In Response To The Recent Unpleasantness

Posted on | March 30, 2012 | 38 Comments

by Smitty

The comment threads are getting a bit dodgy on Stacy’s last two posts. Have your opinions, but please don’t soil yourself with ad hominem.

The FedoraCon idea is interesting. “Success is the best revenge,” someone once told me.

The Quotes of the Day post at Hot Air grabs the NYT:

“If the administration loses its argument [on ObamaCare], one early strategy is to run squarely against the Supreme Court. Democrats believe that Mr. Obama could fashion himself as a modern-day Franklin D. Roosevelt, trying to convince voters that a majority of the justices are in the pocket of the Republicans. A Democratic senator on Wednesday referred to that as the ‘martyr strategy.’

One of the crucial lessons we all have to learn about being online is that this exuberantly free speech we enjoy is totally non-binding. I don’t owe you a link, you don’t owe me a link. If I have time to respond to comments, or read your posts, great. It’s all best effort.

Also, I can rail at you all day and night about you not paying attention to my work. Laughing at my jokes. Tweeting my posts. And you really don’t owe me the time of day. If I’m not paying you, I have no real cause for complaint. And if you go on Twitter and call me everything but a white man, what cause have I for complaint? I could say you’re wrecking me professionally, but, over time, the truth will out. If there is no basis for your finger pointing, you look a Charles Johnson.

We could plan do some kind of ‘FedoraCon’, perhaps as an in-joke attached to CPAC, I’m all for it.

Just keep in mind that the ‘martyr strategy’ is not a creative one, and, ultimately, impresses nobody.

Update: linked by The Catholic Bandita!

Category: Uncategorized

Comments

38 Responses to “In Response To The Recent Unpleasantness”

ThomasD
March 30th, 2012 @ 10:20 am

In order to be a martyr one must truly die for the cause.

Going down kicking and screaming does not necessarily make one a martyr. Especially if you eventually rise victorious. Then you are just a winner.

Judging by his ability to parley ‘winning’ into a recent spate of, no doubt lucrative, ad gigs, Charlie Sheen really does appear to have pulled out a victory (of sorts.)

Mybe I just like Stacy, or maybe there really is method to his madness.
Smitty: ‘It’s all best effort.’
March 30th, 2012 @ 10:20 am

[…] writes: One of the crucial lessons we all have to learn about being online is that this exuberantly free […]
robertstacymccain
March 30th, 2012 @ 10:24 am

Just keep in mind that the ‘martyr strategy’ is not a creative one, and, ultimately, impresses nobody.

Remember: This isn’t my choice, Smitty.

I was willing to walk away, but the readers evidently wanted more, and customer satisfaction is Job One.
Zilla of the Resistance
March 30th, 2012 @ 10:26 am

I know you have no obligation to recognize that an alternate conference was my idea, but if it will be called “FedoraCon”, if I get a hat will you add me to the Axis?
Also, if y’all seriously want to do this, someone has offered me access to specialized fundraising and organizational software that may be helpful in making it happen. Just let me know and I’ll get it, learn how to use it, and give everyone the keys to it (or whatever the right word for it would be). I am still very sick and the disease is cruelly attacking my brain so I don’t know what more I could do besides getting the software & promoting the conference (and of course attending it if my health improves by then) so if we seriously want to do this we have will need some people with skillz to work out the nuts and bolts and tell me what else I can do to help.
vermontaigne
March 30th, 2012 @ 10:40 am

I have lots of room here.
RegularGuyPaul
March 30th, 2012 @ 10:57 am

My daddy has a barn, and I can do the splits.
richard mcenroe
March 30th, 2012 @ 11:13 am

Oh, yeah, well my dad’s the handyman, and I can get the keys to the gym!
richard mcenroe
March 30th, 2012 @ 11:14 am

Hit Zilla’s tip jar and buy the lady a hat. I didn’t realize you weren’t in the Axis already!
Pathfinder's wife
March 30th, 2012 @ 11:22 am

In the long run, a person should do things for themselves (unless this blog here is about putting food on the table and paying the bills, you are not obligated to keep writing). It would be nice if you did, because this is a fun blog and why let the suckers get you down — but ultimately you are at liberty to do what you want and will (yeah, it would be nice if you stuck around, it would be nice if you at least went out in a blaze of glory and took down the names, but it’s your choice).

