"Get Edgar Steele!"

Dear HAC:

Are you aware that there is now an entire new VBulletin Board dedicated to the proposition that Ed Steele is GUILTY! GUILTY! GUILTY! and viciously trashing the hell out of anybody in the Movement who defends him, primarily including you and Alex Linder? (Boy, I''ll bet that makes Alex uncomfortable seeing as how he won't even allow you to be mentioned on VNN!) This board is run by [name redacted] who I used to like, but who honestly seems to have completely flipped his lid over this Steele thing. WTF, Harold? I didn't know Steele had made that many enemies in the Movement. I thought he was generally considered to be one of the Good Guys.

-Ed Peacock

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Dear Ed:

Yes, I know, and I was saddened to see that.

I have been studying the Movement for almost 40 years, trying to figure out just what the hell is wrong with us and why we are like this. I have to admit that while I have developed a few theories down through the years, I am no closer to a definitive answer than I was when I began.

What I think happened is that Alex Linder pissed this one gentleman off by banning him, 'tarding him, and generally fucking him over on VNN. Unfortunately there are some people who become so deeply involved and obsessed with VBulletin boards that it becomes more real to them than their actual lives. Being banned and 'tarded is an exercise in pure power, even though it's not real, and while it gives great pleasure and satisfaction to whatever dysfunctional moderator is doing the banning or 'tarding, it enrages and obsesses the person thus victimized. Some people get really carried away by this.

Thank God I myself have always been able to tell the difference between the internet and reality, and I have things to do other than live on a VBulletin board.

Anyway, the man who is now the webmaster of the Get Edgar Steele project seems to have developed an obsession with Alex Linder, because Linder refused to respond to him and (I think) banned him or else put him on moderation on VNN. Since Alex is defending Edgar Steele, this man developed a violent dislike for Steele as well and began attacking him first on his podcasts and now on his new VBulletin site.

I think it's no coincidence that he responded not by just forgetting the whole thing, like any grown man would react to what is essentially a child's game, or by creating his own web site, but by erecting a VBulletin board of his own where he is now advertising to try and pinch Linder's VNN members and posters. He hates Alex Linder but what he really wants is to become Alex Linder.

Unfortunately, Edgar Steele is caught in the Goat Dance. From now on any attempt to raise support for him or inform the public about his case or stir a genuine debate within the right wing on the dynamics of federal fabrication cases will be complicated by these people cackling and howling at the moon on their own site--and of course we all know whose site will be quoted and given publicity by the SPLC, ADL, the media, etc.

-HAC