Mark Levin's (buddy of Rush, sidekick of Hannity) book signing scheduled for December 1st in Ridgewood has been cancelled. Levin then spent 45 minutes engaging in a verbal tirade and urging his listeners to go harass me, rhetoric which is inviting not only very serious legal action tens of times more serious than what has already occurred but possible legitimate polic action as well. This cancellation came after one of Levin's wingnuts "Pete From Long Island" posted for several hours on Levin's website that I should be "coldcocked" but only after the "cameras are taken out first." But instead of denouncing Pete from Long Island, Levin makes Pete from LI his 2nd phone caller of the show.
Levin then argues that my "entire biography" should be posted online, including my address, phone number, places of work, etc... Although worded coyly, Levin is basically urging his listeners to go out there and act like brownshirts. You can hear the disturbing audio here. Basically, the audio is full of name calling and incitement. It's very low, even for a dirtbag like Levin.
I'll address all the issues after the flop.
First, a quick correction. Hannity's website listed this December 1, 2007 bookstore event at Bookends. I was under the impression that Hannity would attend. Levin says Hannity was never going to attend on December 1st. It's possible he's right on this minute point so I'll be big enough to make the correction.
Second, hundreds of people, most, if not all of whom I never met, were planning to go to Bookends on December 1st long before my insignificant and rarely commented upon diary of yesterday which Levin spent 15 minutes or so reading excerpts of on the air. With the new media, the Internet, and YouTube, ordinary citizens can show up at public forum events where politicians and public figures are, be polite and civilized, and ask questions which expose right wingers for who they are. Who would the Senator from Virginia be today if "macaca" wasn't shown on YouTube? Who would the Senator from Missouri be today if Limbaugh's Michael J. Fox comments weren't broadcast all over the Internet for people to hear? The point is that new technologies allow people to expose these right wing wingnuts for who they truly are. And with sunlight, right wing conservatism gets buried on the ashheap of history, where it rightfully belongs.
Next, what inspired people to plan to go to Bookends Saturday? Was it me? No. There were calls across the internet for action prior to yesterday by many people whom I do not know. What motivated people was righteous outrage at Levin, Boyce, and Hannity for trying to have someone arrested because they didn't like my politics and were afraid of a question they thought I was going to ask. Regardless of politics, this touched a raw nerve in people and rightly so. There's no defense for Boyce, Levin, and Hannity and they know it and their lawyers know it.
Third, there's a fine but firm line between a public forum and a private business. A private business that invites people to its store for a big event is not the same as some New York City law firm that has an employee doing legal related work. The law firm isn't inviting anyone to its place just as Levin isn't inviting anyone to go stand outside his studio while he's broadcasting. Nobody on this site has advocated going to any bookowner's house, Levin's house, Hannity's house, Levin's business office, Hannity's business office, Boyce's residence, etc... For Levin to advocate that his Insanitized skinhead and neo nazi thugs should somehow harass me at truly private places such as a workplace that is not a public forum or my home which is not open to public events is way beyond the pale.
Fourth, Levin is a typical bully coward who chickened out. Using his word he is engaging in "Hitlerian" tactics. What disturbs Levin most was the possibility that cameras would be there to film his filthy mouth and the filthy mouths of his "beloved audience." Remember, the cameras would have served as deterrents to mischievous behavior and I urged cameras because I know my plans were to be totally civilized and peaceful but that the Levin audience is made up of some of the worst human beings on the planet. Levin, in a rare moment of honesty, actually said that he doesn't want his audience being put up on YouTube and portrayed as "racist" or "Hitlerian." Notwithstanding the Freudian slip, at least he knows his audience.
Fifth, Levin claims that I can come see him "anytime I want." Well I'm willing to avail myself in a public forum and your Insanitized listeners (basically Hannity's audience but far fewer in number) are free to ask questions. And I won't try having them arrested for it either.
Sixth, Levin made an offer to me and I'm going to accept under the following terms. You want me, here I am coward. Let's see who cuts and runs because I'm calling him out publicly. You want to have people ask questions of me? I accept under these terms.
a) We have two 1 hour live televised debates sometime between January 3, 2008 and April 30, 2008. One with you and one with your thuggish friend Hannity whom you are acting in concert with to attempt to intimidate me. Unless somebody says something that violates FCC rules, there can be no editing whatsoever. If you want 90 minutes or 2 hours, you got it pal. My progressivism v. your right wing extremism. I know you're too chicken to accept.
b) I'll let Levin and Hannity choose the media forum. Have Alan the patsy Colmes stay home for a couple of days and we can do it then and there. Plus the debate would see their ratings go through the roof for these 1 or 2 shows so money is not the motive. But I'm sure Levin and Hannity are too chicken to accept.
c) I'll let Levin and Hannity choose the moderators. However, moderators can not interrupt a debater during the debater's alloted time under any circumstances. Moreover, questions may not exceed 15 seconds.
d) Levin + Hannity can choose how the questions are asked. They can have a moderator ask them, audience members, head to head, etc...
e) Levin + Hannity can choose the amount of alloted time per question among the following: Any combination of 1-2 mins per question with rebuttals of anywhere from 20 seconds to 60 seconds. So long as each of us gets equal time.
f) No manipulation of camera angles.
g) I am to be paid for my appearance, $2500 each time and another $2500 to be donated to DailyKos to help pay for costs of Yearlykos2008. The amount of the appearance is way below market value.
h) If Hannity or Levin accepts, I'll legally let the two of them off the hook for November 10, 2007 and sign a general release doing such. Yes, I'll forego that money.
But I'm sure Hannity and Levin will chicken out. Note how I do NOT advocate harassing Levin, Hannity, or their families at their workplaces or private dwellings. Note how I do NOT advocate going to their places of work and beating the crap out of them.
Instead, I give Levin and Insanity an offer with the most favorable of terms possible. A fair debate would be a split panel, a split audience, a neutral news network, etc.. But I'm willing to give them every advantage because to me it won't matter because they are bully cowards who have cut and run their entire lives. Watch them cut and run again.
AUDIO - I listened to the entire audio from his website and it's beyond repulsive. Levin starts by saying he got an email about my diary from DK, but says he doesn't read this website and doesn't know what goes on here. (yet he bashes it all the time). He claims that I and others were going to go to the event to disrupt it and he can't guarantee the safety of his audience. He says that I work in a NY law firm, that my full name, phone number and workplace should be revealed, my business number and business address should be revealed so I can find out "what he thinks of other blogger journalists" (his neo nazi thugs), and that they should "respond to me." Levin says two can play this game and that he has his ways, that people should carry Stalin signs around my place of business, that he plans to do to me and you what allegedly "they do to us," acknowledges that he's only met me that one time,
As for words used to smear - he used the following words to describe me or others in his hateful diatribe. (The # of times each word was used is in parenthesis.)
Stalker or stalker boy (16x)
Taunt (5x) Abuse (5x)
Nut or nut job (4x) Coward (4x)
Pushing around (2x) Provoking (2x) harassment (2x) Malignant (2x)
He used the words mob, inciting, bullying, predators, hoods, stupid, fruitcake, bums, LW kook, poisonous, delusional, and piece of crap once. (I'm undercounting, I didn't get every word but this is over 50 negative perjoratives in such a short span.)