Going Beyond a War of Words

The beauty of blogging and the Internet is  that it allows you to communicate in a unique way with people outside of those that you would normally come into contact with.  In our modern world we now have the ability to travel far and wide, but just as importantly we can now talk to complete strangers. Here in Maine I am always amazed to run into folks that have never left the state. If it wasn't for the media and television they would be quite isolated. Reliance on the media as your main source of information about the world has its pitfalls. For the first time, we now have a tool for exchanging ideas and informing ourselves outside of the traditional methods of the past. Surfing through the blogosphere I am always amazed by the variety of blogs and information available. There is not much you can't find if you are determined to look for it.

The free discourse in the blogosphere, and I  use the words "free" and "discourse" in a very loose fashion here, is replete with people espousing every idea imaginable. Many of these ideas are, to put it mildly, both uplifting or informative as well as hateful, misinformed and downright evil. Luckily when we run into something we don't like we can move on and go elsewhere or we can even decide to use the power of  words and disagree. As a blogger I have been privileged to meet some pretty interesting people since I started blogging. People that I now consider friends. People like Ted, Yiannos, AntigoneSis, Demo, Scruffy, GANYC, Peter, and Hermes have made me think about who I am and how I view the world. Perhaps I have been able to do the same for them in some limited way.

Recently, I was perusing a blog written by a woman who lives in Greece under the pseudonym, Devious Diva. I have read some of the things she has written in the past and quite frankly I didn't agree with much of what she had to say, so I moved on. I note however that her identity was revealed by other bloggers that not only disagree with her but seem to have an ax to grind. Reading the comments after her post I was struck by one which likened what is taking place in the blogosphere to a "war," a war of words. Unfortunately, this is more than speech directed at someone that says something disagreeable. It is a direct assault against the person's privacy and an attempt to silence her. Rather than using rational arguments and facts to debate ideas we don't like, some would muzzle speech that they find unpalatable. 

Devious Diva has been accused of being anti-Hellenic. That particular point is certainly open to discussion as evidenced by the title of her blog: "This is not my Country,"  and many of her posts. As far as I am concerned however, what I consider egregiously anti-Hellenic is the inability to hold a rational discourse with those we disagree with. The problem nowadays both in the United States and elsewhere in the world is humankind's inability to rationalize, discuss and arrive at a consensus, even occasionally. We are too busy yelling and calling each other names to listen to what others have to say. I readily admit to being guilty of this in the past. Some folks eventually find it necessary to demonize those they disagree with, and in the end try to silence them through one means or another.

Greeks are better than that.  Our ancient ancestors showed us how to conduct a rational discourse. Now is the time to set an example for others to follow.

Comments

[Hermes]

Stavros, your argument would be fine if if Devious Diva had been particularly interested in holding a rational discourse with people. However, she has not. She is extremely selective in what arguments she likes to put forth and answer to.

She is no better than the people who try to expose her.

[Stavros]

Hermes,

I don't know much about her views or willingness to debate the issues. Maybe she is one of those people who believes so strongly in some things she is not willing to listen to a contrary view. Nevertheless, exposing her identity on the Net without her permission is wrong and dangerous given her controversial views and the possibility, however remote, that some demented individual might do more than call her names.

Looking at the big picture, I mourn for the loss of basic civility and courtesy in our societies, especially when it comes to discussing important issues that affect us all. It's one thing to lose one's cool in the heat of a debate, it's quite another when people spend time tracking down one's identity and making an effort to intimidate you.

[Ted Laskaris]

Stavros,

The blogger you mention reflects the "multicultural" changes that are being rammed down our throats as we speak and the conscious effort on the part of "modernizers" and "human rights advocates" to undermine, erode, and collapse this country's tradition and history.

This is a broad-front attack which is unfortunately often aided by Greek governments, cowered as they are by the blitz of "international community" demands that we mend our ways according to "multicultural" precepts or else.

I do not appreciate this crowd at all, especially since it includes many who arrive here illegally and now presume to demand that we adjust to their desires and demands. You have a similar problem in the US as recent illegal immigrant demonstrations showed yet again.

