Today I found out that former U.S. Navy chaplain turned far right fundamentalist Christian and notorious homophobic, Gordon "Dr. Chaps" Klingenschmitt, manged to get Right Wing Watch's Youtube account suspended after filing a series of bogus copyright claims (I.E. a DMCA attack) because the page hosted several one to two minute video clips showcasing his blatant bigotry.
This is the second time this has happen in the past two weeks (read about it here, here, here, and here) and despite already having restored it once after RWW filed a counter claim that clearly demonstrated that they do infact have every right to use those video clips under the FAIR USE Act (not to mention the 1st Amendment, which also allows Mr. Klingenschmitt to continue to spread his hate speech, as well as allows me and RWW to call it hate speech), Youtube decided to side with "Dr. Chaps" and took down the page again.
Youtube is ofcourse notorious for taking down both videos and entire pages after someone files a false DMCA claim, and not even doing any investigation into the claim to see if there is any validity to the claim (as is the case here). The way that Youtube handles these DMCA claims basically allows most people to get away with suppressing information about a group, or a single person, or themselves, that puts them in a bad light (again, as in the case here). That, or it's used as a form of information gathering because Youtube requires a user to send a certain amount of personnel information that would be made available to the person filing the DMCA claim to begin the counter claim process.
This type of abusive behavior needs to stopped, and it can be stopped, and here are a couple of ways you can do that:
First, you can go to Youtube's Twitter page and tell them to restore Right Wing Watch's account and to revise there takedown policy to keep abuse like this from happening (go here to ask them).
Second (and the one that I most recommend), you can sign a petition started by Right Wing Watch and it's parent group, People For the American Way, asking Youtube to restore RWW's account, and to stop abuse of it's own takedown policies (go here to sign the petition).
This in my opinion is just another example of why the DMCA needs either a heavy overhaul, or needs to be repelled entirely and replaced with something much better, and also what lengths that a homophobic bigot will go to (or really anyone with a extremist and/or harmful agenda) inorder to suppress criticism not only of themselves, but also what they claim to believe in.
Showing posts with label Radical politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Radical politics. Show all posts
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Why do people lie about their belief in a Conspiracy Theory? Part 2: Ulterior Motives
Why do some people claim to believe in a conspiracy theory, when in fact they do not?
In Part One I of this two part series, I explained that some people do this out of a motivation of fear (mainly the fear of some sort of lose by no longer believing in a conspiracy theory, or the fear of some type of retaliation).
Of course it is not always fear that motivate a person to claim that they believe in a conspiracy theory when they really don't. It could be that they have an ulterior motive that tends to be selfish in it's reasons.
Attention Seeking
Conspiracy theorists get a lot of attention, either from fellow conspiracy theorists who may or may not share their beliefs, or from skeptics who debunk their beliefs (while at the same time mocking them for those beliefs), or from the media (and law enforcement agencies) when a conspiracy theorist breaks the law after being motivated to do so by a conspiracy theory.
This attention can be attractive to those whom seek out attention themselves, and will take any type of attention (positive or negative) they can get.
Basically you can think of them as a bratty child who is acting bad simply because no one will play attention to them, and they know that acting the way that they are people will pay attention to them, and they do so without fear of consequences because there might actually be very little in the way of consequences, and even when they do suffer the consequences of their actions, they know it will be either minor and/or temporary, and that there are probably ways around it too.
Financial Motivations
Some people claim to believe in conspiracy theories not because they actually do, but because they're greedy, and they know that selling products that some conspiracy theorists buy can make them a lot of money.
For example, some one might open up a store that sells alternative medicine. The owner of the store might tell their customers how they "believe" that big pharma is evil, and that the medicine big pharma makes is actually bad for you, and that what they are selling will cure just about anything. The owner might not believe a word they just said, but if it gets them a sale, then they might not care.
Another example would be someone who has their own radio show and/or internet site which is dedicated to conspiracy theories, and lets say that this radio show and/or internet site has several sponsors that sell products that are aimed at conspiracy theorists. This could cause the host of this radio show and/or internet site to constantly spout out conspiracy theories that don't believe in order to keep money rolling in from those sponsors, and maybe even sell products that they have created (such as videos) to their audience.
Political Motivations
Another reason why some people might proclaim belief in a conspiracy theory that they don't believe in, and even make up conspiracy theories that they know are bogus, is because of political motivations.
Politically motivated conspiracy theories are actually very common, and the most common use for them is to try to get a person elected to an office by making up some stuff about another person whom already holds that office (or vice verse). The reason for this is to try to fool the voting public into believing these conspiracy theories about said candidate, and get more people to vote for their own candidate. This can be done by either a supporter of one of the candidates, or by one of the candidates themselves via attack ads, or internet postings.
