Bill Quick and PayPal
Bill Quick at Daily Pundit has been warned by PayPal that his blog is violating their terms of agreement. I use PayPal, even here on the site. It's been convenient, but the way that they're looking to enforce their policy means that at any given time they could shut this site down for what they seem to think is hate speech.
Quite a few bloggers have PayPal links to beg for a tuppence or two, but I'm guessing that we all won't starve to death if we stop using them. I'll wait to see what happens, and I'll shoot them off an email asking them about this. Who knows? Maybe so many small accounts cost them more than they're worth. We'll see.
Update: I'm such a dunce. Either I never got around to putting up a PayPal button or it's disappeared anyway. I wonder if Treacher would wither away without my buck a month.
Another Update: I've sent PayPal an email that you can read under the flap.
To whom it may concern:
I have read with interest your letter to Bill Quick at the Daily Pundit blog about his possibly violating your terms of use. It's not apparent what the violation is to me, except a mention in your letter of linking to terrorist execution videos. I have not personally seen such a link on his blog, but I cannot say for sure that one is not there.
I have in the past followed a link from another site to the Berg beheading, and was thoroughly disgusted, and somewhat frightened. Not because of the link, but because it was a graphic depiction of hate, for me personally. I have no doubt that were I to be in a position to be abducted by such a group simply for being an American, they would have no compunction doing the same to me.
As horrible as such a practice may seem to many, I believe that this information is extremely important, and should be disseminated to show what is happening. To hear about it in the abstract on the news is one thing; there is still a place in your mind for denial. To witness it removes all doubt.
This is an educational issue, and were you to suspend a site that showed or linked to such material in a glorifying manner, I would agree with your policy in full. I do visit Bill Quick's site, and do not believe he has ever endorsed such a thing, and to the contrary, is quick to condemn it, as he should.
I have a PayPal account, and will be watching for the outcome of this matter. I find your service very useful, though I don't use it a great deal. I would hate to cancel your service, and would be inconvenienced perhaps more than you, but it is a serious matter for me. I hope you consider this small situation carefully.
With regards,
