##Politics-Uncensored – A victory for the minority
Summary:
I created the ##Politics-Uncensored channel because ##Politics is entirely too moderation heavy. Anyone with a minority opinion is squashed, banned, and kicked out without sympathy or recourse. I firmly believe that in a pure democracy where majority always rules, there is no tolerance for minority opinions.
On February 9 2017, we were unceremoniously shut down by server operations staff for alleged violations of TOS.
The following log will show that the primary instigators of this action were non channel staff members, and one of them is an active staff member of the ##Politics channel – which does not appreciate our respect for minority opinions.
In the immortal words of Thomas Jefferson = “I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences of too much liberty, than those attending too small a degree of it.”
Our story begins in the early hours of February 9:
Feb 09 06:46:43 * KillerFr0st_ (~DarkPrinc@unaffiliated/darkprincess) has joined
* Burrito has changed the topic to: Make America Grate Again 🧀🧀🧀
* Torvalds has changed the topic to: Kunwon1's IP: XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX
<KillerFr0st_> amyliz, you are a stupid loser of a cunt why dont you get some friends or a life you obviously dont have anything good going on lol
<nikio_> why such language
* KillerFr0st_ is now known as KillerFr0st
* erasmus sighs – I'm sorry amyliz. Men can be so obnoxious sometimes.
<KillerFr0st> yeah you animals can be; but you will be put in your motherfucking place by feminist justice
<erasmus> yes you can.
<KillerFr0st> shutup pig – animals should know their place
<erasmus> yes you should.
<KillerFr0st> know your role, boy
<erasmus> but it's clear that you don't.
<erasmus> ok son
<KillerFr0st> retarded faggot
Channel moderator attempts to direct this individual toward more appropriate chat:
<erasmus> be nice boy
Channel visitor blatantly violates server TOS ; This visitor is NOT a member of channel staff
<Torvalds> plz ddos the ip in the topic ; he is a cunt
<niko> Torvalds: asking for ddos is a network violation, i suggest you to stop
<KillerFr0st> I reported this channel to staff already
<Torvalds> KillerFr0st: stfu
<KillerFr0st> for publishing uncloaked hostmasks and requesting DDOS
Another channel member removes the offending information within seconds:
* niko has changed the topic to: ""
Seconds later:
<KillerFr0st> I reported you torvalds
<Torvalds> good
<KillerFr0st> so if you got a problem, then you have a problem with me
<Torvalds> be happy
<niko> Torvalds: you have been warned at least
<Torvalds> niko: and yeah, i'd like to report kunwon1 and his faggotry to the staff; just go and see what he does
Feb 09 07:58:08 <erasmus> they know ##politics is a shit channel. Trust that.
<KillerFr0st> kunwon gets reported every fucking day; sometimes multiple times a day; lol
<niko> i also think this channel has nothing to do on freenode
<Torvalds> he is a pedo
<erasmus> nothing to do ? ; what do you mean by that?
<niko> i mean it should not exist
<Torvalds> this is offtopic for a foss friendly irc network
<erasmus> why? ; the irc protocol has been around for decades; this isn't the first and only uncensored channel.
<niko> because it's only used for racial comments, decloack and attract troll.
<KillerFr0st> this channel needs to be ckilled/cbanned; I would kline everyone in here tbh ; these people are a cancer on this network ; and flagrant TOS violators
<erasmus> niko I don't see it that way. KillerFr0st you have spent enough time in this channel to see that no one behaves anywhere near as poorly as you do.
Feb 09 08:00:41 <KillerFr0st> they just harrass users and engage in constant antisocial behavior and attempt to DDOS, doxx; troll, impersonate other users ; this is a hive of scum and villainy
Feb 09 08:00:54 <erasmus> who?
Feb 09 08:01:02 <Torvalds> YEAH AND I AHVE A PROBLEM WITH ##POLITICS
Feb 09 08:01:03 <Kiss> erasmus they're just dumbasses
Feb 09 08:01:13 <Torvalds> I WAS HUMILOATED AND BANNED FOR NO FUCKING REASON
Feb 09 08:01:17 <Torvalds> JUST FOR BEING HERE
Feb 09 08:01:21 <KillerFr0st> good; you sound like an idiot; I hope im the one that banned you
Feb 09 08:01:28 <Torvalds> you too
Feb 09 08:01:31 <KillerFr0st> you deserve it loser; get mad at me more please ; I love your tears; 😀
Feb 09 08:01:44 <Torvalds> oh you're the cosmicbitch
##Politics moderator changes nick to avoid being recorded clearly:
<KillerFr0st> im not exactly hiding it
* KillerFr0st is now known as BarbatosLupusRex
Feb 09 08:06:38 <BarbatosLupusRex> I laugh at your meaningless right wing existence
Feb 09 08:06:43 <BarbatosLupusRex> of ignorance, brutality and stupidity
Feb 09 08:06:47 <BarbatosLupusRex> what lowly, base creatures
Feb 09 08:06:56 <BarbatosLupusRex> gnashing their teeth at things they dont understand
Feb 09 08:06:59 <BarbatosLupusRex> like their betters
Feb 09 08:07:05 <BarbatosLupusRex> what amusement they provide
Feb 09 08:07:12 <BarbatosLupusRex> with their mimickry of higher forms
Feb 09 08:07:17 <BarbatosLupusRex> its like a parody
Feb 09 08:07:53 <BarbatosLupusRex> okay cuck, if you say so!