I have no respect for such people and I won't consider them legitimate "Greeks" under any circumstances. Greek governments are unable to defend and protect this country against this invasion, so, in many ways, they have already conceded this country. The ultimate irony and insult of course is that people like the blogger you mention feel free to accuse, ridicule, and condemn the "natives" as if we have a God-ordained obligation to bow to the coup d'etat against the Nation State and accept, without protest, becoming the sewer absorbing waves upon waves of foreign, illiterate, unskilled, and alien arrivals.

As for the ills of Greek society, we will deal with them without the assistance of foreign-induced and financed fifth phalangists with an undying, virulent, and not-to-easily concealed hatred for this country and its imperfect existence.

[Stavros]

Ted,

I think you are missing the point I was trying to make. I don't support her agenda in any way, shape or form, only her right to speak freely without being intimidated. I think if bloggers, as a group, don't stand up for free speech then we are all at risk.

I have always been impressed by your tolerance and refusal to delete comments you didn't like. I have tried to emulate this on MGO. You have written eloquently about all manner of important issues even when they were unpopular. Folks, like us, who disagree with Devious Diva always have the option to counteract her agenda by using facts and ideas on our own blogs. I just feel its important to keep the blogosphere a place where when can speak his/her mind without worrying about intimidation and threats by a small minority of intolerant people, irregardless of their political stripes.

[Ted Laskaris]

Stavros,
I didn't think you support DD's agenda. Your post was quite clearly worded re.your legitimate wish to see the blogosphere work through dialog and not shouting or intimidation. I agree with you entirely. I have little use of DD's ideas and political viewpoint (or those of her 'human rights advocate' buddies) but I, like you, reject any attempt to threaten and/or terrorize her in any way. Unfortunately, this is not the way of quite a few people out there. On the other hand, look at how easy epithets like "racist" and "bigot" are tossed around by those who are in favor of pulling all stops in the race toward turning Greece and other countries into total cesspools of "diversity" and "openness" combined with "tolerance for the other." I do have some epithets of my own for this sorry bunch, but I won't use them out of respect for your blog space.

[Stavros]

Intimidation takes many forms. Political correctness and demonizing people who might be critical of minorities by putting labels on them is also contrary to creating a truly free society and blogosphere. The Left is especially good at this tactic.

[Wisteria]

I've had a look at Devious Divs's blog too. Her experience is, I guess, as a member of a minority. I imagine that it is difficult arriving in a country that has a strong sense of identity, that cultivates a heterogeny that may appear stifling, and wondering how you fit in. Equally, it could be gender, skin colour, class, height, weight. There are few of us who are not a minority in some area of our lives. Experiencing prejudice from those who want to protect the majority's powerful position is uncomfortable and threatens our very existence, our ability to believe in ourselves. I imagine that there are several ways you can go. At one extreme the minority can insist on the supremacy of their own identity at all costs which tends to have the result of blinding them to any advantages that the majority culture might have. But at least you feel in control. At another extreme, I imagine it can be difficult to cast off your victim status so that you become paranoid that everyone is out to get you. Left meets right: they are both responses to the same stimulus.

[deviousdiva]

Thank you for understanding the difference between disagreeing with someone and threatening them and their family. I appreciate that.

I realise that we will never see eye to eye and will probably never agree on any of the issues we blog about and that is fine. I do understand what the few mean when they say I am anti-Greek or anti-Hellenic. I don't believe I am but that's is my opinion. Maybe that's how my blog appears to you even though I have never said I don't like Greece or Greeks (unlike those who attack me who state that they hate me and "my kind", my country or my heritage)

I sincerely wish we could have built some kind of discussion between us ( with you Stavros, and others that I know from comments at my blog).I know some of you don't believe this but it's true

"She is extremely selective in what arguments she likes to put forth and answer to"

Yes, I am selective. I agree with this statement. I do believe most bloggers are. There are many reasons for this.

We have our own agendas. We are trying to do something very specific. We really do not have the time or the energy to fight with people who hate us. And there is a big difference between disagreement and hate. I will not engage with people that call me names, insult me, insult my family and friends or threaten me. I do not care how good their questions or arguments are.

