“I’m sorry to respond in boilerplate fashion to those of you who have emailed to ask why I have decided to stop posting on the Another Day in the Empire blog. I wish I could answer all of you personally, but the response to my decision has been overwhelming. In lieu of a personal response, please accept the following explanation.
“The primary reason I have decided to stop posting the blog has to do with threats. I have received many of them, including death threats. Usually, I am able to brush aside threats, since most are not of a serious nature, but lately I have received several that are not to be taken lightly, especially considering the fact somebody has taken the liberty to post my address and telephone number (information easily attained from the domain registry) in various places on the internet. First and foremost, I have a responsibility to my family and posting political commentary obviously comes in a distant second.
“Earlier today, due to the above, my wife asked me to take down the blog. Her name is being used to post libellous and hateful messages on various forums and this disturbs her immensely (over the last two years, somebody has also hijacked my name to post hateful and threatening comments; as well, a writer, who shall remain anonymous, complained last year that he had received threatening phone calls by somebody claiming to be me). Moreover, I have received threatening phone calls at my place of work, thus jeopardizing my livelihood. I can no longer allow any of this to continue.
“In the case of the threatening phone call made to my place of work, I have a good idea who it is – members of a local chapter of Betar, a Zionist youth organization. It is really of no importance how I know this. As for the hijacking of my name, that of my wife, and numerous death threats, I am fairly certain it is, as well, Zionists, who are angered, possibly to the point of violence, by my commentary and well-researched indictment of both Zionists and their political allies in this country.
“Finally, I am saddened by the fact one cannot engage in political discussion in this country without being subjected to abusive and potentially violent behaviour on the part of those who disagree. I’m afraid this will only get worse in the months ahead, as Bush and the neocons prepare to attack Iran.
“Unfortunately, there are many scary parallels between the United States in 2006 and Nazi Germany, circa the 1930s. I must stress again that I am concerned about the threats issued against my family and first and foremost the health of my wife.
“I sincerely thank all of you for supporting the blog, especially those of you who have contributed financially. I hope for a day when all citizens in this country may be able to express their opinions without the fear of retribution and violence. Unfortunately, I believe things will get far worse before they get better.”
Following this message, he received overwhelming support for his work and has decided to continue.