Persecution complex
Somewhat similar to politically motivated conspiracy theories, some people might claim that a certain piece of legislation would (or does) somehow take away their rights (whether real or not). Some people might use the claims that a certain piece of legislation would take away their rights in order to rally people around them and either intimidate a politician to vote no on said piece of legislation, or create legislation that is suppose to counteract the other piece of legislation, or to an extreme extent, get people to ignore the legislation and any laws that comes with it as way to make it appear that piece of legislation is a failure. This could also apply to legal rulings as well as legislation.
Another reason why someone might claim that there is a conspiracy in that they are being persecuted for is that they are in fact being either investigated by law enforcement officials, or they really are being prosecuted for a crime they may or may not have committed. Some people might start spouting off conspiracy theories about the government targeting them over some conspiracy theories that they claim to believe in (which they may or may not actually believe in).
In fact they may actually be claiming that they are being persecuted (and even go so far as to claim that they have proof of a conspiracy theory, when in reality they never do) as a way to rally support around them, and as an attempt to try to intimidate the government into backing off of them.
Research
Some people might claim that they believe in conspiracy theories, and go to gatherings of conspiracy theorists groups, not because they believe any of it at all, but because they are doing research into conspiracy theories and conspiracy theorists.
The reason for this could be because they could be a psychology student, or a psychologist, who is doing research into the mentality of conspiracy theorists, so they may pretend to believe in conspiracy theories in order to gain their trust, and help to better their research in understand conspiracy theorists, and the conspiracy theories that they believe in. Perhaps they are even a skeptic who is trying better understand conspiracy theorists.
The research could also be being done by law enforcement officials in order to seek out individuals who might be considering committing a crime (like an act of terrorism).
Controlling people
Probably on of the more darker aspects of conspiracy theories is some people might create conspiracy theories as a method of (or an excuse for) controlling people in order to get them to do what they want them to do.
The creation of conspiracy theories are primarily based off of some type of fear, and there are people out there whom have no problems using that fear in order to control another person.
While this way of controlling people is mainly used by cult leaders, it is also used by egotistical people who simply love to control others.
In Part One I of this two part series, I explained that some people do this out of a motivation of fear (mainly the fear of some sort of lose by no longer believing in a conspiracy theory, or the fear of some type of retaliation).
Of course it is not always fear that motivate a person to claim that they believe in a conspiracy theory when they really don't. It could be that they have an ulterior motive that tends to be selfish in it's reasons.
Attention Seeking
Conspiracy theorists get a lot of attention, either from fellow conspiracy theorists who may or may not share their beliefs, or from skeptics who debunk their beliefs (while at the same time mocking them for those beliefs), or from the media (and law enforcement agencies) when a conspiracy theorist breaks the law after being motivated to do so by a conspiracy theory.
This attention can be attractive to those whom seek out attention themselves, and will take any type of attention (positive or negative) they can get.
Basically you can think of them as a bratty child who is acting bad simply because no one will play attention to them, and they know that acting the way that they are people will pay attention to them, and they do so without fear of consequences because there might actually be very little in the way of consequences, and even when they do suffer the consequences of their actions, they know it will be either minor and/or temporary, and that there are probably ways around it too.
Financial Motivations
Some people claim to believe in conspiracy theories not because they actually do, but because they're greedy, and they know that selling products that some conspiracy theorists buy can make them a lot of money.
For example, some one might open up a store that sells alternative medicine. The owner of the store might tell their customers how they "believe" that big pharma is evil, and that the medicine big pharma makes is actually bad for you, and that what they are selling will cure just about anything. The owner might not believe a word they just said, but if it gets them a sale, then they might not care.
Another example would be someone who has their own radio show and/or internet site which is dedicated to conspiracy theories, and lets say that this radio show and/or internet site has several sponsors that sell products that are aimed at conspiracy theorists. This could cause the host of this radio show and/or internet site to constantly spout out conspiracy theories that don't believe in order to keep money rolling in from those sponsors, and maybe even sell products that they have created (such as videos) to their audience.
Political Motivations
Another reason why some people might proclaim belief in a conspiracy theory that they don't believe in, and even make up conspiracy theories that they know are bogus, is because of political motivations.
Politically motivated conspiracy theories are actually very common, and the most common use for them is to try to get a person elected to an office by making up some stuff about another person whom already holds that office (or vice verse). The reason for this is to try to fool the voting public into believing these conspiracy theories about said candidate, and get more people to vote for their own candidate. This can be done by either a supporter of one of the candidates, or by one of the candidates themselves via attack ads, or internet postings.