BUT I have to object to this:

"She is no better than the people who try to expose her"

I have never called for violence or rape or death to anyone. The person that I wrote about who published my name and my work did not call for me to be harmed either. But others have. Imagine how that feels, to have your beloved child/family put at risk? I am not asking for sympathy because I know that you disagree with this kind of action. I just wanted to say that I resent being lumped together with those who advocate any form of violence whether it's burning rubbish bins or killing people.

If you read my blog regularly (I don't think anyone here does. I think mostly it is a kind of scanning like "here she goes again...") you will have noticed that I have never deleted dissenting comments. Again, I am sure you won't believe that but it's true.

I don't think you, Ted Laskaris have ever commented over at my place? Hermes (and some others here), I know you have a problem with me personally and you have said it many times and I banned you. You insulted me and were very rude so what can I say? Some people commented quite politely at my place and then I found out that you were saying some pretty awful things about me elsewhere.

There was a lot of animosity built up around the time when Ethno****** was commenting and I am afraid that this made me very defensive towards the small group of very aggressive anti-dd people out there. After all, it was my place that was being attacked daily and it was my call.

Anyway, no more excuses or defending myself. I just wanted to say that I appreciate your stance against the form of attacks that happened against me. Thank you.

(I dread how this reads to you, but I just felt the need to stick my neck out a little...)

[Hermes]

Yep, same old boring tactics. I cannot believe she cannot formulate an original argument after all this time. I have never been rude to DD. And DD is very good at using sympathy to bring people to her cause.

Where is the sympathy for the rights that are taken away from Greeks in Turkey and Albania? Where is the sympathy for the Greek landowners who's land is squatted on by Gypsies? Where is the sympathy for the Greek parent that wants history to be represented accurately and not politicised to satisfy human rights groups?

[deviousdiva]

oh well... never mind.

[demonax]

Hello, DD. What are you doing here? I knew we’d win you round to the cause of Hellenism in the end.
Is that me who ‘commented quite politely’ and then said ‘pretty awful things elsewhere’? I expressed regret about this – not quite up to the standards of philotimo – and said you were right to be annoyed, but I still got banned. Never mind. You were probably right to banish us and let things cool down on your blog. Both sides were to blame. Personally, I am thin-skinned and react badly to insults, so I feel sorry for you when people write to you and call you a ‘mongrel’ and a ‘half-breed’. Who needs this kind of nonsense in their lives?
Still, I do think your blog – whether you see it or intend it – reveals resentment towards Greece and Greeks. That’s okay. You’re not perfect. You have a little bit of prejudice and evil in you, just like the rest of us.
My main objection to your blog, however, is the same as Ted’s and is political, i.e. that Greece is being dragged – mostly by foreigners and foreign pressure – into the multicultural mire. This isn’t an objection to immigrants, other races, different lifestyles, etc, but an objection to cultural relativism, the obsession with the rights of the ‘other’ and the diminution and disparaging of (Greek) national identity which multicultural ideology absolutely requires.
Greece has no recent history of colonialism, enslavement, institutionalised racism, massacre and so on – except, of course, as victims/resisters of these phenomena – yet somehow, as part of the multicultural and human rights ethos – which defines your blog – Greece is being asked to reinterpret its history, find fault with its identity and start apologising for its perceived misdeeds. As Nicolas Sarkozy – someone I’m sure you won’t like me quoting – said: “This kind of repentance is a form of self-hatred.’ Greece doesn’t deserve or need to go down this path of ‘self-hatred’.

Funnily enough, last night I found an article on the historical presence of the Roma in Greece/Byzantium, which I probably would not have read if you didn’t keep on about the Roma on your blog.
http://www.isidore-of-seville.com/goudenhoorn/72karin.html

It seems that the Roma’s first point of contact with Europeans was with Greeks, who offered them sanctuary in the Byzantine Empire in the 11th century after Muslim raids on their north Indian homeland. The article is interesting from a number of perspectives, not least in relating how well treated the Roma were in the Byzantine Empire, and that discrimination against the Roma only began when the Roma came into contact with Western Europeans – specifically Germans – who regarded them as dirty Orientals and Turkish spies.
How strange, then, that you – a Western European, from the UK – are now in Greece berating Greeks about how prejudiced, bigoted and racist they are. Some might regard this as ironic, others as hypocrisy.

