There have been a number of quite civil posts which simply disagreed with Antony’s viewpoint. They were never allowed through.

Never allowed through? How do you know? Can you prove this?

On too many occasions Andre and Antony have opted for the latter, convinced it’s the truth.

Why so bitter BenZ? This blog is intended to provide a forum for discussion. If you think we are wrong, then by all means, present your argument. Thus far, you are spending a great deal of energy NOT discussing the topics at hand.

There have been other posters who made more confrontational posts to this blog that were not blocked or deleted.

Rubbish.

There have been a number of quite civil posts which simply disagreed with Antony’s viewpoint. They were never allowed through.

“Iqbal Khaldun” asks

why do people like you and Viva never have a blog or post with a real name?

One might ask the same thing about “Andre” but then, one might not be bothered. I’m not really interested in anybody’s choice of posting name, merely their choice of posting truth or bullshit. On too many occasions Andre and Antony have opted for the latter, convinced it’s the truth.

PS: why do people like you and Viva never have a blog or post with a real name?
PPS: actually don’t answer that, I think I already know why.

Feel free to repost your comment, but if your post disappeared, it is much more likely because of a glitch when you submitted. If it is blocked again, let me know and I will be happy to submit it on your behalf.

There have been other posters who made more confrontational posts to this blog that were not blocked or deleted.

That aside, it’s no one’s fault but your own that your arguments are so easily dissected. Spitting the dummy when you don’t get your way doesn’t make you more credible mate. Similarly, merely repeating the canard that Ant stifles dissent is not going to make it a reality. As for Ant’s view and his efforts, if they are so discredited and insignificant in your opinion, then why do you invest so much time on this blog?

I have looked through the logs of comments made over the past few weeks, and there don’t appear to be any that are awaiting moderation.

That is because you (or more likely Antony) have simply ‘moderated’ them out of existence.

For example, I had a comment at:
http://antonyloewenstein.com/blog/2007/04/18/the-surge-grows/#respond which has suffered this fate. It is deleted. Gone. Censored.

The difference between being “banned” versus simply not having your first and/or subsequent comments ever published on the site, is a semantic one. The bottom line is, Antony has stifled dissent on his own blog, making him a hypocrite of note.

I wonder who BenZ really is. He seems to have the same complaints about Antony as the right wing Jewish organisations.

Actually, “Gottcha” it’s not merely “right wing Jewish organisations” who have complaints about Antony. Many left-wing organistaions, Jewish people who are not affiliated with any organisations and even numerous non-Jewish commentators have also recognised that Antony’s writing is full of errors, demonstrates a visible hostility and a looseness with facts and seldom presents a workable solution. They also note how painfully it is written.

Perhaps he ought to come clean on which one he belongs to

I belong to many, many organisations within the Jewish Community and outside of it. Religious, educational, political, welfare, social. This is not uncommon within the community either. There are a diverse range of groups, opinions and politics. This is visible if one takes even a cursory glance at the Australian Jewish News. Unfortunately, doing so doesn’t fit in with Loewenstein’s narrative that the Jewish community stifles dissent. The reality, is that has never sought to be a member of any of these groups and try standing for election. He knows he hasn’t got the numbers as his views are so extreme and as such instead tries to claim he’s the victim of bullying. From whom? Mrs Goldberg? Puhleese…

You may continue to blame some vast right-wing conspiracy but the reality is a lot more simple: Antony’s views reflect less than 1% of mainstream Jewish opinion. This is very easily verified by looking at the number of signatures he received for his IAJV petition, which wasn’t even half of his own goal of 1000. He gives himself far too much credit.

Who are you really BenZ?

It is my guess that comments that are flagged for moderation are triggered by certain keywords, though I am not sure of the criteria. Like I mentioned before, this is to prevent trolls from running amock while no one is looking.

Nonetheless, that is a far cry from being banned as is the case on other blogs. In fact, I have looked through the logs of comments made over the past few weeks, and there don’t appear to be any that are awaiting moderation.

All you have demonstrated by them is that your comprehension skills are severely lacking, not to mention your ignorance of current affairs.

Uh huh.
Two words Andre: “Argud Olmert”.

http://antonyloewenstein.com/blog/2007/05/01/when-amateurs-get-invoved-in-wars/

Game over.

I suggest you try posting dissenting views on some right wing blogs, that require registration and see how long you last.

Bloggers have every right to control what comments are left on their blogs. Their blog, their rules.

However, unlike these “right wing” bloggers you refer to, Antony Loewenstein has established his career on the pretense that his opinions were censored by the Jewish Community because they were unpopular. As such, whereas some bloggers censoring comments can be seen as annoying, for Loewenstein to do it, makes him a total hypocrite. Particularly so given that his fundamental claim, to have been censored is itself a complete sham when one looks at the amount of publicity he has received for a first-time book with sales of fewer than a single week’s TV Guide.

As for accusing me of being loose with facts, I might just let that one go through to the keeper considering you get yours from Antony.

BenZ’s opening statement speaks for itself:

You are doing wonders for your own credibility when you take Palestinian reports completely at face value, despite a long history of making completely false claims about Israeli weaponry and tactics with a totally straight face to a gullible media. Jenin “massacre” anyone?

Would you have us believe that BenZ would object to taking Israeli reports at face value?

BenZ,

You need to get a grip mate. I didn’t embed my comments in your post - It was included un-doctored at the end.

The reason you’re having a difficult time engaging is a rational debate, is because you have such a poor understanding of the facts. The links you provided were originally reported by mainstream news sources and Pulitzer prize journalists in the US. You know you’re scraping the barrel when events that you want to dismiss as so called “conspiracy theories” are broken as exclusive news items on far right sources like Fox News.

You are shown the all too familiar signs of paranoia, which invariably go hand in hand with someone who has already lost the debate. I have no control over what is or is not moderated, but I can access comments that are awaiting moderation. I cut and pasted your post as an act of courtesy and you demonstrated you gratitude by accusing me of lying. No good deed goes unpunished.

As for “His credibility and attitudes toward dissenting comment” being legendary, I suggest you try posting dissenting views on some right wing blogs, that require registration and see how long you last.

I don’t expect you to believe me, but then again I do know the sort of sites you do choose to accept at face value, so I’m not really concerned.

May I suggest you learn to read your links before using them blindly in your post. You claimed that one of them denied Bin Laden was responsible for 911, when it made no such statements. All you have demonstrated by them is that your comprehension skills are severely lacking, not to mention your ignorance of current affairs.