So…hope this place sticks around (and that’s for purely selfish reasons), but if you decide to walk away I understand.
(you aren’t are you? because seriously I’ve been kicked off of just about everywhere — left, right, inbetween, all of them)
And by the way: just remember — I came up with the idea of an alternate hootenanny down there in the comments…show me the money!!! (if you make any; no bills for this adventure please).I am nothing if not a capitalist…
ThePaganTemple
March 30th, 2012 @ 11:28 am

If I had your stats, Tabitha Hale would have to pay me to attend BlogCon.
PaulLemmen
March 30th, 2012 @ 11:42 am

I’ve already promised you one of my collection. I only reserve my Borsalino.
ThePaganTemple
March 30th, 2012 @ 11:57 am

LOL

https://twitter.com/#!/TabithaHale/status/185407106155945984

Maybe the two of you should just get a room somewhere and “work it out” hahahaha

Probably not at BlogCon though.
Lisa Graas
March 30th, 2012 @ 11:58 am

I am severely confused but as long as you’re blogging…I’m good.
Charles Johnson
March 30th, 2012 @ 12:03 pm

Just a little more hate, Stacy, and I’ll have you over to my side. Calvin was a fool, spewing the whole “no choice” business.
Keep hating. LGF is depending upon you to complete the transition.
Zilla of the Resistance
March 30th, 2012 @ 12:09 pm

I need a small one, I am a petite woman with a small (but remarkably hard & thick) skull. I like black to match my shoes & purse. I can send you my mailing address. 🙂 I want to be in the cool kids’ club!
PaulLemmen
March 30th, 2012 @ 12:16 pm

6 7/8 size mayhaps? Dark Grey Fedora or black Borsalino? Snap brim or soft brim? I need to know! Press Pass in the band?
richard mcenroe
March 30th, 2012 @ 12:23 pm

Sidney Greenstreet was a REALLY bad influence on you, wasn’t he?
Adrienne
March 30th, 2012 @ 12:27 pm

Wait, wait!!!! You have a BORSALINO??? The epitome of perfection…
Adrienne
March 30th, 2012 @ 12:28 pm

I WANT A BORSALINO!!!! It would please my dear departed father who never wore anything except Borsalino. Italians know their hats…
The Brutally Honest Truth
March 30th, 2012 @ 12:29 pm

[…] me just say up front that I am mostly confused about a lot of the things that are surrounding this Stacy McCain thing. I’m doing headlines and chat moderation and twibe and helping my daughter with the chickens […]
PaulLemmen
March 30th, 2012 @ 12:34 pm

I have several.
PaulLemmen
March 30th, 2012 @ 12:35 pm

Warped at a young age …
PaulLemmen
March 30th, 2012 @ 12:37 pm

https://www.henrythehatterdetroit.com/our-history.html
William_Teach
March 30th, 2012 @ 12:39 pm

I suggest we hold FedoraCon on the beautiful Outer Banks of NC. Seafood, beer, ocean….hell of a lot better than frickin Charlotte, eh?
smitty
March 30th, 2012 @ 12:48 pm

Therein lies the rub. Whoever does the organizing gets to call the shots. If I may be so bold, Tabitha Hale’s rebuttal to Stacy essentially cribs Teddy Roosevelt’s ‘Man in the Middle’ speech.
Bob Belvedere
March 30th, 2012 @ 1:00 pm

Damn right.
ThomasD
March 30th, 2012 @ 1:30 pm

Oh come on Smitty, you really cannot think that Hale is the one calling all the shots here?