[Stavros]

DD,

Thanks for sticking out your neck and telling us how you see things from your perspective. I really do hope things sort themselves out and you can continue to blog without fear of intimidation. Blogging about controversial topics is quite taxing on everyone involved because it does generate a lot of emotion, especially when folks feel strongly about their point of view. None of us here are strangers to verbal brawls in the blogosphere. Eventually tempers cool and we move on.

I think the underlying issue here is one many people in many countries are grappling with, namely, formerly homogeneous cultures under attack by those who want to transform them into multi-culturally diverse havens for any immigrant who would like to enter. As an American I live in a society that was designed to be multi-ethnic, and it works because Americans "believe" in the idea. We all knew what we were getting into. The majority of Greeks have never bought into this multi-cultural plan for their future. They are being overwhelmed by an influx of documented and undocumented immigrants from failed states who really don't have a stake in the existing culture and are impossible to assimilate.

All of a sudden Greeks who object to this state of affairs are called racist and backwards. In the US, certain minorities cannot be criticized in any way because people are afraid of being called "racists" or worse.( I'm not talking about hate speech.) This shuts down any attempt at meaningful dialog. It also gives minorities the same thing they have been fighting for years, special privileges based on race or ethnicity. Furthermore, multi-culturalism expects us to put all cultures on an equal footing. Sorry, but I am not about to accept that a culture which demands the execution of a young woman for adultery or that requires female circumcision is on a par with my own rich Greek culture. In the UK, for example, Muslims are calling for the imposition of Sharia law. I don't think that would be acceptable to the vast majority of British citizens nor is in keeping with British traditions. What makes newcomers feel that they can transform a country to their liking?

Frankly, I don't know enough about you to accuse you of anything, let alone espousing multi-culturalism. I am simply trying to verbalize the basic underlying issue. Are there extremists in Greece. Sure, just like there are in the UK and US. All in all however, given the historical record, the US and UK are in no position to cast stones at Greece.

I know that none of this will change things one way or the other.

You are always genuinely welcome here and maybe I'll drop by your blog to see what's on it once in a while, so I can write a post in the future.

[Ted Laskaris]

Stavros,
Thanks for articulating deftly some of the key points surrounding "multiculturalism" and Greece. I am a lot less "tolerant" than you on this issue, especially when I see the daily insults thrown at us from people who have no right whatsoever of being here in Greece in the first place.

Since 1991, a minimum of 750,000 (!!) Albanians decided unilaterally it was time for them to cross the border uninvited and become a permanent fixture in our society. 750 thousand is a big number. Tens of thousands of others, mostly dregs of failed societies, saw fit to emulate the Albanians. The Greek state did very little to protect Greeks and that added to the impression that this country is one big no-ticket-required playing field where everybody can play ball and enjoy whatever limited benefits this society has to offer at the expense of the natives. This is unacceptable as it is infuriating, to say the lest.

We are now stuck with a million mostly undesirable aliens. We are faced with pressures from our "friends and partners" in the EU and the US to admit these people as members of Greek society, few (if any) questions asked. This represents a death warrant for most of things Greek we knew.

This is not "progress." This is not "the future." This is not "fraternity." It is RAPE. And as such it must be treated.

[Ted Laskaris]

... and more thoughts on illegal immigration here:

http://tedlaskaris.squarespace.com/free-writes/2007/5/8/illegal-immigration-is-a-scourge-not-a-blessing.html

[deviousdiva]

Thank you for responding to my comment here even though I know we do not agree on so many things.

To talk about any positive aspects of multiculturalism is of course pointless here because you are all dead set against it. What I would like to know is what are your plans/ideas for dealing with the present situation that exists in Greece? We cannot ignore the reality that there are many, many LEGAL immigrants here

What would you do about the people who are here legally, peacefully, working, raising families, contributing taxes etc?

