Commenters are asking when I’ll get comments fixed. Probably in the next couple days if I can afford a new theme. After installing that, I’ll likely archive The Spearhead’s old site and leave it online, perhaps at the same domain, perhaps not, depending on whether I’ll keep blogging at this domain.
While I was taking time off from blogging, I spent a lot of time reading. Some at the local library, but mostly on other blogs. As one commenter noted I was commenting a fair amount on the Unz Review, where I’ve seen a couple other Spearhead readers and at least one writer (hi Elmer!).
Commenting is a nice way to indulge my compulsion to write without having to put as much effort into thinking things through or editing myself. In other words, it’s something you can do with a baby hollering in the background.
Over at Unz, Steve Sailer, one of my favorite bloggers, played a big role in early December exposing the Rolling Stone rape fantasy article as the fraud it was. The first journalist to point out that there might be something wrong with the piece was Richard Bradley, who formerly worked with disgraced journalist Stephen Glass. Glass got caught fabricating stories out of whole cloth while writing for The New Republic back in the 90s. Interestingly, Hannah Rosin was one of his colleagues and chief supporters. If you’re interested in the Stephen Glass story, I’d recommend watching Shattered Glass, the movie about his escapades.
Bradley, who had been duped by Glass, noticed that certain elements of the Rolling Stone article didn’t look right. Perhaps in an effort to vindicate himself, he took the plunge and went public on his blog with these observations. For days, nobody paid any attention. Nobody, that is, except for Steve Sailer.
Sailer, who is really unique in that he pursues the truth regardless of the consequences, pointed out more inconsistencies in comments on Bradley’s blog. When he was finally convinced that there was something wrong with he article, he went public on his own blog with his and Bradley’s observations.
Immediately, people started to pay attention. Articles popped up with questions about alleged victim “Jackie,” and calls went out to Sabrina Rubin Erdely, author of the piece, for clarification.
Our very own Chuck Ross, newshound that he is, picked up the scent and came up with even more damning inconsistencies. Suddenly, the story came crashing down like the tower of lies it was. Sabrina Rubin Erdely went into hiding, Rolling Stone apologized and a hideous false rape accusation went down in flames.
Of all people who deserve credit for this, perhaps we should start with Richard Bradley. He was the first journalist, after all, who seriously questioned the story. However, the man who deserves the most credit for the story’s spectacular failure is Steve Sailer. His dogged determination and analytical thinking combined with his popularity as a blogger dealt the decisive blow to the great lie. It was a spectacular coup, and vindicates my loyalty to his iSteve blog.
When we ask ourselves who is making a difference, results should be foremost in our considerations. Did anyone else in 2014 do more to discredit gender feminism than Steve Sailer, besides the feminists themselves? If so, I don’t know who it could be. Yet a lot of people keep throwing good money after bad supporting people who not only espouse an ideology that is virtually identical to feminism, but who seem to be working half the time to discredit us.
Unz has put together an impressive roster, and Steve Sailer is not the only writer worth reading on his site. I’d also recommend Fred Reed – who is surely well-known in these quarters – and anthropologist Peter Frost. Frost doesn’t concern himself with gender so much as demographics, but he writes about the most interesting subjects – human beings – in ways that few dare, and from a fascinating scientific perspective. For those who are interested in the unique and diverse characteristics of human individuals and populations, Frost is a great read.
Discerning readers prefer clear thought over bluster and results over boasting, so I thought I’d point out a few writers who can offer those. Unless we just want to stand around patting each other on the back who we support matters, and those who offer nothing of substance don’t deserve that support, no matter what kind of show they put on.
