I’m a 30-year-old (as of this writing) member of several privileged groups (white, male, heterosexual, cissexual, English speaking) who has somehow managed to parlay that advantage into a very low-paid job (and since that sentence was originally written is now in a quite successful job).
I’m a member of a band called The National Pep who are currently going through some pretty major line-up changes, but who have made what I think are two very good EPs. I’m working full-time, politically active and also trying to collaborate on scientific research papers. This explains why I’m often too tired to blog.
Politically, I’m a member of the Liberal Democrats and on the left of the party.
My taste in comics and fiction runs to intelligent genre stuff, but I have a weakness for the DC Universe that means I’m more tolerant than I should be of merely adequate DC superhero comics. Conversely, I don’t buy enough indie material, even though the stuff I do buy I love.
Musically, my tastes go toward the very melodic or the very abrasive with not much in between – I love Bach and the Beach Boys, but also Varese and Beefheart. There are very few genres I dislike, and none I dismiss out of hand.
I don’t own a TV, but love Doctor Who – the original series only, though.
Comment policy – I have a low tolerance for idiocy, and none at all for personal abuse. First comments by new people get held for moderation, to prevent spamming, but I’ll let through anything that engages, however tangentially, with the topic of the post. However, if you insult me twice, or otherwise try my patience, you’ll get blocked. In particular, if you whine about what I ’should’ be posting, or make demands that I respond to you, you get plonked. I’ve been trapped into reasoning with trolls before, and have no desire to waste any more of my limited time repeating that mistake.
On spoilers – don’t read any of my posts unless you’re prepared to deal with the fact that I talk about plot when reviewing comics, films and what have you. With very few exceptions, if a plot twist can spoil a work then it’s not worth discussing anyway.
Can’t find an email address for youse – sorry if I have it somewhere and have lost it down the back of the sofa. We now have a Manchester Liberal Drinks group on the book of faces. Please invite yourself!
You missed out the fact that you are an abusive little arsehole! I hope we meet up one day when I will give you ample opportunity to withdraw your accusationn that I am a racist, or face the consequences, And YES that is a threat, you shitbag! Call the police! Pathetic tosser.
Just for context, everyone, this ‘person’ was defending a repellent article by Rod Liddle. I won’t link to it, but here’s Charlotte Gore pointing out the problems with it, which are primarily that it’s not-at-all veiled racist abuse. (Warning, the comments in Charlotte’s blog seem to be on the Daily Mail end of the spectrum).
Mr Power sent me several messages on Twitter – unsolicited (I’ve never followed him, have no idea who he is, and don’t appear to share any friends with him) – saying Liddle ‘had a point’. After several messages during which I pointed out that he didn’t, and Power kept trying to convince me otherwise, I said:
“He makes two *incorrect* points. Firstly that young black men cause the *majority* of serious violent crime, which they don’t. And secondly that afro-carribeans have contributed almost nothing to the cultural life of the UK. Both of these ‘points’ are simply untrue. He’s just a racist fuckwit. And I am increasingly becoming convinced, by your refusal to see the blatant meaning of his words, so are you.”
I then blocked him.
My own opinion is that if you don’t want people to think you’re a racist fuckwit, you shouldn’t defend the ideas of racist fuckwits. Mr Power apparently disagrees. He thinks this disagreement merits inflicting physical violence on me. I am leaving his comment here in case of the extraordinarily unlikely event that he does actually attack me, in order to show the premeditated nature of such an attack…
Just for context… you need to learn a bit more about people before you label them a racist. Seriously.
If the very first and only thing someone says to me is to defend racism, and they continue to do so repeatedly, then I don’t see it as my responsibility to investigate their entire life before taking them at their own word. As far as I’m concerned, I posted a link (not even something I’d written myself) to a fairly effective demolition of a racist article, then some troll I’ve never come across before or heard of in my life comes up to me and starts saying “yes, but he’s got a point” and carries on doing so, then they are *asking* for me to call them racist and block them.
Had I been given the slightest reason to think otherwise – had he been someone I’d had any interaction with in my life before – it would be a different matter, but as far as I’m concerned he’s a random troll, and I don’t ‘need’ to learn anything about him. Certainly his comment here tells me more than I need to know about him. Even if he isn’t racist – just someone who agrees with racist articles and feels the need to tell strangers so, for some entirely non-racist reason – he’s clearly a violent, dangerous person, and I frankly don’t *want* to learn more about him.
Oh, I doubt you’d have to dig deep to discover he’s not a racist…
It’s not a matter of ‘having to dig deep’, it’s a matter of him coming up to me from nowhere and defending racist statements. If you don’t want people to think you’re a racist, it’s a good idea not to have *the very first contact you ever make with them* to be to defend a racist article.