If, as Ted says, we are mostly undesirable, what would you all like to see happen?

My situation is a little difficult for people here to affect because as a British citizen I have the right to live pretty much anywhere as long as I abide by the laws of the land I live in. I suppose the only real way to get rid of me would be to make it unbearable to stay here, which thankfully has not happened. However I speak to many LEGAL, educated, law-abiding, non-EU residents who feel the pressure and understand very well the desires of people like yourselves. Unfortunately, they will be the people who will leave (and many have) but their leaving will not change immigration.

As I have ALWAYS said Greece has the right to make laws and changes on immigration as it sees fit. That is the right of all nations. BUT if you are a member of a wider "club" ie the European Union, there are other rules in place (for good or bad) which must be followed. Greece could choose to get out of the EU. That would mean giving up ALL advantages of belonging. That is up to the country to decide and I have no problem if this is the decision that is made. What I ask is to know where I stand so that I can make decisions about my own life and that of my family.

For now though, Greece is a member of several big "clubs" and has undersigned many laws passed by them. My point is that if you sign up for something, become a member etc, you must play by the rules that you helped to make and that includes some things that people are not happy about.

I say the same thing about my own country. People there complain all the time about the rules the EU puts in place but when I say "You helped make those rules", it's all "but it's not fair" and when I say "well, get out then" it becomes "well, um, yeah, um well...."

Is this a case of (and here I show my uptight Britness) "you can't have your cake and eat it" ?

Apologies if this is a bit garbled, I'm running out the door in a few minutes but wanted to respond.... and I am, to repeat myself, genuinely interested in what people have to say...without insults! Thanks.

[Stratis]

There is nothing wrong with outing her...read here for a justification of outing anonymous bloggers:

http://www.networkworld.com/community/?q=node/12330

It IS up to the intelligence services to track her funding and foreign contacts. Perhaps breathe down her neck forever since she moralizes and justifies the actions of criminals, pimps, vandals, anarchists, and all the other scum Hellas managed to attract.

Now, it should also be noted that in the "revealed thread" the following comment was not taken down by the ever so whining Diva:

------
has_te says:
April 21st, 2007 at 3:33 am

Hang in girl.

I REALLY, Really think that if we could trace
these bastards; there’s a crew or two of us who’d delight in kneecapping (at least) the whole rotten bunch of….COWARDS
The nasty little slimy ones who hide in the recesses behind the curtains of the web.

I’m actually angry and …in the day…have been given to very violent behavior.
Which I’d hoped I’d grown out of, but…

We love you.
---

Now, if she does not delete such blatant VIOLENT threats in response to a war of words, then she has recognized that her arguments are shallow.

[Stratis]

Don't forget, the Hellenic rationality is reserved for those that are rational. The irrational can either convert or go to hell.

This is pertinent to the discussion:

http://www.kryphoscholio.com/politika/dialogos.html

Κανένας διάλογος με αυτό το κοινωνικό συνοθήλευμα, τον πολιτικό αυτό ντελβέ που ακούει στο ονομα αριστερά.

Κανένας διάλογος με τους σφαγείς και τους μακελλάρηδες, τους κουτβηδες και τους χατζήδες που με τον πληρωμένο με εγγλέζικες λίρες μισθοφορικό ΕΛΑΣ, αιματοκύλισαν την Ελλαδα την δεκαετία του 40. Υποσχέθηκαν στο λαό ψωμί και τον τάισαν πτώματα, του έταξαν νερό και τον πότισαν αίμα.

Κανένας διάλογος με τους αρριβίστες της κονωνικής ισότητας που απο το 1981 μέχρι σήμερα διαγούμησαν τον πλούτο της Ελλάδας, και τον μετέτρεψαν διαλεκτικά σε βίλλες και κότερα.

Κανένας διάλογος με τις νευρωτικές Σταχτοπούτες, που μισούν τον εαυτό τους και την Ελλάδα, μιά Ελλάδα οπου κανείς δεν τις πήρε στα σοβαρά και κανείς δεν τις ζήτησε να χορέψουν.