Feb 09 08:07:57 <BarbatosLupusRex> cuck says what? 😉
Feb 09 08:08:06 <niko> erasmus: you didn't get whay i mean when i say about how useless this channel is ?
Feb 09 08:08:18 <erasmus> no
Feb 09 08:08:28 <Torvalds> niko: we talk fine unless two of these faggots show up
Feb 09 08:08:30 <erasmus> I think you should use /ignore and then it will be better
Feb 09 08:08:34 <BarbatosLupusRex> erasmus, is a 40 year old maladjusted manchild with personality disorders
Feb 09 08:08:47 <BarbatosLupusRex> of course the idiot doesnt know how to act right or be an actual adult
Feb 09 08:08:49 <BarbatosLupusRex> its funny
Feb 09 08:08:54 <Torvalds> and yu're a 12 yo cocksucker who kunwon molests
Feb 09 08:09:02 <BarbatosLupusRex> is that your fantasy kid?
Feb 09 08:09:05 <BarbatosLupusRex> you're sick
Server staff takes action on the above report:
Feb 09 08:10:03 * Torvalds has quit (K-Lined)
Feb 09 08:10:17 <Oxygen> ^ o fuk
<BarbatosLupusRex> okay time to behave
<BarbatosLupusRex> so ummm cooperation between republicans and democrats is good right
<BarbatosLupusRex> >.>
<Burrito> funny how the absence of Freenode staff just makes this channel go batshit
<Kiss> the thing needs to come here to troll for things to talk about in its' busted ass channel
<BarbatosLupusRex> ive got agents in here reporting TOS violations; silent patriots of socialism ;I know you might ban me, but my people will be watching ; you guys dont even know; the surveillance regime in place; its so funny!
<Oxygen> actions have consequences
<BarbatosLupusRex> im feeling tingly down there; im rubbing into my chair, im kinda hot; you neanderthals have gone far too far by double
Sometime later – the channel ##Politics-Uncensored is unceremoniously shut down by server staff, all users are kicked out with the message “THIS CHANNEL IS CLOSED BY SERVER STAFF”
I discover this a few minutes later and immediately send a pm to the Head Nerd In Charge :
Feb 09 09:15:13 <DieFledermaus> Can I ask why my channel ##Politics-Uncensored is "shut down" ?
Feb 09 09:15:16 * <HNIC> is away (Goneeeee.)
**** ENDING LOGGING AT Thu Feb 9 09:29:02 2017
**** BEGIN LOGGING AT Thu Feb 9 09:17:02 2017
Shit. No response.
Let’s go to #[MAIN SERVER CHANNEL] and make an inquiry of any staff on-hand:
Feb 09 09:17:07 <DieFledermaus> Why is my channel shut down?
<ADMIN> Failure to follow rules and genral stupidity, I would imagine.
NOT AN ENCOURAGING RESPONSE
<DieFledermaus> what rules were violated and by whom?
(The Bat becomes insomnia )
<insomnia> So this sort of thing is allowed to be done without documentation?
<ADMIN> We're all volunteers, with jobs, etc, so it's not always possible to instantly get a response from other staffers.
<insomnia> So other staffers do whatever they want and answer to nobody? they don't even have to tell anyone why they've done something?
<insomnia> I demand you reinstate the channel until an answer is provided. ; until a valid reason is provided.
<ADMIN> Oh, I've had enough of you now.; I was willing to be civil and find out, but I've got better things to do. I bid you good day.
<insomnia> Oh, bless me with your time o server angel.
**** ENDING LOGGING AT Thu Feb 9 09:30:54 2017
**** BEGIN LOGGING AT Thu Feb 9 09:36:20 2017
<ADMIN> I see you're talking to HNIC about it now, so I'll leave you in X capable hands, I'm sure X help get to the bottom of it ; I know she's looking in to it as she's discussing it in the staff channel, so sit tight, she will respond when she's gathered full details
<insomnia> someone told me that cosmicwitch/a.k.a. killerfr0st was spamming the chan
<ADMIN> Just bear in mind what I said already, that staffers are volunteers so getting hold of another staffer to find out more info isn't always instant
Feb 09 09:37:24 <insomnia> I know, but ; and I'm sorry ; but look, I've been trying to have a channel for political discussion for a long time; and the ##politics people will NOT let us be.
<insomnia> they keep coming in and spamming & disrupting and stuff ; just *trying* to start trouble.; and this morning, I get up to see how my friends are; only to find we're shut down without reason.; try to understand okay? I'm friends with a lot of the members.
