There is a Monster in the Liberal Blogosphere

To understand Jason Cherniak's central role in the ongoing Liberal Purity Wars, its necessary to go back to Friday, August 18th, when Progressive Blogger/Liberal Blogger Nav Purewal, in a post entitled "The Passion of the Nav", wrote plaintively:

I've been kicked out of Liberal Bloggers on grounds of anti-Semitism. You can find the offending post here. Isn't that kind of like calling someone a racist for laughing at a Dave Chappelle joke?

And guess whose the gatekeeper at Liberal Blogs? Jason Cherniak! Who writes back to Nav a bit later the same day:

I apologize for the error. Frankly, I was in a rush and did not have time to do proper research. I figured that my primary concern had to be to avoid accusations of Liblogs anti-Semitism. I will put you back on the list.

So, Jason did not even bother to properly read the post that triggered Nav's ban! Reminds you of an Evangelical Christian, denouncing a movie they haven't seen, doesn't it?

And there's more. What exactly was the content of the post that got Lord Jason so steamed that he would start waving his smiting stick? Well, its about an Israeli sponsored contest of Anti-Semitic cartoons, judged, if I recall correctly, by Art Spiegalman of Maus fame!

So, in reality, the first engagement in the Purity War's took place last week, with nobody hearing much about it because Jason bunged up the initial assault.

Apparently, Cherniak has been building up to this purge for awhile now!

And the question arises, if Jason had even bothered to properly read the blogger he banned, what kind of litmus test would he have applied to determine whether or not Nav's posts contained Anti-Semitic content? Well, its speculation on my part, because Jason doesn't have his "rules" posted anywhere, but if you read Cherniak's recent material, the natural answer seems to be that Jason is Jewish, and a Liberal, and goddamn it Jewish Liberals know what the limits of free-thought ought to be in the Liberal Blogosphere.

But wait, if that's true, what happens if you find a Jewish Liberal who disagrees with Cherniak's assessment on this or that matter? Well, as McLelland notes at My Blagh, Jason seems to have this part figured out: there are two types of Jews, and its only "normal" Jews whose opinion matters.

Apparently, Jason knows how to tell them apart.

Ladies and gentlemen, there's a monster loose in the Liberal Blogosphere, and its name is Cherniak.

And frankly, I am sick of him.

Jason, here's the deal. The War ends now. In fact I think you owe poor Thomas Hubert a phone-call and an apology, because whatever he said or did not say, you are supposed to represent a new generation of leadership within the Liberal Party, and in this role you failed pretty dismally. It was incumbent upon you to do what you could to quell this controversy quietly; instead you chose to denounce a fellow Liberal on a blog.

Now, as for me, I will be doing two things.

Firstly, I will be e-mailing Mr. Dion's campaign, and Iggy's campaign (you listening, TDS?) and asking whether they are in favor of their followers purging the Liberal blogosphere wherever a blogger's loyalty to the state of Israel is in question. It will be interesting, and clarifying, to know whether either of them supports your witchhunt. In fact, I wonder if Mr. Dion knows how much damage Cherniak has caused the party and whether, if he did know, he would wish to have Jason associated with his campaign?

In any case, I suspect once the adults come onto the playing field, you children (you and TDS) will play nice.

Secondly, I will be attempting to join the Liberal Bloggers List. I would like to know if Mr. Cherniak accepts me, or his reasons if he does not.

Cheerio,