This is a special section of the 12 Angry Men Blog where we celebrate the best Troll to be found anywhere during the past week. While there are many varieties of troll, ranging from the fuzzy-haired dashboard decorations to the waylayer of the Billy Goats Gruff, we enjoy a well-executed jabbing that leaves an adversary stammering for a response. Any moron can produce a flame—mere sewage dumped upon the city square—but to produce a good Troll is a work worthy of the celebration of men.
The Troll of the Week segment will be written frequently enough to be termed “periodic”, but the actual label “of the week” is merely idealistic ambition, and it is not to be taken seriously.
This week’s winner of Troll of the Week bears special recognition, as it recognizes an individual not only for a wonderfully executed and technically beautiful troll, but for a lifetime of trollish achievements. So let us all raise a glass, and without further ado, celebrate the life and trolls of Mr. John Bambenek.
Context of the Troll:
To many people, John Bambenek is a familiar name. Whether you know him from his noted career as a columnist for the Daily Illini, his popular political blog, television appearances, his work in the field of computer security, or efforts as a philanthropist, chances are you’ve come across his love of trolling. It seems that Mr. Bambenek loves a good hot flame war more than your average person, and loves starting them even more. But his latest “accomplishment” has even impressed his regular fans. John has managed to create quite a storm and trolled the living daylights out of the ultra-left-wing blog The Daily Kos who awarded him the title “Wanker of the Year” for his efforts.
Those of us who know him (and many of us here at the 12 Angry Men have been blessed with the opportunity to share a beer with this troll among men) know that for all of the vehemence and righteous anger that Mr. Bambenek so often writes with, he also knows how to laugh at his own articles and enjoys the arguments both for the sake of the argument as well as the points he is trying to make. As such, it makes all of us here chuckle even more when the wackos from both the right wing side of the aisle as well as the left demonstrate that they simply don’t get John at all. In their efforts to be furious and clever, they never notice that the joke is on them. We’re all laughing at you, and with Mr. Bambenek.
Execution of the Troll:
While John has stirred up quite a few hornet’s nests in the past, few of his previous attempts garnered the sort of press and recognition as his current pièce de résistance. On Monday, July 23rd, 2007, Mr. Bambenek filed an FEC complaint against Kos Media, LLC, alledging that they operate as a political committee, and not just a blog. He points out that the Daily Kos admits this fact on their own website, in their own words many times.
Forseeing cries that his action is an attack against free speech, Mr. Bambenek rebutts these claims up front saying:
Some will argue that this is a slippery slope that will snare all bloggers. First, most bloggers aren’t organizations. Second, most bloggers are read by like 3 people and their posts are certainly not worth $1,000. Third, most bloggers don’t exist for the primary purpose of electing certain people to federal office.
While the results of Mr. Bambenek’s complaint to the FEC are still unknown, the results of this troll on the Blogo-Sphere are already quite obvious.
For his efforts at trolling not just one side of the political spectrum, but both the rightys and the leftys, and the enormous uproar his actions have caused and are still causing, we happily award John Bambenek Troll of the Week and an honorary beer at The Man Lunch, which we sincerely hope he will join us for as for once a recipient of this reward is within driving distance. Mr. Bambenek, we look forward to seeing you on Thursday and can’t wait for Part II of this exciting troll.
– The Staff of the 12 Angry Men
Update: Mr. Bambenek has posted an excellent response to his naysayer’s here. Keep fighting the good fight John. We love your work and applaud you.
July 26, 2007 at 10:36 am
One can only hope he is successful at spurring the FCC to action. There is just too much free speech going on on the internet. We have to shut this down. Why, what happens if people start getting together and givng their own opinions before they have heard what to think from O’Reilly or Moore? This could lead them to suspect the Government of wrong-doing or something and where would we be? A Democracy or something!?!??! We can’t have that!
His complaint won’t go anywhere, but it is amusing that you find it amusing that stifling free speech is a lark to be credited. Let’s have more of him!!! We need more pundits out there. More shouting matches where no one learns anything. That’s what I call a worthwhile existence.
July 26, 2007 at 11:12 am
Yet another person who simply doesn’t understand trolling. I believe we cover you pretty well in the paragraph above that contains “In their efforts to be furious and clever…”
Bambenek is trolling. He’s looking for a rise and reaction and he is getting one. Beyond that, how the hell is he stifiling free speech?
Let’s say his FEC complaint actually gets agreed with. John has done an excellent job in this followup on describing why your comments that this would restrict free speech is absurd.