Persecution complex
Somewhat similar to politically motivated conspiracy theories, some people might claim that a certain piece of legislation would (or does) somehow take away their rights (whether real or not). Some people might use the claims that a certain piece of legislation would take away their rights in order to rally people around them and either intimidate a politician to vote no on said piece of legislation, or create legislation that is suppose to counteract the other piece of legislation, or to an extreme extent, get people to ignore the legislation and any laws that comes with it as way to make it appear that piece of legislation is a failure. This could also apply to legal rulings as well as legislation.
Another reason why someone might claim that there is a conspiracy in that they are being persecuted for is that they are in fact being either investigated by law enforcement officials, or they really are being prosecuted for a crime they may or may not have committed. Some people might start spouting off conspiracy theories about the government targeting them over some conspiracy theories that they claim to believe in (which they may or may not actually believe in).
In fact they may actually be claiming that they are being persecuted (and even go so far as to claim that they have proof of a conspiracy theory, when in reality they never do) as a way to rally support around them, and as an attempt to try to intimidate the government into backing off of them.
Research
Some people might claim that they believe in conspiracy theories, and go to gatherings of conspiracy theorists groups, not because they believe any of it at all, but because they are doing research into conspiracy theories and conspiracy theorists.
The reason for this could be because they could be a psychology student, or a psychologist, who is doing research into the mentality of conspiracy theorists, so they may pretend to believe in conspiracy theories in order to gain their trust, and help to better their research in understand conspiracy theorists, and the conspiracy theories that they believe in. Perhaps they are even a skeptic who is trying better understand conspiracy theorists.
The research could also be being done by law enforcement officials in order to seek out individuals who might be considering committing a crime (like an act of terrorism).
Controlling people
Probably on of the more darker aspects of conspiracy theories is some people might create conspiracy theories as a method of (or an excuse for) controlling people in order to get them to do what they want them to do.
The creation of conspiracy theories are primarily based off of some type of fear, and there are people out there whom have no problems using that fear in order to control another person.
While this way of controlling people is mainly used by cult leaders, it is also used by egotistical people who simply love to control others.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
5 Things I've noticed about... Homophobics
Homophobics are individuals whom for some reason or another hate (or more likely fear) homosexuals. Now while there are many things that I've notice about homophobics, I've managed to narrow it down to five things.
So here are five things I've noticed about homophobics:
5. They're gay.
When I use the word "gay" I don't mean that they're happy people (because most of them aren't) or, as what some high school students mean when they use the word "gay", that they're stupid (although they are, but that meaning really should stop). No, what I mean when I say that homophobics are "gay" is that they really are gay...
Not only have there been several notorious homophobic individuals that have been caught in gay sex scandals (and several more are suspected of being closeted homosexuals too), several studies suggest that people with strong homophobic beliefs are actually themselves homosexuals.
4. They're arguments against homosexuality is based off of fraud studies and emotion.
If you ask a homophobic person why same sex marriage should remain illegal, and why same sex couples shouldn't be aloud to adopt children, and why homosexuality itself should be outlawed, they'll give you a number of different "reasons" why. The problem with the arguments that are often given is that they are often emotionally based rather than fact based, and that religious beliefs, going against nature claims, and slippery slop fallacious are often times used as covers for what is really a person's emotionally based prejudices.
Sometimes of course these people will not only give an emotionally based reasons for continuing to discriminate against homosexuals, they will actually give you "studies" that "show" why homosexuals should be discriminated against. The problem with this is that these studies are not produced by any credible medical or psychological organizations, and are in fact often produced by anti-gay hate groups. These studies are considered to be questionable at best, but often times are considered to be outright fraudulent and nothing more than propaganda.
3. They don't seem to understand the harm they are causing.
Because of homophobic politicians creating laws like DOMA and other state laws and amendments outlawing the legal recognition on both the state and federal levels of same sex marriage, this has caused both financial and legal troubles for many same sex couples.
Besides the political aspect of the harm they're causing, they're causing a lot of social harm as well. They've made some people believe that it's perfectly acceptable to mistreat homosexuals, and homophobia has caused families to break apart because someone (usually a parent) couldn't accept a family member who was gay (usually a child of said parent).
2. They're shrinking.
There's not as many people who believe that homosexuality is wrong and that same sex marriage should be illegal as there was ten years ago, or even five years ago. In fact some surveys suggest that a majority of Americans now believe that same sex marriage should be legal.
