MD, I find this compelling, well-argued, and I have no disagreement with your conclusions, other than that Al is a neo-Confederate. I believe you have missed the source of his animus, which is directed at big government. As far as I can tell, his peculiar disdain for Lincoln is based upon his role in expanding central government powers, upsetting the checks and balances, etc. I do not have the impression he seeks to resurrect the Confederacy, mitigate the evils of slavery. He is also not religious, which you mention s central to the neo-Confederate movement.

But, hey, I learned a lot from your post. Thanks!

Off topic: Did MD really remove all of her postings? I seriously hope this ability is removed from Blogcritics, because I don't think anyone who makes the weak and childish move of deleting something out of spite has any place on Blogcritics whatsoever. If you want to say it, you better be prepared to see it on this site possibly forever.

Everyone deserves a second chance. I had a fit a while back that I probably would have kicked myself out for if I wasn't me - if you know what I mean. The ability to delete has been removed, although posts can be edited, of course. Nothing is gone forever, resume normal activities.

Yes, I did Tom. I have a 'bad' habit of doing what I say I will most of the time. Since you have also attacked just about everything I've posted at Blogcritics when you comment at all, I can't say I'm surprised to see you carrying water for the clueless Barger. I have a new sci-fi book review up. Go ahead and feel free to find fault with it. I'm sure you will find doing so gratifying.

Eric, I have softened the description of Barger to 'neo-Confederate sympathizer,' which I think is accurate. I would guess, from perusing several months of the content at Culpepper that 30-40 percent of the material there comes from neo-Confederate or modern racist sites. I think my current description of him is moderate. I do agree with you that I should have shot Barger's argument down by presenting the evidence against it from the beginning.

Diva, you really sound paranoid. Do you realize that anytime someone disagrees with you, you pull out the race card? You do realize that people can disagree and it can actually not have a single thing to do with racism, right? If I make a comment that doesn't support what you say, it's because I think what you wrote is wrong. For example. You were wrong then, and you're still wrong today. (Yeah, you thought you got rid of this stuff, didn't you? Nope, it's all still there. It's harder to find, but any old links still jump to those pages you wrote.)

And please, don't even try to make it sound like I only comment in response to your posts. Please do follow the little link below and see how much I comment here - it's a lot, and it's not just your posts. What it boils down it is that you, basically, cannot take criticism on issues you hold near and dear to your heart. A lot of people can't, but then they aren't out putting their opinions online for everyone to see. The worst part of all of this is that you just don't see the most annoying part of it all - you don't see that you're just giving Al more fodder to play with. Everytime you bring his name up you give him a little something extra to throw back at you. Until you came along Al had never made one comment that indicated he was in any way racist, and had made many that indicated the exact opposite. But if there's an argument to be had, you'll probably find Al right there in the middle of it playing devil's advocate. This has been pointed out to you numerous times and yet you just cannot see it. Just like with the post above about Billie Holiday's song, you can't see that someone's playing a role. You're so dead-set on seeing racism everywhere that you put it where it isn't. And that, in a way, is racism itself. With your comments about Al, and now me, you're saying that white people who disagree with you are racist. I can assure you that I am in no way racist. If I dislike people, it's for legitimate reasons - like just plain not liking them. A disgusting person is a disgusting person - black, white, Asian, whatever.

I'm not "carrying water" for anyone. Barger's on his own. I actually used to enjoy reading these posts by you and Al until recently. But you are both equally responsible for the stupidity that's been going on here lately. If it were up to me, you'd both be out on your asses.

I stand by what I said - it was weak and childish of you to remove your posts. It weakens any argument you may make because I know that your own opinion means so little to you that you could just up and delete them out of spite. And, at the same time, it also means just the opposite, that you think you are so important that deleting your posts will make a negative impact in the site. It won't. It's sad, and annoying, but ultimately it's a meaningless gesture.

In the end, I think you're wasting your time. This is a "preaching to the converted" issue - I've seen no examples of racism on Blogcritics and really not online either. I think most of the people who come here tend to be 'enlightened' people anyway. Out in the real world, however, that's a different story. If you're so concerned with racism, sexism, etc., you need to get offline and go out to the real world people, which is the only place a problem like this can be taken care of in the first place.

And some people believe denial is just a river in Africa. Not only is this authority, Tom Johnson, wrong about the absence of racism in the blogosphere and online (where hate groups choose to gather and recruit more than anywhere else according to real experts), I'm sure he is equally clueless about it real life. And, too much of a fool to know it.

