of chemical or biological agents which spread out and then fall on the earth. Could this micoplasma be transmitted to the population through chemtrails?

Horowitz: I don't relate it to the chemtrails. I don't believe that this particular organism could be suitably spread that way.

But I believe the chemtrails are responsible for a chemical intoxication of the public, which would then cause a general immune suppression, low grade to high grade, depending on exposure. An immune dysfunction, which would then allow people to become susceptible to opportunistic infections, such as this micoplasma and other opportunistic infections.

Redden: So you believe that high-flying planes are, in fact, spraying something on the population that the theory is real?

Horowitz: There's no question that it's real. There's no doubt about that. I first began to investigate chemtrails when some were sprayed over my home in Northern Idaho. I took pictures of them, and then contacted the Environmental Protection Agency of the state. When I contacted their directors, they were clueless and referred me to the Air Force.

They probably should have referred you to a psychiatrist.

Via BC Indymedia:

CLIMATE INDYMEDIA Is Born.

A global group of climate and media activists are establishing a topical indymedia site on climate issues. We are concerned that news reporting on climate issues too often is biased against local communties solutions and the concerns of local communities to government and industry are not being heard. We hope to provide a place for a range of news and views on climate issues to have a voice.

One of the subsequent comments took the words right out of my mouth:

Count the days [hours?] before climate change is blamed on godless corporate communist zionazi green libertarian neocons terraforming the world for their own evil purposes.

Climate indymedia is a great idea, if all people do is talk about the weather.:-)

And Indymedia is a great idea, if...

Evidently not content with merely controlling your bowels, Sydney Indymedia is now reporting that Jews cause Earthquakes as well.

the earthquake club
by zion uses enmod for control and death

shake it up...

ENMOD FACILITATES PRIVATE EXPERIMENTATION IN TECTONIX

ANTENNAE IN PHASE CAN UTILIZE THE SPRAYED PARTICULATE CANOPIES TO ACHIEVE SMALL SCALE TMT EVENTS, WHICH ARE ACTUALLY QUITE LARGE SCALE IN THE ENERGIES ACHIEVED AT THE OUTPUT. ASK SATAN, ER, SANTA FOR YOUR VERY OWN PHASED ARRAY, AND GET YOUR FRIENDS TO DO THE SAME! FORM A CLUB! EARTHQUAKES BY NEW YEARS!

Usually at this point, someone will insist at this point the whole article was intended to make Indymedia look bad. As though they needed the help...

"Finally!" I thought. Some sense on UK Indymedia:

The Looniest Of All 9-11 Conspiracy Theories

Astute observers of history are aware that for every notable event there will usually be at least one, often several wild conspiracy theories which spring up around it. 'The CIA killed Hendrix', 'The Pope had John Lennon murdered', 'Hitler was half Werewolf', 'Space aliens replaced Nixon with a clone' etc, etc. The bigger the event, the more ridiculous and more numerous are the fanciful rantings which circulate in relation to it.
So its hardly surprising that the events of September 11th, 2001 have spawned their fair share of these ludicrous fairy tales. And as always, there is - sadly - a small but gullible percentage of the population eager to lap up these tall tales, regardless of facts or rational analysis.

Erm...Never mind.

One of the wilder stories circulating about September 11th - and one that has attracted something of a cult following amongst conspiracy buffs - is that it was carried out by nineteen fanatical Arab hijackers, masterminded by an evil genius named Osama bin Laden, with no apparent motivation other than that they 'hate our freedoms.'

Never a group of people to be bothered by facts, the perpetrators of this cartoon fantasy have constructed an elaborately woven web of delusions and unsubstantiated hearsay in order to promote this garbage across the internet and the media to the extent that a number of otherwise rational people have actually fallen under its spell.

Normally I don't even bother debunking this kind of junk, but the effect that this paranoid myth is beginning to have requires a little rational analysis, in order to consign it to the same rubbish bin as all such silly conspiracy theories.

Of course you will seldom read the latter argument anywhere on Indymedia.

Via Sydney Indymedia (where else) comes an essay on Physics911 explaining which conspiracy groups can be trusted and which cannot.

