Blogger Chuck Johnson Knows Who to Blame for Being Suspended From Twitter: Me
Right wing blogger Chuck C. Johnson’s statements about being suspended from Twitter for the second time in a week (for posting private information) are a hoot, starting with the wildly self-aggrandizing title of the post at his creepy website: Twitter Suspends Journalist for Reporting Ahead of the Curve (Again) - Got News.
Just as with the post about his previous suspension, he got someone else to put a byline on it so it would look more “professional.”
Let’s get right into the conspiracy theories, shall we?
Johnson points out that the Daily Mail, the Dallas Morning News, and numerous other outlets published both Pham’s address and her name but only after Johnson reported it. “Apparently Twitter wants me to suck at reporting so that the other reporters can have a job.”
We know right wingers believe corporations are people, but this takes it to a new level; Chuck seems to think Twitter as a whole is out to get him. The word for this is “paranoia.”
As for the media sites that published Pham’s name, they did so only after confirming with her family, which is known as “responsible journalism.” Chuck, on the other hand, irresponsibly published the name without confirmation, based on tips from anonymous (and racist — this is the guy who gave him Pham’s address) Twitter users, at a time when the family was asking media not to reveal it.
[… several paragraphs of paranoid conspiracy theories…]
“The purpose of publishing the addresses of people infected with Ebola at Gotnews-and not on Twitter-has been to avoid those houses and to protect the public’s health,” Johnson says. “Only a moron would go to the houses to get Ebola.”
It strains belief to the breaking point to think that Chuck doesn’t understand that publishing names and addresses of Ebola patients puts people at risk, because there are some crazies out there (many of whom follow blogs like Chuck’s; see the preceding paragraph). Surely he realizes this?
“Of course when my personal address is revealed or my phone number Twitter’s @support seems unable to block the accounts,” Johnson noted. “When people threaten to kill me or have Anonymous target me, nobody seems to mind much. Fortunately I’ve got the Second Amendment to protect myself if Twitter won’t follow the First Amendment or their own rules.”
If someone is threatening Chuck on Twitter he can file a report like anyone else. Or he can just threaten to shoot them, as he’s doing here.
(And of course, as a private company Twitter is not bound by the First Amendment.)
But here’s the real kicker: Chuck seems to think I control Twitter now.
“It’s probably that loser over at Little Green Footballs,” Johnson said. “The guy has been stalking me for months for having the same name. It’s sad that Twitter has joined the censorship campaign but unsurprising. I’ve been fighting censors since I edited the high school newspaper. I’ve never lost. I’ll win this fight, too.”
I hope he doesn’t shoot me.
Via TPM, a new detail suggests that Chuck may not be getting his account back this time: Yes, Chuck Johnson Has Been Suspended From Twitter Again.
Johnson wrote to TPM later on Tuesday to say he isn’t sure that’s why he was suspended by Twitter this time around.
“Twitter isn’t providing any reason why I am suspended,” he said in an email. “They won’t say if it’s because of private information; they e (sic) just suspended me.”
When they just suspend you without any notice or explanation, this is known as a “bad sign.”