Are right-wingers stealing tactics from fake anti-Semitism witch-hunters?
If you’ve never heard of “Torrancing” before, don’t worry. I don’t think I have either, although I certainly believe I have been a victim of it.
Here’s how it works:
The Establishment is resorting more than ever to negative tactics, with escalating smears and distortion. But Labour supporters need to be aware of one particular tactic employed by right-wing and so-called ‘centrist’ commentators in an attempt to drag Labour supporters into spending their resources negatively.
‘Torrancing’, as the graphic above explains, is a baiting technique used to deliberately incite an angry reaction – wasting time and energy but also providing fodder for even further attacks and smears, while allowing those using the technique to cast themselves as victims.
Isn’t this exactly the tactic that was used against me by witch-hunters looking for a way to accuse me of anti-Semitism?
Consider the comment by ‘Ben’ that kicked off those accusations, way back in 2016. He (she?) had alleged a tradition of left-wing anti-Semitism going back as far as Karl Marx. Examples were provided – but there was far too little detail in these accounts for anyone to make an educated judgement as to whether or not ‘Ben’ was right.
When I pointed this out, my words were twisted by pseudo-charity the Campaign Against Antisemitism to suggest that I was an anti-Semite and that it was trying to protect British Jews from me.
That’s Torrancing – or so it seems to me. My reaction wasn’t angry, admittedly, but some of the vilest individuals in the UK altered what I said to present a false impression of it. As a result, I have had to endure nearly three years of attacks and smears from liars pretending to be victims.
And now we are being told that right-wing campaigners are doing the same.
There certainly does seem to be an increase in Twitter trolls at the moment. I have been flagging them up as such with an appeal for people to “Mute/Block/Avoid” – and possibly also to warn all their friends.
But there are degrees of this kind of abuse, it seems to me. I’m happy to give people the benefit of the doubt if they seem reasonable at the start.
Besides, blocking them simply gives them freedom to spread their nonsense to the rest of the tweeting world, unchallenged.
So I may ask for evidence to support an assertion, and then I may suggest that this evidence may not be conclusive. After this, I may have reason to suggest that they are becoming abusive.
So my best advice is: Protect yourself. If you don’t think you can successfully turn the tables on this creeps, block them and alert everyone you know.
Have YOU donated to my crowdfunding appeal, raising funds to fight false libel claims by TV celebrities who should know better? These court cases cost a lot of money so every penny will help ensure that wealth doesn’t beat justice.
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I wonder what could be the origin of “Torrancing”? It might, or might not, be linked to former journalist David Torrance who, I understand, is now working in the House of Commons library:
https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/political-columnist-david-torrance-to-leave-journalism-after-18-years-as-puerile-online-discourse-left-him-feeling-constantly-under-assault/
Another symptom of this Age Of Intolerance. I’ve not heard the term Torrancing but I do know baiting and this sort of thing has been going on for hundreds of years; once you spring the trap, you find yourself covered in all manner of nastiness and if the trap is set right, you will show yourself to be intolerant. They can paint you any colour that they want, all that you have to do is walk under the door where the paint is.
Write in unambiguous terms and use good grammar, so that whatever you say cannot be misconstrued. if necessary, play dumb and ask questions, in order to obtain clarification. First and foremost, ask yourself, do I need to respond? Often, there is no point.