He also does a great job in that article of pointing out the good review of the FEC his trolling is calling.
I’m curious though, enlighten us as to how this constitutes limiting free speech. Is the FEC a censorship group?
July 26, 2007 at 12:46 pm
Angry Midwesterner wrote:
###Yet another person who simply doesn’t understand trolling. ###
While I certainly supported giving TotW to Bambenek—based on the criteria, he deserves a lifetime achievement award—I don’t find trolling to be an admirable activity. On this I think we definitely differ. IMO trolls are barriers to intelligent discourse online and any forum that ends up with a regular troll I’ve participated in usually goes to hell, pretty quickly.
July 26, 2007 at 2:13 pm
Depends on the trolling IMHO. I think John is trolling folks who need to be trolled. I’d actually be happy to see DailyKos go down in flames, as they give liberals and democrats a very bad name, and are obviously flaunting the rules in this case.
If nothing else, it is fun to watch the blowhards who take themselves too seriously whine, bitch, and moan.
July 26, 2007 at 3:44 pm
Angry Midwesterner wrote:
###If nothing else, it is fun to watch the blowhards who take themselves too seriously whine, bitch, and moan.###
There’s a certain schadenfreude to it but ultimately I have better things to do, like finish the proposal I’m not working on right now…. 🙂
July 26, 2007 at 4:25 pm
“it is fun to watch the blowhards who take themselves too seriously whine, bitch, and moan”
Why yes, yes it is. What was the name of this blog again? 🙂
I’m sure there are plenty of people that would like to see RedState and Michelle Malkin take a long walk off a short pier as well, but if you believe that each has the right to their view, then I’ll stand by your’s in this little corner of the vast web. Besides, I’m a bit confused by your view that any site that promotes discourse should, how did you put it, “go down in flames”. First, isn’t it up… Second, maybe you should go there and discuss it with them. I’m sure’d they’d love to hear the midwestern take on their site. On second thought, maybe not. I’m sure they’re all coasties and prejudiced to boot. 🙂
July 26, 2007 at 4:33 pm
“Bambenek is trolling. He’s looking for a rise and reaction and he is getting one. Beyond that, how the hell is he stifiling free speech?”
“On Monday, July 23rd, 2007, Mr. Bambenek filed an FEC complaint against Kos Media”
1) Who knows what this administration is capable of when going after its political enemies?
2) Trolling isn’t heroic. If he actually had a point of view that disagreed with the vast majority of a site, then yes I could see how that would be interesting, but to just go and cast shit around to, as you say, make the blowhards “whine, bitch, and moan” is too much. Another instance where the real world is REALLY different than the internet and it’s ‘anonymity’. If he walked into a local bar just to ‘troll’ each week, he’d probably be making a lot of dentist visits over time.
3) Can’t he find a real job? Just like lawyers, don’t we have enough people that want us to believe their crud? Yep, what do you call 1,000 pundits at the bottom of the ocean? A good start. Works for me.
July 26, 2007 at 6:00 pm
Why yes, yes it is. What was the name of this blog again?
Eh, while we may be blowhards, we certainly don’t take ourselves seriously in the least, though we do hope you have fun watching us whine, bitch and moan! That’s the point!
I’m sure there are plenty of people that would like to see RedState and Michelle Malkin take a long walk off a short pier as well, but if you believe that each has the right to their view, then I’ll stand by your’s in this little corner of the vast web.
The point John is making, and I have to say I agree, is that the difference here is the Kos states the very purpose of his site is to get Democrats elected. He has moved from media, to Political Action Committee, and is subject to FEC regulations.
Besides, I’m a bit confused by your view that any site that promotes discourse should, how did you put it, “go down in flames”.
Kos does not promote discourse. It lowers it. Plus I’m talking about Kos in particular and not “any site”.
First, isn’t it up
Nope, it’s a plane metaphor.
Who knows what this administration is capable of when going after its political enemies?
One of the biggest criticisms of the FEC that has been made is that they are bipartisan. By law no more than half of the FEC may be of the same political party.
Trolling isn’t heroic.
Heroic? No. Hilarious? You betcha.
Another instance where the real world is REALLY different than the internet and it’s ‘anonymity’.
Anonymous? Really? John’s doing it under his real name. He is a pretty public figure by now, he isn’t using anonymity at all.
If he walked into a local bar just to ‘troll’ each week, he’d probably be making a lot of dentist visits over time.