And if, for some bizarre reason which escapes me, you *do* go up to random strangers and start saying racists have a point, and they do assume you’re racist, then the response of a reasonable human being isn’t to threaten physical violence, but to say “I’m sorry, I can see how you might have thought that, given the things I was saying, but in fact I’m not.”
Certainly had I ever inadvertantly caused someone to think I held opinions which I found repellent, my first response would be to try to clarify my position, not to threaten physical violence. But then I, unlike Mr Power, am apparently ‘an abusive little arsehole’…
You really should choose your friends better, Aaron.
The very simple point to be made is that I wasn’t defending Liddle but pointing out that the criticism of him was flawed. But, of course, in your little world anyone who refuses to agree not only with your views but the way they are expressed and justified, however badly, is an enemy and fair game to be abused.
You see nothing wrong in labelling someone a racist with no other justification other than they are prepared to disagree with something you say. Apparantly, it is for me to say, “oooh, so sorry my behaviour led you to label me a racist but please be assured I am not”. You arrogant little twerp. You suggest that I ‘inadvertently led you to believe I was a racist’. Do you have the slightest idea what an utter cock that makes you sound?
You are on Twitter. You linked to a post. I responded. Do I need to have had a relationship with you before I can do that without being called a ‘troll’? Clearly, you have no grasp of what Twitter or social networks in general are all about.
In the end I did nothing but respond to a tweet. Something that people do milions of times every day on Twitter. I was not abusive or rude. It was YOU, who abused ME and now you are trying to suggest that it was actually my fault and I should apologise for forcing you to call me a racist . You are a pathetic little twerp. I have no doubt you are the sort of person that a great many people feel like slapping. I sincerely hope it happens one day.
PS: It is customary to refer to ‘Black’ people with a capital B. Arsehole!
PPS: Yes, you are right. I am perfectly capable of being violent towards abusive idiots like you and yes, I’m dangerous as well. But then you could always do the decent thing and retract your allegation. You won’t though. Twats like you never do.
There, fixed that for you. ANY further contact from you, in any form, will be reported to the police.
And don’t worry, I do still have an email copy of your further threats to me.
Call the police, you pathetic dope. What IS the nearest police station to Flat 1, 78, Northern Road, Manchester?
And well done in taking down my comment. Carried out in the true spirit of a Liberal Democrat (sic). You want people to see my ‘threats’ but not my response to your abuse? You sad little man. Now, off you go and change your underpants! – BOOOO!
‘Stealthmunchkin’. Says it all, really, doesn’t it?
What are you going to report me for. Unwanted commenting? Hahahahaaha. Get a life, saddo.
Ooh, well done, you managed to find out an address I moved from nearly a year ago, and only get two misspellings in it.
And no, I’m going to report you – definitely now – for repeatedly threatening violence against me and now trying (and failing) to find my home address.
You’ll need to give the police my address. It’s Fernlae House, Mill Lane, Hawkinge, Kent. CT18 7DB. I’m in most of the time.
I have reported Mr ‘Power’ (assuming that’s his name, and not more ridiculous macho posturing) both to South Kent police (who tell me that as well as being unable to spell my old address correctly he can’t spell his own purported address) as well as to his ISP. I have restored the comment I previously removed, so the evidence is visible to both.
Mr Power is simply *lying* when he says he wasn’t defending Liddle, as anyone who made a cursory check of his Twitter timeline (assuming he doesn’t delete it) would tell you. That said, that’s hardly the point. Even were I entirely in the wrong in our exchange and he entirely in the right – which I don’t for one second believe – there is absolutely no possible justification for him repeatedly threatening me with physical violence and trying to find my home address to intimidate me.
I am blocking him from commenting further on this or any other of my posts. I am also blocking Aaron, who I am absolutely astonished to see defending this behaviour – I had previously had a great deal of time for Aaron, but apparently he sees this behaviour as in some way justifiable.
I do not wish to prejudice any legal proceedings that take place, so would ask that no-one else leave comments here about this event – no matter what side you take. If you believe you have something to say about this, you either have my email address or your opinion is probably irrelevant anyway. Anyone leaving such comments will also be blocked, though I am leaving the post itself open for comments as it’s a general post.
Once I am satisfied that all proper steps have been taken, all comments on this page except Alix’s at the top will be deleted.
[...] About [...]
Hey Andrew,
It’s Claude from Hagley Road to Ladywood and sometimes Liberal Conspiracy writer.
I need to contact you about something. Could you very kindly drop me an e-mail as I can’t find your contact address?
Thanks very much and speak to you soon :-)