Forum Post: #occupywallst on freenode embodies the worst of authoritarianism and censorship
Posted 12 years ago on Dec. 16, 2011, 4:03 a.m. EST by Protricity
(5)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
i didn't write this, just saw someone post it. I can vouch for it being true, having been witness to a good month of IRCOP abuse and censorship of contrasting opinions in what is supposedly the official OWS irc channel.
Dear #occupywallst IRC CHANNEL on Freenode and those that run occupywallst.org:
occupywallst (irc channel, not website/movement) is a joke. It's a group of 20 or so people all banning people for their opinions, constantly. Yes there are trolls, yes there are people that are "out to cause trouble" but the moment you ban someone, you're officially designating the exact opinion of OWS, designating trends of thought, flexing muscle against those whom you disagree with, oppressing whatever that person had to say, be it for bad or good. You do not realize how awful this makes you look, how much it reflects badly on the movement that is fighting in the streets while you chat away on a computer screen. All the people you ban with differing opinions, no one will ever know, who might have actually gained knowledge from them, or Hell, even swayed their opinion if you gave them longer than 3 minutes to have an actual discussion.
Rest of the post here: http://pastebin.com/VtyxrNSU
Boo censorship! Even when someone is hateful, I see fear. That is what drives them. Let them speak; we can ignore real trolls. The fact that some come here repeatedly to argue to me is a good sign. Shows they are listening, maybe an inkling of faith in freedom will sink into their hearts.
well i've seen a lot of progress engaging people who are called 'trolls', who are mad, fearful, upset, confused. Ego drives people to insist to themselves that they are right, but there is always a desire to learn.