Message appreciated...giving some of the major points some thought. I know that you don't have all the facts, and that's not a major problem to me nor a criticism...
...if we do nothing, this guy and his friends continue to bombard our Newsgroups anyhow. It's one thing to troll as one individual, but another to troll as thirty fake individuals and counting. He's denying others their Civil Rights in the process. If he'd simply have the courage to post his opinions as himself, and not bombard the groups with hundreds of posts, where would the problem be? So what? Somebody disagrees with him...
If we do nothing, he wins. If we try to ignore him, he continues to post and doesn't even try to claim victory. This ain't about trolling...it ain't even about winning. It's something far more. It's about bullying. It's about domination of others by one individual. It's about his sexist rants. It's about his racist rants. It's about his rants against veterans. I find the politics boring...I could give a s--t less...except for the quantity of s--t he's dishing out. Highly personal remarks of provocative nature. Cursing my kids. Lying to myself and others. Getting caught, being allowed to just walk away, reneging on his agreement, and coming back to cause more trouble.
Of greatest concern, he thinks the internet isn't real, nor the people in it. Everything that is off limits in the "real world," is fair game on the internet -- unpunishable. He has a decadent lust for trolling and causing others pain and suffering. Especially with the racist remarks in particular.
Seriously, with everyone in the Newsgroup that I'm from all run off by this clown, what have the rest of us got to lose by fighting the son of a bitch and putting the pressure on him? If he's not going to claim some troll victory, why is he there?
As for veiled threats, or thinly veiled threats, or in particular, his claims that I've threatened his life -- who's life? "Ralph Snart's?" Ralph Snart is a comic book character.
If threats were indeed made, and the man behind Ralph Snart on this Newsgroup wants to come forward and press charges, then he has to reveal his real name -- and more importantly -- his own conduct. And, others will be exposing his conduct. Attorneys will toast him over the coals.
No judge in the land is going to convict me of "threatening" the life of a character in pulp fiction humor. No judge is going to convict anyone without first hearing both sides of the story. No judge is going to ignore his provocations.
No judge is going to ignore his comments and threats. No judge is going to ignore the fact that he's conspiring with at least two others and likely more, in this misconduct.
However, he has been informed that it is MY intent to send Law Enforcement after him. Just the same, I am free to travel in this country. I'm free to research him wherever he's at. In fact, do you know how difficult it is to get a complaint investigated by the US Government? Takes an intense amount of research and documentation. And even then, your complaint can wind up being ignored.
Fortunately, most of my research has been right here on the internet. His posts go way back. They are many. In particular, I'm looking for his e-mails and the specific groups he posts in. Topics including "hacking," "politics," "trolling," "Conversational Terrorism," and a pattern of conduct indicative of a terrorist, anarchist, con artist or fraud.
Mostly, he posts right here. He has posted so much, that I haven't finished my research of this group. No doubt there are probably other "Ralph Snarts" out there. I just haven't gotten to them yet. I'm still working on this one. So, no naiveté. I know of whom I speak because I haven't been able to do much research outside of this group yet since he has posted here so heavily.
A number of you have come up now and been honest about what he's doing. Yeah, you criticize me, but now you're strapping on your boots and stepping forward to talk about him, too. That, I think, is a grand thing.
Just the same, has he expressed any remorse or regret. Has he indicated that he's going to knock off the nonsense. How has he shown he cares about any of you or this Newsgroup? With the "hair of righteous indignity" up his ass.
He's slamming Bill S at this moment claiming "I've lost all respect" for the man. That's how seriously addicted he is to trolling and domination and bullying. Now, he's run into someone who won't back down; who'll "ride his ass like Zorro;" who'll bully back. His response -- duck and hide, try to confront, lie to others, stick his nose up in the air, attack people you know to be honest, good people, unlike him.
Obsession on my part? I'll consider that. I too, tend to think he's seriously occupying too much of my time. However, with all due respect, my background is Journalism on one hand, and my US Army training on the other. Intense research is part of both jobs. In Journalism, however, it's getting the facts straight and correct. Having your "ducks in a row" before going to Press. Sources. Quotes. Imagery. Contacts. History. Background. In general, everything.
In military, it's Army Regulations (Federal Laws), Leadership Principles and Traits, a Code of Conduct, and the fact that when they discharge you honorably, it's just a piece of paper. You can be called back to duty at any time by order of the President in the event of a National Emergency. The oath you swore when you first enlisted, is not unsworn. You are still responsible to protect National Security.
I see this impostor as a greater threat to himself and others by his remarks and conduct than he himself sees, or presently, others see in him. And without all the facts, it's going to be hard for others to see him for what he really is. Not their fault. That's why the extensive research. The whole issue is: document the complaint.
But don't think for a moment that I'm poo-pooing your comments or ignoring what you have to say. Your fairness and even-handedness is appreciated.
However, my Army training is invested in this, too. Our orders were not to let a problem become someone else's problem...to take ownership of the problem at hand and find the solution.
This guy has broken the Law. I want to know every Law he has broken by his conduct.
I have an individual here claiming to be Army Guard or Reserve one moment, working in communications; Air Force the next, working on jet turbines that power helicopters.
This claim is a violation of Federal Law, in that, you are not allowed to impersonate US military personnel. Due to his known age, he could be one, but not the other. Due to his comments slamming and slandering soldiers and veterans as drunks, bums and leeches on society, he is likely neither.
He admits to having been a hacker. He is associated with an ISP involved in Credit Card Fraud.
Should I let innocent people suffer his criminal acts -- for fear I'm becoming "obsessed" with him?
All falls back onto that Army training -- know your enemy; never underestimate him; never fear him; defeat him.
As for Law on the internet, it's still being written. They invented the internet and opened the doors to everyone, without putting Law Enforcement in place first.
Some of us operate in the grey here. Yet, we must document the complaint to get laws written. Otherwise, you're right...nothing will get done.
Thanks again for your thoughtful words. They are indeed, appreciated.