Lol. He kind of actually does that, but out here we don’t send people to dentists because of their exercise of free speech. It might happen on the coasts, but not in the region he lives in.
Can’t he find a real job?
Check the above article, it has links to John’s actual job. This is just his hobby.
July 26, 2007 at 7:51 pm
Yes, but does he argue rationally in those bars for his particular, personal views or does he just go in to throw out things that he knows will incite people?
And yes, the coastie critiques are old. We have no sense of humor. We are all lefties. Too bad we have nicer weather, hotter women, and better houses. No wonder you’re so upset. 🙂
July 26, 2007 at 8:49 pm
Yes, but does he argue rationally in those bars for his particular, personal views or does he just go in to throw out things that he knows will incite people?
The latter with just a dash of the former.
Too bad we have nicer weather, hotter women, and better houses. No wonder you’re so upset.
Keep wishing, maybe some day it will be true. Either way, it will never be a proper response on the claims made against Kos…
July 27, 2007 at 12:15 am
The latter with just a dash of the former
Yeah, John in person is pretty much like John on the Internet…but somehow he pulls it off without engendering too much dislike.
Speaking as a so-called “rightie” I personally think laws and regulations targeting free speech are bad and should be repealed. But I would point out that the Left has absolutely no ground to stand on here.
Conservatives didn’t ram through “campaign finance reform”, and they aren’t calling for a return the “Fairness Doctrine” (which should win an award for the most misleading name since the Federalist Party) in a desperate attempt to shut down the one mass media form dominated by their opposition.
But since the liberals wanted to pass this nonsense, I see no reason that sites like DailyKos shouldn’t be subjected to it. Maybe, just maybe, once liberals see the consequences they’ll rethink the wisdom of allowing the government to arbitrarily limit political speech.
Sadly, they’re slow learners, so I suspect it will take a while.
July 27, 2007 at 10:30 am
“But since the liberals wanted to pass this nonsense, I see no reason that sites like DailyKos shouldn’t be subjected to it.”
Wait, you first say that you think free speech is great and then claim that you want a specific site subjected to the regulation you just denounced? So much for dying for ‘their’ right to say it…
As far as CFR and the Fairness Doctrine, I agree, let the free market realize that Fox News, et al are opinion-driven and, until they start supporting President Hillary Clinton, that they aren’t shills for the GOP, but actually U.S. Government supporters.
And, of course the hotter women here is true AND has nothing to do with the debate, but it seems to be a burr in your jealous, midwestern side that just needs to be tugged… 🙂
July 27, 2007 at 12:21 pm
How does the FEC restrict free speech? Last I checked they restrict political expenditures to maintain an even playing field in politics. This need not inhibit free speech at all.
As for the hotter women, well I did end up marrying a coastie, but the midwest has more than its fair share of lookers.
On Hilary Clinton… if she is elected president, I’m gonna join who ever leaves the union first. She is perhaps the scariest and most dangerous person on politics today. Long Live Obama.
July 27, 2007 at 12:57 pm
“She is perhaps the scariest and most dangerous person on politics today.”
Two words: Dick Cheney
July 27, 2007 at 1:09 pm
I didn’t know you opposed gay rights so harshly.
Dick may not be my cup of tea, but I’d take him over Hilary anyday. The world hasn’t ended under Cheney, it might under Hilary. She is the pro-death-and-human-suffering candidate.
July 27, 2007 at 3:04 pm
Angry Midwesterner wrote:
###As for the hotter women, well I did end up marrying a coastie,###
Dude, you ARE a coastie. 🙂
July 27, 2007 at 4:00 pm
“I didn’t know you opposed gay rights so harshly.”
Was that directed at me? It makes no sense whatsoever. LOL
A bit scared of powerful women? Like to keep ’em barefoot and pregnant? How is Hillary pro-death? Because she (I’m guessing) is pro-choice? And that is opposed to Mr Texas Executioner/Warmonger that we have now? Yikes!
July 27, 2007 at 4:22 pm
“I didn’t know you opposed gay rights so harshly.”
Was that directed at me? It makes no sense whatsoever. LOL
Because Cheney is pro-gay rights. Where as the Clinton’s have historically opposed them.
How is Hillary pro-death? Because she (I’m guessing) is pro-choice?
She is pro-war, pro-death penalty, pro-choice, anti-freedom of speech, pro-censorship, etc, etc, etc. That isn’t democratic in the least.