Κανένας διάλογος με τους κολεγιόπαιδες, γυιούς του μπαμπά εξαγνισμένους Οιδίποδες , δηλούς φανατικούς της βίας, αδέξιους Δαντόν, δυστυχισμένα «αουτσάιντερ» της πάλης των τάξεων που κάτι τους εμποδίζει να ενηλικιωθούν και παραμένουν οι αιώνιοι έφηβοι αναζητόντας απεγνωσμένα μια αρρενωπή συντροφικότητα.

Κανένας διάλογος με αυτούς που μισούν την Ελλαδα με μισος παράλογο βαθύ, μισος μιγάδα σημαδέμενου απο διάφορα συμπλέγματα.

Η αριστερά και τα ενεργούμενα της είναι αδιάφοροι στην διαλεκτική του λογισμού και ευαίσθητοι μόνο στη διαλεκτική της ισχύος. Μιλάμε στους Ελληνες, στον Ελληνικό λαό και του εκθέτουμε την αλήθεια όπως βγαίνει μέσα απο τα κείμενα, τα γεγονότα, χωρίς διαλόγους και παράσυζητήσεις. Η Ελλάδα διψά και θέλει να ακούσει την αλήθεια για τις ημέρες και τα έργα της αριστεράς, για τους ποταμούς αίματος με τους οποίους πλημύρισε την χώρα, για τις προδοσίες της. Είναι ώρα να ακουστεί η αλήθεια, στυγνή, ψυχρή και πραγματική. Η Αλήθεια που για χρόνια κρυβότανε «πικραμένη σιωπηλή» να γλυτώσει απο το Καραμανλικό κράτος της διαβόητης ΥΠΕΑ και απο το Πασοκικό παρακράτος των αφισοκολητών.
Η πορεία της αριστερας στον Ελλαδικό χώρο εινα μια πορεια που αφήνει πίσω της ιχνη απο ταφόπετρες. Η δήθεν αντίστασή της και οι δήθεν πολιτικοί της αγώνες δεν ειναι παρα το ΒΙΑΓΚΡΑ του πολιτικού της αυτοερωτισμού, της πολιτικής της ύπαρξης.

[Stavros]

Stratis,

I deleted the first part of your comment. Just because Networkworld doesn't think there is anything wrong with outing the identity of a blogger against his/her wishes, I do.

I thought the rest of your comments were germane to the discussion at hand although I think the "intelligence services" have more important pressing tasks than figuring out which bloggers are part of anti-Hellenic conspiracies.

Certainly, there is a battle going on for the heart and soul of the Greek nation and that battle is being replicated in other countries as well. There are extremists on both sides. Using their tactics accomplishes nothing. I'm all for fighting the information war but I refuse to used scorch earth tactics.

Regarding your quotation from "The Secret School" Blog, I think it deserves a separate post which I will try to write in the next few days.

[Stratis]

OK, just pointing out that her identity has been compromised partly because she is a celebrity working under a pseudonym on the Internet and gives off the impression that she is a typical immigrant, which she is not. Methinks that outing her is good because it dispels the myth of her persona... but to each his own virtues on his or her own blog.

Yes, the intel services have more pressing things to do, but I am certain that DD (or CM's) is in contact with the criminal and terrorist elements that are acting against Hellas and her citizens as we speak...she is part of the proverbial sea in which the fish of "Epanastatikos Agonas" and other anarchist and terrorist operate. Surveillance of her and her concerts might prove to be fruitful to the broader game of counter terrorism.

[Heirocles]

Anyone following her site for a few months knows exactly who she is. Probably no one needed to "out" her. She has absoloutely no interest in rational discourse and facilitates violent threats over the Internet. She is an expert in using the sympathy of the sycophants by her side. SHE is the one that has put her family in danger. She is responsible. She is a massive fraud.

[deviousdiva]

As I stated in the post where I was "outed" by someone, I am not that hard to find. I used to post on my own blog who I was! I stopped because of threats to my life and to my family.