In fact most of the time when it comes to homophobic beliefs people tend to go one way, and that is they get over their fears and prejudices about homosexuals and accept that homosexuality is okay. In fact it's pretty rare for someone who isn't homophobic to develop homophobic beliefs, and usually the only people who this happens to are ex-gays (which are homosexuals who have been brainwashed into believing that they aren't homosexuals).
1. They're failing.
Over the years homophobics have been failing more and more to influence anyone other than fellow homophobics. Where once threats of boycotts by homophobic groups against companies for making gay friendly policies or advertising in a gay newspapers would actually get those companies to drop those policies and ads are now being ignored with no harm coming towards them. On the other hand, when there was a boycott against Chick-fil-a due to it's COO's (along with the WinShape Foundation and the company in general) support of anti-gay groups, the boycott was successful and lead to the company ceasing of support of anti-gay groups.
They're also failing in politics too. Same sex marriage is now legal in 12 states and the District of Columbia, and is legal in 15 counties (along with civil union and registered partnerships in eight states and 17 countries). In fact many religious groups (including Christian religious groups) now support gay rights and same sex marriage as well.
Eventually homophobics will have no say what so ever in politics. People won't vote them in, and they'll be treated just like any other bigots.
So here are five things I've noticed about homophobics:
5. They're gay.
When I use the word "gay" I don't mean that they're happy people (because most of them aren't) or, as what some high school students mean when they use the word "gay", that they're stupid (although they are, but that meaning really should stop). No, what I mean when I say that homophobics are "gay" is that they really are gay...
Not only have there been several notorious homophobic individuals that have been caught in gay sex scandals (and several more are suspected of being closeted homosexuals too), several studies suggest that people with strong homophobic beliefs are actually themselves homosexuals.
4. They're arguments against homosexuality is based off of fraud studies and emotion.
If you ask a homophobic person why same sex marriage should remain illegal, and why same sex couples shouldn't be aloud to adopt children, and why homosexuality itself should be outlawed, they'll give you a number of different "reasons" why. The problem with the arguments that are often given is that they are often emotionally based rather than fact based, and that religious beliefs, going against nature claims, and slippery slop fallacious are often times used as covers for what is really a person's emotionally based prejudices.
Sometimes of course these people will not only give an emotionally based reasons for continuing to discriminate against homosexuals, they will actually give you "studies" that "show" why homosexuals should be discriminated against. The problem with this is that these studies are not produced by any credible medical or psychological organizations, and are in fact often produced by anti-gay hate groups. These studies are considered to be questionable at best, but often times are considered to be outright fraudulent and nothing more than propaganda.
3. They don't seem to understand the harm they are causing.
Because of homophobic politicians creating laws like DOMA and other state laws and amendments outlawing the legal recognition on both the state and federal levels of same sex marriage, this has caused both financial and legal troubles for many same sex couples.
Besides the political aspect of the harm they're causing, they're causing a lot of social harm as well. They've made some people believe that it's perfectly acceptable to mistreat homosexuals, and homophobia has caused families to break apart because someone (usually a parent) couldn't accept a family member who was gay (usually a child of said parent).
2. They're shrinking.
There's not as many people who believe that homosexuality is wrong and that same sex marriage should be illegal as there was ten years ago, or even five years ago. In fact some surveys suggest that a majority of Americans now believe that same sex marriage should be legal.
In fact most of the time when it comes to homophobic beliefs people tend to go one way, and that is they get over their fears and prejudices about homosexuals and accept that homosexuality is okay. In fact it's pretty rare for someone who isn't homophobic to develop homophobic beliefs, and usually the only people who this happens to are ex-gays (which are homosexuals who have been brainwashed into believing that they aren't homosexuals).
1. They're failing.
Over the years homophobics have been failing more and more to influence anyone other than fellow homophobics. Where once threats of boycotts by homophobic groups against companies for making gay friendly policies or advertising in a gay newspapers would actually get those companies to drop those policies and ads are now being ignored with no harm coming towards them. On the other hand, when there was a boycott against Chick-fil-a due to it's COO's (along with the WinShape Foundation and the company in general) support of anti-gay groups, the boycott was successful and lead to the company ceasing of support of anti-gay groups.
They're also failing in politics too. Same sex marriage is now legal in 12 states and the District of Columbia, and is legal in 15 counties (along with civil union and registered partnerships in eight states and 17 countries). In fact many religious groups (including Christian religious groups) now support gay rights and same sex marriage as well.
Eventually homophobics will have no say what so ever in politics. People won't vote them in, and they'll be treated just like any other bigots.