Read it all and have your breath taken by the manner in which "Eric Hufschmid" develops an argument based on insanity. Several sections stands out, however this one takes the cake:

Watch out for "fishermen"
A technique that criminals use is perhaps best described as "fishing". For example, somebody might post a message that he thinks George Bush was involved in 9/11. In reality he is hoping to identify people who agree with him, or he is trying to determine what percentage of the people on the message boards have this opinion.

There are some sites on the Internet that appear to be "Nazi" or anti-semite sites. For example:

# NationalVanguard.org
# StormFront.org
# WhiteSingles.com

From my casual observation of those sites, I would guess that they are operated by FBI agents or Zionists

As we know from Indymedia, there are no real antisemites in the world. Oh no. Merely "Zionists" looking to pervert the truth. Speaking of which...

I suspect that they are looking for people who are angry at the US government or Israel. They post angry messages, such as "Kill all Niggers and Jews!". The angry messages are like worms on a hook, and they wait for people to bite them.

Even stranger, there are a lot of sites that are are registered to "Network Solutions", a company located in Herndon Virginia. Some of them are angry sites, some are "truth seeker" sites that provide deception, and some of them offer pornography that is so extreme that most Internet service providers would not tolerate them. For example, the following web sites are all registered to Network Solutions:

# Hizbollah.org
# JewWatch.com
# RAHOWA.com
# TomFlocco.com
# VelvetRevolution.us
# PanzerFaust.com
# HalTurnerShow.com
# pimpsNhos.com
# MaxHardcore.com
# OGRISH.com

Why are all of these sites claiming Network Solutions is the registrant? Is there a connection between these sites?

Anyone who has registered domain names prior to a few years ago will know exactly what the role of Network Solutions was. Our writer doesn't:

I don't know the answer to those questions, but I would consider the possibility that they are sites of a government agency (not necessarily the American government), and that they are watching everybody who contacts them.

Most of the customers and employees of Network Solutions may be honest, but that doesn't mean the company can be trusted.

Or does he? After first making the above suggestion and letting the reader jump to an incorrect conclusion, he makes a flimsy note which the rest of us would regard as a critical fact:

More details about Network Solutions
Until the late 1990s, everybody purchased Internet domain names from Network Solutions because they had a monopoly. Therefore, it is not surprising that lots of web sites show "Network Solutions" as the company the domain was registered with.

Too late of course, some people were already getting hot under the tinfoil. But that's okay:

I am not accusing Network Solutions of being a criminal organization. Instead, I am suggesting we consider the possibility that they and other Internet service companies have been infiltrated by criminals.

And I'm sure the company is thrilled. He asks:

Why would a criminal network, or a foreign government, would want to infiltrate Internet service companies? Lots of reasons. For example:

To observe government e-mail and data

Bzzzzt. Network Solutions are a domain registrar. That's it. Their only tactic would be redirecting a domain. They do not have control over the servers and underlying content which could be sitting in someone's tinfoil shrouded basement . I'm no expert on these matters but I know enough of websites and domains to be able to call him on it. However, he's the one running around writing essays on the subject and one would assume a bit of cursory research would help... Other fantasies:

To upload videos from Osama

Occasionally you will hear that an Al Qaeda terrorist posted a message or a video on the Internet. Have you ever wondered how they do this without being identified?

I don't know... Perhaps exactly the same way I do?

If Network Solutions is hosting a site that is owned by an Arab, they could put messages and videos directly onto the hard disks.

Perhaps, however they aren't hosting the site, they are the domain registrant only.

He then continues with other "well known" theories:

There are many accusations that Israel was tapping American phone lines, spying on government officials, and blackmailing Americans.

Of course there are. There are also many accusations that Jews control your bowels. Does this justify them?

And don't forget about the accusations of their involvement in 9/11, the USS Liberty attack, the JFK assassination, the Apollo moon landing, and numerous other crimes.

I didn't know the Jews had faked the Apollo moon landing. You learn something daily. More of the writer's thoughts on the Holocaust and Apollo landing here. Penn and Teller interviewed him and he insists:

If the entire world could watch the unedited interview and compare that to the final television show, I suspect that the vast majority of people would come to the conclusion that the editors of the show were desperately trying to make us look like idiots.

Trust me, they didn't need to try very hard.

The greatest thing of course, is by exposing this person for the fool which he is, and by association, Indymedia, he will insist I am simply proving his point and obviously one of the (take your pick) Government/CIA/Mossad's useful idiots. At least I am useful...