As to being:

"in contact with the criminal and terrorist elements that are acting against Hellas and her citizens as we speak...she is part of the proverbial sea in which the fish of "Epanastatikos Agonas" and other anarchist and terrorist operate. Surveillance of her and her concerts might prove to be fruitful to the broader game of counter terrorism"

Just to say it simply, I am not. But now I think I understand why some people are so rabidly against me. Do you REALLY think that someone with such powerful connections would be so easily found? I am surprised by the depth of paranoia surrounding my motives. I am nowhere near being a celebrity (although I take that as a compliment)

I have nothing to hide in terms of being any kind of threat to anyone, so surveillance isn't really the issue for me (even though it's a bit of a creepy thought) The only reason I have tried to distance my blogging identity from my real life one was fear.

I really am genuinely frightened by the threats (some thinly-veiled and some blatant)
I know that my naivety when I began my blog has perhaps put people I love in danger and that I regret deeply. The people who are spreading the hatred against me are just making it worse. I don't believe anyone who writes things here would do anything to me or my family, but I do fear someone else might.

I hope you can understand that when you are considering spreading information about me around the place. As I said to the person/people who started this whole episode, I am to blame for the discussions/arguments that have arisen from my blogging because I choose to blog about the issues I care about. But if anyone has helped to spread lies about me that leads to me and my family being in danger, the blame lies with them as well.

As for being a fraud or pretending I am a typical immigrant (whatever that means?) well that's up to any individual to judge from what I have written. I have never hidden the fact that I am British, have legal status here etc etc.

Perhaps the very public outing WAS a good thing. I would really love to be able to write about all the other projects I am involved in on my blog (I have said that many times) but I am scared to now. Again, I am NOT looking for sympathy from you. Just a little understanding of why I choose to keep my distance from people who threaten me.

(Just a little aside: The knee-capping comment passed me by as did all the comments following that post until a few days later. I turned off my computer and tried to come to terms with the feelings it brought up. I should have deleted it as I should have deleted many comments in the past that got through for one reason or another. Some incredibly racist and violent comments against me and others have been left up. I have been "shouted" at several times to take them down. Please just remember that I am not there all the time. I write posts in advance and timestamp them so I am not checking everyday. I don't have time. Even so, that is not an excuse, I should have taken it down when it was first mentioned and I apologise.

I will look for it later today. I am not sure which post it is on? I realise the damage is done in that case and has happened before when friends of my blog have got over-protective and over-zealous and stepped over the line. Please read http://deviousdiva.com/moderation/ for more on my opinion on this situation.

Thank you for your patience Stavros. And for providing a thread where the opposing sides can perhaps come together and find a small measure of understanding. I appreciate it. If you run out of patience, let me know and I will move on.

[deviousdiva]

I found and edited the comment!

[Hermes]

So DD, why the big fuss when you were "outed"? Why all the cries for sympathy and support by the gaggle of salivating puppies that like to surround you because they are too dumb and ugly to be accepted by their society?

It appears like grandstanding to me!

Which is something you are particularly adept at doing. Pathetic. Truly pathetic.

By the way, do Greeks have rights? Northern Epirotes, Cypriots, Greeks living in Turkey? You never answer this question. Does the Greek nation, as an entity, have rights? Please answer.

[deviousdiva]

Ok. So THIS was my cry for sympathy:

"I would also really appreciate it if any of my friends here who have some spare time, to get in touch with me via chat or email"

Because I was hurt. Scared. I wanted support in the face of this attack. Can you understand that? The support was spontaneous. I already said so many times I am not that hard to find!!!

Pathetic? That is your opinion. I am being honest here. Your opinion is that I am pathetic. So be it.

Yes, everyone has rights. I just cannot possibly cover everyone's rights. I am one person. I notice YOU don't have a blog, just lots of opinions. Why don't you start one and get a feel of how hard it is?

But then you are not an outsider commenting on these issues so probably you wouldn't face these problems...

Hermes, I have tried with you in the past. You know that. I think you are more qualified to answer the questions you ask than I am. Why don't you tackle them fairly and honestly on your own blog ? And when you get the kind of b***sh*t that I get everyday, we will talk.

[deviousdiva]

"too dumb and ugly"

a bit low for you, don't you think ?