The Italian Version

I'm basically done with Little Green Footballs, you know? My discomfort with the commenters over there has been growing for months: first it was bigel and his "Nuke Europe" battlecry - and he didn't mean it as the "Samson Option", but he wanted (and still wants) revenge for the Holocaust. He and his ilk just toned down the rhetoric if called on it - taqqiyah, if you like - but still gained a considerable following.

Then, bigel finally banned, it came the turn of the pathetic, racist, bigoted American Infidel; a sadist of inconceivable ignorance and arrogance. With an obsessive vein. Not to mention the bunch of Jewish extremists who for months turned into a flame war every thread about Israeli politics - or every thread they posted on. This article is dedicated to them, by the way.

But this thread really went beyond my limit. It isn't particularly bad in itself, but it's a summary of all that's wrong the Lizards these days. LGF evolved from a small community of pleasant conservatives (of various strains), outspoken and unapologetic but basically good-natured to become a community where the majority are fanatical right-wing nutjobs, bitter and hateful; as much irrational, ideologically blind and oblivious to facts as their lefty counterparts.

Look at the utter contempt shown by many for Muslims and Arabs (basically, synonyms in their view) and anything related - beyond not only human decency, but even pragmatism or strategy. And sometimes even beyond what is feasible or possible.

Look at the mess of the Port Deal: there are legitimate concerns about it, but for many LGFers now Dubai is without any doubt a terrorist-supporting state, and DPW a trojan horse that al-Quaeda will use to "take control" of American ports and sneak all sort of nastiness into the USA. The fact that the UAE host five US Military facilities seems to be lost, or of no consequence (yes, the UAE aren't perfect). As is the fact that port security is and will remain under the Department of Homeland Security. And they completely disregard the notion that shafting an ally may make them think twice before giving help and support the next time around.

I don't hate the Lizards, but I do not belong there anymore.

And Charles himself? He does an useful job of publicizing stories that otherwise could easily remain buried. But his choice of stories and headlines sometimes seems to pander directly to the worst elements, and even to stir up trouble just for the sake of it. And he could easily identify the usual suspects among the commenters (who often write dozens of posts per day) and discipline them. Evidently he does not want to - dedication to freedom of speech or agreement with their positions?

Anyway, I want to make clear that there still are plenty of decent, rational, reasonable and knowledgeable people posting over there. But the nutcases, I can't stand. So I'll take down the link to LGF, and will be around there very little in the future. Yes I know, Charles and the Lizards won't even notice my departure - but this is about me, about my integrity.

So let's give some space to a few new blogs: the Italians Watergate and Calamity Jane; the American Tigerhawk. And a general cleanup of the sidebar.