The end of KnoxViews?
Today a sad change has been made on KnoxViews.
A decision has been made by Randy Neal and the KnoxViews team to change the site rules so only “Trusted Users” can post to the KnoxViews site. The short hand for “Trusted Users” means liberal democrats.
This occurred after complaints from fellow KnoxViews bloggers that their posts had been removed from the front page. Mr. Neal patiently explained it was his blog and he and his team decide what is worthy of being on the front page. Mr. Neal made it clear he is the decider. On several separate occasions Mr. Neal changed the User Agreement to answer the questions from dissatisfied KnoxViews bloggers.
Each time the User Agreement was changed it became more doctrinaire, restrictive, and left leaning. The term “Progressive” was changed to mean “liberal democrat” because people questioned what progressive meant. Today it has been changed again to read, “KnoxViews is a progressive (i.e. “liberal”, although responsible opposing conservative viewpoints are welcome) community space for citizens of Knoxville and the surrounding community to meet, organize, and discuss news, politics, events, and issues affecting the community.”
The question now becomes who are the “responsible opposing conservative viewpoints”? Are there any?
The question of what the word “open” meant was also challenged. Tempers flared yesterday when Mr. Neal described fellow KnoxViews blogger, the former GOP Chairman of Knox County Chad Tindell, as one of the “token Republicans” of KnoxViews. Slowly but surely an open neutral blog drifted left until today it took a hard “left turn“.
Is KnoxViews representative of Knoxville? Or is it only representative of a small portion of Knoxville?
KnoxViews owner Randy Neal explained, “It was an interesting experiment while it lasted. Sadly it has come to an end, mainly because of the time involved in dealing with the complaints and policing the site.”
Did KnoxViews lose its openness today? Only the readers can make that decision. Without a level playing ground will KnoxViews become an echo chamber of only far left thinking? If so, will it have any relevance in East Tennessee?
Update: SayUncle Adds:
I do appreciate everyone’s lesson on capitalism and Mr. Neal’s property rights. No one is disputing that.
My issue is that when he first started it, he asked me to participate. So, I did. Now, my kind ain’t wanted there no more.
Update: Randy Neal Counter Point
April 11th, 2007 at 7:53 pm
Counter point from Randy Neal:
April 11th, 2007 at 8:36 pm
Hey, #9. You just violated R. Neal’s copyright. That’s not fair use. Take it down. Bwwwwaaaaahaaaaaaahaaaaa!
April 11th, 2007 at 9:00 pm
Hey, #9. You just violated R. Neal’s copyright. That’s not fair use. Take it down. Bwwwwaaaaahaaaaaaahaaaaa!
Butterfly, that is why I like you. You have a sense of humor.
April 11th, 2007 at 10:21 pm
No. I am serious. You copied without comment. HYPOCRITE!!!!!!
April 12th, 2007 at 12:15 am
Andy said to Nine: your ideology is the least of my concern with you.
The digit has an ideology beyond being the Internet’s masked crusader of the “little people”?
Nine: KnoxViews has more local readership than any other local Knox County blog.
Might be true. And I’m sure you think it’s because of your wit and wisdom and KnoxViews will just wither on the vine without you. Hate to break it to you but it’s not and it won’t.
Nine: The idea to separate users into classes is just another example of far left classism.
Would that be the collectivist far left or the New Urbanist fascist new left? I can never remember which evil thing I’m supposed to be this week.
April 12th, 2007 at 9:30 am
[…] Knoxviews thing has me kinda bummed (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, see here and here. Or here for the Cliff Notes version). It’s like losing an old friend. Or, you know, […]
April 13th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
Was this how the purge started?
Called into action Darth Vader implements his plan.