But regardless of who is pulling the strings, if there is some method to the madness then perhaps Freedomworks might consider being a bit more upfront about the hows and whys of it all.

You know, transparency.
smitty
March 30th, 2012 @ 1:44 pm

In the absinthe of facts we’re currently enjoying, there is no sober alternative.
ThomasD
March 30th, 2012 @ 2:38 pm

I guess every rapier needs a foil, so, carry on.
AnonymousDrivel
March 30th, 2012 @ 3:01 pm

“Democrats believe that Mr. Obama could fashion himself as a modern-day Franklin D. Roosevelt…”

Oh, goody. Now we can amend the Constitution to permit just one term for president. Methinks the Democrats have chosen to act stupidly.
Adjoran
March 30th, 2012 @ 3:13 pm

I still don’t get it – one of the Team Tabby boys was on the other thread insisting everything about BlogCon is free to everybody. A big fat public service. Sure is nice of the hotels and all to supply all that stuff for free.

I just can’t get it out of my head, though, something about free lunches. Things should make more sense.

Maybe I’m just confused. I guess I should apologize for insinuating Hale has put on few pounds just because her Twit-pic looks younger than that photo of Trayvon Martin they put out. Maybe I was wrong. The more recent pictures I’ve seen might have been taken in funhouse mirrors or something. Sorry!
Michael Bates
March 30th, 2012 @ 3:19 pm

That’s not what I said. I said registration was free, and some scholarships are available to help bloggers cover hotel and travel costs. The conference costs and scholarships are funded by BlogCon’s sponsors, FreedomWorks and the Franklin Center. The airlines and hotels get paid. Stacy was offered scholarships to the 2011 and 2012 BlogCons and turned them down.
Quartermaster
March 30th, 2012 @ 6:40 pm

Or, perhaps, madness to his method. I just hope it all works out in the end and RSM keeps blogging.
Zilla of the Resistance
March 30th, 2012 @ 7:33 pm

I don’t know a whole lot about hats, but going by a shoelace and ruler measurement (kids stole and lost the tape measure) my head is about 21″ around, if that helps. I googled hat styles and the fedora is probably best suited to me, I like the dent in the top, reminds me of my favorite hat that my grandpa used to wear, his was grey plaid with a black silk band and a red feather. Shaped kind of like this one:
https://www.henrythehatterdetroit.com/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/resized/Dobbs_Glencove_4c9e1651e15c7_120x120.jpg
Aside from being able to join the cool kids’ club, I need a hat because the medicine to fight my Lyme and Ehrlichiosis has made me very sensitive to sunlight, and I wear prescription glasses but can’t afford prescription sunglasses so going outside in daylight is a real bitch for for me.
PaulLemmen
March 30th, 2012 @ 8:09 pm

Hehehe, you haven’t priced the Borsalinos … upwards from $385 on sale. My favorite costs $600 … You’re a small, about a size seven … I might recommend this: https://www.henrythehatterdetroit.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&category_id=10&flypage=O-flypage.tpl&product_id=885&redirected=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=2 If you like it (you pinch the front once you get the hat) email me where to send it.
richard mcenroe
March 31st, 2012 @ 12:02 am

Sadly, many witty blades are dulled with ill-use….
Adobe_Walls
March 31st, 2012 @ 12:32 am

Both excellent choices, my wife gave me a SCALA Classico wool felt in green/olive two Christmas’s ago and I wear it everywhere but in the shower. Considerably more modestly priced also.
PaulLemmen
April 1st, 2012 @ 10:35 am

Hehehe, you haven’t priced the Borsalinos … upwards from $385 on sale. My favorite costs $600 … You’re a small, about a size seven … I might recommend this: https://www.henrythehatterdetroit.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&category_id=10&flypage=O-flypage.tpl&product_id=885&redirected=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=2 If you like it (you pinch the front once you get the hat) email me where to send it.