Our "Headusher", still a rebel without a clue, gets a smackdown at Capitol Fax

Headusher, our favorite pest and such a freakishly knowledgable and committed Jacobs supporter as to be easily confused with Jacobs himself, has posted countless times on this blog.

When I finally started to delete some of his off-topic and frankly, looney comments, he'd respond with volleys of clueless protests demanding the right of "free speech" and lumping me with every repressive dictator in history, invoking the thousands of service men who've died to ensure our right to free speech, saying such "censorship" was like soviet Russia, that it was un-American, and other similarly bizarre notions, which would be funny if it weren't so warped and it wasn't apparent they were serious.

Try as I might, I just couldn't get it through poor Head's head that this modest blog isn't a government run forum, that I ran it, and that gives me the right to publish what I felt acceptible and appropriate and to not publish what clearly isn't.

Well, today old Head decided to try his peculiar take on freedom of speech on a post announcing the official slating of Tom Dart for Cook County Sheriff on Rich Miller's Capitol Fax blog.

At 11/28/2005 7:32 PM, theheadusher said...
What is it with blog owners that censore [sic] comments and supporters of candidates that they don't want to hear from? I for one think censoring speech is un-American.

Our government doesn't have the right to censor web content, but blog owners like Rich Miller and theinsidedope do? What gives?

Though the answer to HeadUsher's question should be self-evident to a child, someone, not myself, set him straight...

At 11/28/2005 7:49 PM, Anonymous said...

Hey moron!

And I'm talking to you, theheadusher.

What prevents the government from censoring but allows Rich Miller to?

The First Amendment. Not to mention the concept of private property and editorial control. Do you think newspapers should be compelled to publish anything you want them to? Are you that stupid?

[Well, considering the anger Jacobs showed towards the Dispatch for simply reporting his "Rosa Parks" moment... could be. On both accounts.]

Start your own blog and get everybody who's anybody in Illinois to read it. Oh, wait. Rich used money, hard work, political accumen, reporting and good sense to accomplish that. Clearly areas you're lacking in.

I'm a bit ashamed that I wasn't able to get this basic concept across to poor HeadUsher, though it wasn't for lack of effort. I could have saved him making an ass out of himself somewhere other than here.

I sincerely hope that the Capitol Fax commenter has succeeded where I've failed and given the Head of all Ushers a tough-love lesson in why he doesn't have a right to spew irresponsible or vicious stuff on blogs any time he sees fit, which from experience is often.

The commenter proposed that Head start his own blog. Now it's said that he's gathered some paid flacks to do just that. Can't wait.

It should be a welcome addition to the blogosphere and obviously, they'll going to welcome and allow any and all comments. After all, to not do so would dishonor all the service men and women throughout our history who gallantly paid the ultimate price to ensure our sacred right to post over-the-line drivel on any blog we feel like.

I, for one, am looking forward to it.