“The bigger picture is slowly beginning to sink in.
“The CHRC reach into the realm of our impolite medium treads upon the internet’s most sacred ground, something we have taken for granted since the earliest days of Usenet — the right to call each other names.
“I wonder how many of you have paused to consider your own databases, and the google caches they lurk in? Have you thought about how you might be called to account for readers who have accused me of being bought and paid for by politicians? Of being a ‘Nazi sympathizer’? Who’ve denigrated my artwork? Who have posted fabricated ‘quotes’ they’ve attributed to me?
“Because, in case you haven’t noticed, there’s really no way for me to lose. I may shell out a few dollars over this complaint, but the precedent will be a gold mine.
“The Canadian left have provided me the fodder for a full time career as a plaintiff.
“So, hurry now.
“Purge.
“But, set that aside for the moment — have your commentors accused Brian Mulroney of criminal activity? Jean Chretien? Grant Devine? Every premier in the history of British Columbia? They’re all private citizens, they all know good lawyers.
“And as a commentor accessing this medium — what then? Welcome to your new role as ‘Exhibit A’.
“Will the blog owner trade your identity for a free pass?
“Someone in media asked me in private conversation why this issue is so heated, so personal. I answered, ‘Then, you don’t understand. This is an existential threat to the Canadian blogosphere. This is not about what we say — this is about who we are.'”