<ADMIN> yeah, I understand your frustration
<insomnia> Ok. ; thanks.
<ADMIN> and if it turns out that it was shut down for no good reason, HNIC (and, less importantly, I) will not be very impressed; Can you confirm if you've had any contact from staff regarding the channel, its operation or the behaviour of anyone in it?
<insomnia>ANOTHERADMIN ; came in the otther day and said someone violated a rule and I said, "Was it channel [Management]?"; he said no ; he didn't tell me what it was; he just said someone did "something"; but didn't elaborate ; and he said it wasn't done in my chan ; but he said the person was in the chan when he did it
<insomnia> and I was like, "Well that's not really my fault? How can I know what anyone is doing?"; he hung around a while; saw we were talking politics; and I hope he saw killerfr0st coming in spouting disruptive stuff; and we all just ignored it.; don't take the bait
<ADMIN> Has there been any encouragement to DDoS / de-cloak people? I saw some vague mentions of that at one point, including that the /topic was being used for that
<insomnia> not that I know of; so what I was told this morning; is that a guy named 'torvalds' put an IP in the topic this morning ; and someone else removed it immediately; our /topic is unlocked (and there's no rule against that); but there is never any encouragement for that sort of silliness
<insomnia> Torvalds is the guy to hold responsible; not my channel ; he could have just as easily msgd it to the whole network
<ADMIN> He's not an op / representative of your channel, I assume?
<insomnia> negative
<insomnia> if I had been there, I would have kicked or quieted him; or locked the topic temporarly; as I do frequently when it gets into tpic war where two people fight over it.; I think a little topic play is fun and a stress relief; but I'd never let it be used for that.; I been here too long.;and zero bans
<ADMIN> Personally, I'm always wary of -t, simply because any user can put offensive stuff in the topic and have it show in the topic list
<insomnia> we let people talk. sometimes they get rambunctious but we do put the kibash on it.
<ADMIN> and, rightly or wrongly, it gets interpreted as an "official" thing that represents the channel
<insomnia> and I can see that point; but people *can* do bad stuff; I try to let them have leash to prove they'll do good stuff; sure, we get a few bad actors; but as our channel entrymsg says ; "I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences of too much liberty, than those attending too small a degree of it."
<ADMIN> Please note I'm not trying to say "you used -t so it's your fault", just offering my personal opinion on it 🙂
<insomnia> Ok. I'll respect your opinion. But I would rather give people a chance to be good; rather than suspect them all of being evil
<ADMIN> Yeah – it's nicer to be able to assume good faith, I'll definitely agree that; but, sadly, there are a lot of people out there who will abuse that
<insomnia> and that is my goal with the channel; in ##Politics everyone feels abused by the ops;so I created a place for them to go; Instead of messing with the ##politics channel and trying to ban evade; I said, "Just come here and chat. We don't need them." ;then someone over there got a bug in their bonnet about our channel and would not leave us alone
<ADMIN> As with everything, it's a fine line between providing some freedom, and actively permitting racism / hate speech / illegal activities
<ADMIN> I'd like to think you're on the "right" side of that line, but I don't have personal experience of the channel
<insomnia> we are ; some people come in and try to go off on racism and whatnot; just as 'shock value'; when they see it has no value to shock, they drop it.; Its my psychology at work;If you let them scream it once in a while; they get it out of their system;
<insomnia> and I'm just really hurt by this; we were giving a much needed outlet
I had no response from anyone in a little while, so I decided to try & join the channel to see if it were open. It was!
Immediately I sent msgs of gratitude.
Feb 09 10:49:46 <insomnia> Hi
Feb 09 10:49:47 * <ADMIN> is away (off home)
Feb 09 10:55:24 <insomnia> Thank you.
Feb 09 10:55:28 * insomnia tips hat
**** ENDING LOGGING AT Thu Feb 9 10:55:36 2017
PM to Head Nerd In Charge to express gratitude:
<insomnia> Thank you.
<HNIC> no, thank you — for being candid with XXXXXX (and XXXXXXX with XXXX) — i am very sorry that this situation occured and for the poor way it had been managed by staff
<insomnia> No worries. Thanks for letting us exist. Do I have to keep the topic locked?
<HNIC> no, i would say not — if i can ask one thing, then perhaps it will be that if people attack the channel or try to incite hatespeech, etc. under the guise of free speech or encourage people to attack others, let us know — while we understand you want to provide an unmoderated venue for discussion and are loathe to ban people, we can, if they do not get bored on their own, push them off the cliff as it were without you needing to ban anyone or upset any of the other channel regulars by leaving them in the channel! 🙂
<insomnia> That sounds very good.
<insomnia> We've had an issue with a few folks, but I….worked some psychology miracles and they stopped on their own
<HNIC> yeah, i think a lot of the time lack of response makes for a boring audience 🙂
<insomnia> exactly.