Readers of CogDis know that I recently called out Right Wing Blogger for trying to provoke violence against Superintendent of Schools Tony Evers.
For anyone interested, time for a little back scene look at what happens when you criticize someone on the right This does not just happen to me it happens to many others also but they are not blessed with a forum to point it out.
Let's go step by step,
A reader sent me a tip that Wiggy posted a story about Tony Evers on Watchdog.org and that the comments that had been up for two days, from typical fans of his, was that it was "hunting season" on teachers. I went and checked the blog out and saw that Wiggy put a picture up of Tony Evers with the caption "Get your gun".
This call to harm an elected official was misinterpreted by his faithful readers as hunting season on teachers, but the original meaning was clear.
Before I reported on this, I figured I would give Wiggy a chance to explain his disgusting actions and sent him the following email:
Jimmy,Mr. Wigderson responded with this(where he copied a lawyer Mike Maistleman with an incorrect email address)
I am doing a story on you, as education reporter, calling for the assassination of Superintendent Evers. Would you care to comment?
Thanks have a great night!
Provide the date, time and sourcee of the quote.
I then sent him the link to my blog and that was the last I heard from him.
That is when Wiggy goes into WIrightwing crazy. The next day I received a call from an old sales manager asking me who was the clown named James Wigdersomething.
Mr. Wigderson had decided the best way to respond to my questions was to try and get me fired from my job. Mr. Wigderson has a well deserved reputation of not using facts or research and he did not disappoint this time. Jim was going to send a message that if you crticize him he will go after you personally. Of course sending a message to a job I no longer have is not the least bit ironic.
Here is what he sent.
Good Afternoon,I have not heard back from him yet to see if he will be suing CogDis, but I am pretty sure I know the answer to that. (Hint: truth is not libel).
I received the following email from someone claiming to represent your company. Aside from the potentially libelous nature of the content and the content of his blog (I'm having an attorney review it) I was surprised that the person would include your company's website as if he was representing it by emailing me.
I'm sure you will take prompt action before this individual damages your company's reputation further. For my part, my only reply to this individual will be that he should cease and desist all contact with me. This is not the first time I have made this request of him, and that he continues to contact me makes me wonder about his stability.
Thanks again, and I've included a pdf of his email to me and the link to his blog post is below my contact info. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
James WigdersonWisconsin Education Reporter
Watchdog.org
214 North Henry StreetSuite 207Madison, WI 53703
262-422-7763
That is a behind the scenes look at what happens to people in WI who speak up against the right wing loons in this state and that is also why more people do not speak up.
But wait there is more:
Wiggy has been a "defemder" of free speech rights(as long as you are not talking about him).
Harassing, intimidating and suppressing voters, are what the right is truly trying to accomplish and luckily we will not let that happen!
A better campaign finance system would be one that actually encourages more democratic participation and more speech, not less. Liberals once readily spouted the maxim misattributed to Voltaire, "I don't agree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it." Today Wisconsin's liberals would rather say, "I don't agree with what you say and, if I can't prosecute it, I'll harass it any way I can until my television is commercial free."
Remember this next time the right has incredible fake outrage when people get upset that a racist hatefilled spewing Republican gets in trouble for their speech.