Reply #162: I will answer your question with a question, jigarota.

[Joe Fields]

Have you access to politicians for interviews at just about anytime you want? Do you have a press pass? Have you been invited by John Kerry to sit in on campaign strategy meetings?

In other words, do you have the inside access, the contacts, the "megaphone" of a Truthout that Will Pitt has? Have you written a critically acclaimed, best selling book, which by default makes you an expert in the field you have written on, such as WMD's?

If your answer is no, then I would have to say that Skinner probably would not extend any courtesies to you for making an ass out of yourself, like Will Pitt did.

Are you equal to him as a person? Definitely. Would you deserve leeway, if you did what Pitt did? In a word, no. What's so hard to understand about that?

This may be called Democratic Underground, but there is nothing democratic about it. Skinner and a handful of others always reserve the right to choose who loses their priviledges. Obviously, Skinner feels that Will Pitt's contributions earn him a second chance. Maybe a third chance. Who knows?