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R. Simeon said: There are three crowns. The crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood and the crown of kingship. But the crown of a good name excels them.
(Ethics of the Fathers 4:17)
A few days ago I wrote a post about Alan Dershowitz’s attacks against Norman Finkelstein apparently coordinated with serial potty mouth Israeli uber-nationalist Steven Plaut. I suggested that Dershowitz be careful because, as the old saying goes: lie down with dogs rise up with fleas. It now appears that Jewlicious has a serious flea infestation.
I find CK at Jewlicious to be one of the snarky, smug and more objectionable figures in the Jewish blog world. “Whiny bitch” was one of the choicer epithets he’s hurled at me. The man once actually called himself a “liberal” and fancies himself somewhat of a progressive when it comes to Israeli politics. Plaut, who has created three separate blogs to defame Israeli peace activists, used a Jewlicious post to smear me at Little Dickie’s Diaper Droppings (see link for selections of some of the more offensive material from what is henceforth known as the ‘defaming blog’). I challenged CK by asking whether he wished to have himself and Jewlicious associated with dirtmongers like Steven Plaut. Now, we all have the answer.
One of the tactics Plaut and Masada2000 have used in their cyber-bullying campaign against me (and in the case of Masada2000–thousands of other Jewish peace activists in its S.H.I.T. List) is to feature their images along with defaming, often vulgar captions. Both Plaut’s defaming blog and Masada2000 displayed images of me for which I held copyright. After filing a Digital Millenium Copyright Act notice with the specific webhosts for each, both images were removed. But boys will be boys and these boys think they’re toying while not realizing that DMCA is not a toy, but a law with teeth and serious provisions for multiple violations. They coordinated their copyright violation by displaying the same image of me at the two sites. And now Jewlicious has joined the fray by becoming party to the copyright war. CK also stole a new one of my images and, after defacing it uploaded it to his server so that Plaut could direct link to it at the defaming blog.
I would ask my fellow Jewish bloggers–is this behavior you condone? Would you participate in a campaign againsts a fellow Jewish blogger orchestrated by someone like Steven Plaut, who cloaks himself in anonymity in creating the defaming blog? If not, I hope you will speak up in your blogs against such cyber-bullying and blatant law breaking. If you won’t, I would ask why not? Do you not think the same treatment could be yours some day? And wouldn’t you want me and your fellow bloggers to come to your aid?
Oh and CK, since you clearly know the defaming blogger’s identity why don’t you out him for us? Or is this your usual M.O,–to lie down with the scumbags of the Jewish world who are too chicken shit to come forward and name themselves? I’ll tell you one reason why Plaut won’t unmask himself. His ass is in a sling regarding the libel suit he lost against Neve Gordon. He doesn’t want to make it too easy for people to sue him again.
I warn these three individuals and anyone else who wants to get into the copyright war that I have retained legal counsel and that I will vigorously protect my copyrights. I urge you not to act in ways that you might come to regret later when faced with legal action and potentially painful financial repercussions.
And for those of you who thought Jewlicious was a site you admired for whatever reason, you might want to think again. This is a Jew who makes common cause with a lunatic who accuses other Jews of being ‘kapos,’ ‘Judenrats,’ and ‘neo-Nazis.’ The two are a match made in Gehinom.
Svend of Akram’s Razor has written one of the most profoundly empathic responses to this imbroglio which captures my feelings even better than I’ve been able to do it myself:
There is something profoundly indecent and violently offensive about their promiscuous use of put-downs like “capo” for other Jews. It’s perhaps the only ethnic epithet in English that exceeds “n*****” in hurtfulness and malice. I’m not even Jewish and its use outrages me. I can’t imagine how insulting that must be.
It’s a new Blood Libel, this willingness to smear all Jews as homicidal sell-outs. Der Sturmer would be proud. No wonder they resort to terms like Judenrat–they’re basically Hitler Youth, albeit very confused ones.
It’s also perversely hypocritical for people who preach the loudest (and routinely cry wolf) about anti-Semitism to constantly resort to such a vicious slander against other Jews.
The Jewish Forward has become interested in the subject of Steven Plaut’s cyber-bullying and will feature a story about little Stevie this week. He won’t come out of it looking good. But I guess it doesn’t matter to him. Being known to the world as gutter scum just nurses his hate like a glass of stale beer.
I wanted to place all of this in context by saying how important it is to have your good name and how horrible it is to have someone try to take it from you by force. Quarreling over copyright violations may not seem like the best use of one’s precious time in this world. But the way I see it the bullies of the world want to take from you whatever you hold dear in life, whether that’s your portrait, your name or your reputation. I just can’t let them do that to me.
Disclosure: Copyright and Tikun Olam
Tikun Olam does periodically use images (almost entirely from the news media) for which it does not own copyright. However, unlike some other scumbags, this blog prominently declares that it will willingly and immediately remove any image if the copyright holder requests this. This has happened only once that I can recall. No one has ever filed a DMCA notice against this blog.
UPDATE: Since originally writing this post, I have learned that an anonymous party claims ownership of the fake blog, furthermore stating that Steven Plaut has not participated in its creation. A reporter tells me Plaut has denied his involvement. So while I have no idea whether the anonymous party is being truthful, it is possible that Plaut is either not involved in the blog, is partially involved, or that the blog claimant is lying and Plaut is fully responsible. I don’t yet know for sure which is the case. My impression of Plaut’s authorship was based on the firm conviction of another victim of a very similar fake blog that Plaut was responsible.
In addition, as I note here–it now appears that while David Abitbol of Jewlicious has posted a defaced image of mine at his site, he may have had no direct role in displaying this image at the fake blog. However, that site does direct link to Jewlicious, which further aggravates the copyright violation.
Tags: cyber-bullying, jewish-forward, masada2000, steven-plaut
He can’t respond if he’s been banned.
Oh, trust me. He has my e mail address. He’ll give me a piece of his mind. But if he chooses to provide the proof I’ll publish the comment. But I strongly doubt he will.
If his next e mail manages not to accuse me of lying or beating my wife, then I’ll likely unban him–till he goes & says something obnoxious again (there’s always a next time with him).
Another reason I have to ban him periodically is that he’ll publish 20 comments in this thread if I let him saying virtually the same thing over & over again.
UPDATE: Wouldn’t you know, Aussie Dave didn’t waste any time in e mailing me as I wrote above. He’s now threatened (or promised–I can’t tell which) a lawsuit. Not sure what the grounds would be–other than allegedly lying and making him very, very mad. Sit tight everyone, this could get hairy.
I have to concur with the other commenter – you asked him to prove something, yet you banned him. I am also troubled by the fact you made an allegation, seemingly without without any factual basis, and then ask for proof to disprove the allegation. Would you like to be treated this way?
I am sorry Richard, but you are in the wrong here.
I am treated this way all the time both here & at other sites. Someone makes what I consider an inaccurate statement. I say so. They respond: “prove it.” And if I have the proof I do. That’s generally the way discussions & political argument works.
My statement was not “seemingly without factual basis.” It was based on a conversation I had with a blogger who knows quite a bit about the inner workings of PJM.
I didn’t ban Aussie Dave because I didn’t want him to present his proof. I banned him because he called me a “liar” w/o any proof of the claim. My comment rules clearly indicate (read them please) that if you make such charges against me you are liable to be banned.
Also, I offered to publish any proof he would provide and said that I would believe him if he offered it. If he was acting in good faith he would take me up on this offer. Instead, his response was to promise me a lawsuit for being a “liar,” a charge he still hasn’t proven. Thankfully, judges have a bit higher standard of proof than Aussie Dave seems to have.