Pasadena New Progressive, a blog under attack

[Image: The first post from my blog, the Pasadena New Progressive, launched December 5, 2007]

Wow. What an ordeal.

The posts below are what no blogger in the world wants to have happen. They detail a blog under siege by trolls. Trolls who build attack blogs and attack forums on Topix. Trolls are disinformation agents and bullies, they are a part of unethical internet media.

Two full attack blogs, sixeen Topix attack forums later, my blog, the Pasadena New Progressive was shut down.

These posts were written in September of 2009, after I had been forced to shut down my blog, I was attempting to document what was happening at that moment. Nothing can describe what I went through, it was a harrowing ordeal. If the writing in these posts sounds strained, I can verify, I was strained to the max.

Chronology:

Pasadena Newer Progressive is launched

Pasadena's Newd Progressive is launched

First (of 15) Topix attack forums are launched

Of special concern regarding the Topix attack forums, was when the troll hacked my real-name username on Topix and posted three comments as me:

Virginia Hoge's username hacked on Topix

My blog focused on media and the alarming rise of right-wing blogs I was witnessing in Southern California. I also adopted the unpopular cause of supporting our public school district.

Was the tone of my blog often more "Brooklyn" than "Pasadena"? Yes. Did I upset some people with my blog? Yes. Does any of this matter? No. None of this is reason for the vicious and unethical character assassination attacks I have endured that served to shut down my blog, and also to shut down my right to free speech in Pasadena.

I want to alert other bloggers to this new danger they face from trolls with malicious intent. Companies like Topix, whose forums link to newspaper articles, need to address this threat via their internet forums. They are nothing less than partners in these attacks. As you will see in the posts, I filed countless complaints both with Blogger and especially, to Topix, all to no avail.

Blogger and Topix need to make attack blogs unacceptable.

I add that despite the considerable risk in opening this blog (the same trolls who attacked my blog are still very much active), I have chosen to do so in order to expose what has happened.

My goal is resolution of this nightmare so I may be able to open the Pasadena New Progressive again, and get back to my work there.

Virginia Olive Hoge
April, 2010

© 2010 Virginia Hoge



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