Goodbye, Mac Diva. Since you overreact to everything anyone who disagrees with you says, I'm through commenting on your posts. Not making a big deal of it like you did your "leaving" Blogcritics. Just 'splainin', so you don't twist it into something race-related.

I will say, however, that I have never, ever, not once, come across a blog related to racism. Not once, and I spend the majority of my day online and have seen many hundreds, if not thousands, of blogs. I've said it to you before - if you go specifically looking for something, you will find it. Whatever it is, it will always be out there. And racism, what you choose to look for, will always exist. It's unfortunate, but stupid people will always exist. Racism can't exist without stupidity. The problem is that it's in much, much greater proportion in the real world than online. Maybe a few groups recruit a few people online, but they would find those groups no matter what - internet or no. But you randomly firing the 'racism gun' at every person who disagrees with you does absolutely nothing to bolster your support or credibility. To me, you're just another reactionary, blinded by your mission. Too bad, you had some good things to say, too.

I just hope others who encounter you and receive this reaction do the same thing I do - step away and let you wither. Until then, you are just like Al Barger - provoking and but never really doing anything to solve anything. I tried, but you've already decided I'm racist, stupid, and lost - based on absolutely nothing that I've said or done to indicate that I actually feel that way. You've just assumed. That's part of racism too, isn't it - to assume that someone is someway because of some faulty or baseless information?

Again, you're just making stuff up out of the blue, like this: I would guess, from perusing several months of the content at Culpepper that 30-40 percent of the material there comes from neo-Confederate or modern racist sites

In fact, about 98% of the words on Culpepper I have written myself, and most of the quoting is primary news sources, ie New York Times, or Washington Post. Depending on how you called it, I'd guess that only a couple of percent of Culpepper at most has anything to do with race as a topic.

I don't mind criticism. I just wish you'd base it on something I actually did, other than existing.

Tom, why are you being such a dick with me? I've done nothing bad or inappropriate whatsoever. I'm nothing like Miss Diva.

Making up the articles of secession and the Confederate Constitution was really hard work. First, I had to invent a time machine. . . .

Marse Tom, I'se so-o-o broken-hearted to see you go. Tara won't be the same without you to tell the po' darkies what they can think, believe and say. Whatevuh will I do for enlightenment?

But seriously, I posted this entry so people can see for themselves what the Confederates were thinking at the time of secession. The Toms and Als are hopeless cases, but I hope other people benefit from it.

Al, please accept my apology. I didn't mean to lay you out like that. What I wanted to do was make both of you see that both of you are exacerbating the problem here. I think everyone involved needs a "time out." I also think we both know that Mac Diva is turning this all around to suit her needs, which is why I won't be participating in anything she has to offer to the site anymore. I hope others follow suit, so this ridiculous issue will die the death it deserves.

It is declaring slavery NOT the cause of the Civil War that is ridiculous. (Though I wouldn't expect a know-it-all know-nothing like Tom Johnson to know that.)

The Southern Poverty Law Center and other monitors of hate groups spend most of their time online now because that is where the hate groups gather and recruit, contrary to the ignorant representations of Tom Johnson. As for him being 'enlightened' and qualified to tell people of color, who deal with bigotry every day, all about racism, that is the delusion of a first-class fool. I suspect only the equally foolish look to him for advice. Perhaps he will get back to exploiting this site as a free way to promote his business and leave thinking and writing to people with the ability to do it.

Pardon me, Mac Diva, but what the HELL are you going on about? What "business" am I promoting? I am a web designer in a major corporation. I don't have a business. I'd like to know where you get off just plain lying about me.

This business, Stupid.

Again I ask: what business? How is a personal website that has NOTHING FOR SALE a business? Please, do tell. I'm really intrigued how I'm making money off of my own personal site.

Here, I'll even help you, Diva. Here are all of my posts on Blogcritics. Please point out which ones of these 49 posts asks for people to come have me design things for them. And please do point out to all Blogcritics readers where on my site I sell anything. I'm not a freelance designer. I've done a (very) few freelance designs, none of which were garnered via Blogcritics or even my own site - any freelance design work I've done has come because of my reputation for work of the utmost highest quality AT WORK.

Diva, you are a liar.

Now Tom, you just don't understand- Mac Diva is sanctified. She speaks of Higher Truths that are too important to be restricted by petty concerns such as honesty or civility.

This has nothing to do with the article but i had to say this. The ad for donating money to help the little girl fix her mouth deformation was made with extremely poor taste.