Friday, July 27, 2012
5 Conspiracies made against Conspiracy Theorists
It is not to uncommon for conspiracy theorists themselves to be accused of being involved in a conspiracy of some sort. While accusations of being involved in a conspiracy are usually are usually made by other conspiracy theorists, they sometimes actually made by skeptics as well.
Here is a list of five conspiracies that conspiracy theorists are sometimes accused of:
5. Conspiracy theorists are dis-information agents for the government
One of the most common accusations that conspiracy theorists make against other conspiracy theorists is that they are working for the government, or some "New World Order" type group, and that they are intentionally publishing dis-information about a conspiracy theory in an attempt to either confuse people, or discredit an entire conspiracy theory. Some conspiracy theorists have even accused other conspiracy theorists of making up entire conspiracy theories as a part of a giant dis-information campaign.
4. Conspiracy theorists are dis-information agents for our enemies
Some people have accused some conspiracy theorists of basically being traitors, and that they are spreading conspiracy theories as part of a dis-information campaign for either a government that isn't on the friendliest terms with us, or certain terrorist groups that wish to see our destruction, or at least lesson or end our involvement in certain areas of the world.
3. Political propaganda promoters
Often times conspiracy theorists are accused making up conspiracy theories, or exploiting certain conspiracy theories, and using these theories as political propaganda in order to help certain political parties, or politicians, gain more power. Normally these accusations are made against conspiracy theorists who tend to promote conspiracy theories that are seen as being politically one sided, and these accusations tend to be made by people who are on the opposite end of the political spectrum that a certain conspiracy theory is typically associated with, although this isn't always true.
2. Radical political propaganda promoters
Many conspiracy theorists are often times accused of, or are known to have what is considered to be radical political beliefs, and even being part of groups and organizations that promote radical political beliefs, and that they make up conspiracy theories in order to help promote their political views. These accusations are not just made by other conspiracy theorists, but also by skeptics, and organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center that monitor such groups as well.
1. Exploiting conspiracy theories for selfish purposes
Some conspiracy theorists, especially those who have made money from promoting conspiracy theories, have often times been accused of exploiting conspiracy theories for selfish purposes. While normally such accusations are made against people who sell and promote products that are targeted towards people who believe in conspiracy theories, these accusations are also made against some conspiracy theorists who appear to only be promoting certain conspiracy theories for attention seeking purposes, which in itself may not be an actual conspiracy, it is a form of deception.
Here is a list of five conspiracies that conspiracy theorists are sometimes accused of:
5. Conspiracy theorists are dis-information agents for the government
One of the most common accusations that conspiracy theorists make against other conspiracy theorists is that they are working for the government, or some "New World Order" type group, and that they are intentionally publishing dis-information about a conspiracy theory in an attempt to either confuse people, or discredit an entire conspiracy theory. Some conspiracy theorists have even accused other conspiracy theorists of making up entire conspiracy theories as a part of a giant dis-information campaign.
4. Conspiracy theorists are dis-information agents for our enemies
Some people have accused some conspiracy theorists of basically being traitors, and that they are spreading conspiracy theories as part of a dis-information campaign for either a government that isn't on the friendliest terms with us, or certain terrorist groups that wish to see our destruction, or at least lesson or end our involvement in certain areas of the world.
3. Political propaganda promoters
Often times conspiracy theorists are accused making up conspiracy theories, or exploiting certain conspiracy theories, and using these theories as political propaganda in order to help certain political parties, or politicians, gain more power. Normally these accusations are made against conspiracy theorists who tend to promote conspiracy theories that are seen as being politically one sided, and these accusations tend to be made by people who are on the opposite end of the political spectrum that a certain conspiracy theory is typically associated with, although this isn't always true.
2. Radical political propaganda promoters
Many conspiracy theorists are often times accused of, or are known to have what is considered to be radical political beliefs, and even being part of groups and organizations that promote radical political beliefs, and that they make up conspiracy theories in order to help promote their political views. These accusations are not just made by other conspiracy theorists, but also by skeptics, and organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center that monitor such groups as well.
1. Exploiting conspiracy theories for selfish purposes
Some conspiracy theorists, especially those who have made money from promoting conspiracy theories, have often times been accused of exploiting conspiracy theories for selfish purposes. While normally such accusations are made against people who sell and promote products that are targeted towards people who believe in conspiracy theories, these accusations are also made against some conspiracy theorists who appear to only be promoting certain conspiracy theories for attention seeking purposes, which in itself may not be an actual conspiracy, it is a form of deception.
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