Scroll down to read this post.

 

Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. I keep the website clean from pop-ups and annoying demands. Instead, I depend entirely on my readers to support me. Though this means I am sacrificing some income, it also means that I remain entirely independent from outside pressure. By depending solely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, no one can threaten me with censorship. You don't like what I write, you can simply go elsewhere.

 

You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are five ways of doing so:

 

1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.

 

2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
 

3. A Paypal Donation:

4. A Paypal subscription:


5. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
 
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652

 

You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above. And if you buy the books through the ebookit links, I get a larger cut and I get it sooner.


Today’s blacklisted American: Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon and Blue Origin

Jeff Bezos, sentenced to death!
Jeff Bezos: The next target in America’s daily two-minute hate.

They’re coming for you next: As a clear indication of the ugliness of modern society and the eager willingness of far too many Americans to hurt or even kill those they disagree with or do not like, two different petitions have now garnered more than 175,000 signatures demanding that Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon and Blue Origin, be forced to die in space rather than safely return home during his planned July 20th suborbital commercial flight on his New Shepard spacecraft.

The two petitions can be seen here and here. Both have received a lot of media attention, such as these articles in the Guardiane, MSN, and the New York Post, all of which immediately caused the numbers of people signing the petitions to skyrocket. Both petitions are now “one of the top signed on Change.org!”

Anyone who has read any of my commentary on the business of commercial space during the past five years will know that I have been strongly critical of Jeff Bezos, for many legitimate reasons. His company Blue Origin has stalled, and appears more willing to manipulate politicians and government regulations for its benefit than actually build and fly anything. His company Amazon has eagerly joined the new effort to blackball and censor dissenting opinions.

To gleefully create and sign a petition that literally calls for his death however is incredibly uncivilized. That these petitions, both of which appear to have been created initially as jokes, have actually obtained so many signatures so quickly well illustrates our society’s descent into savagery and a new dark age. Nor has the reporting by the press found this behavior offensive. In fact in many cases the reporting, such as at MSN and the Post above, practically celebrates the goal, finding it amusing. Then there was this comment at the first link above:

Wow. So much at stake. And so little actual power. The cry of more than 100,000 merely shows their inability to really do anything but vent their anger.

This mass populist outrage will have no effect on actual events. Since New Shepard lacks the power to send Bezos into orbit, the odds of stranding the billionaire in space permanently are exactly zero. The vehicle will up and then come down, all in the space of 10 to 11 minutes. Bezos, his brother Mark, an anonymous bidder paying $29.68 million for a seat, and a fourth person yet to be revealed will be returning to Earth regardless of how many people sign the petition.

Bezos hasn’t been literally blackballed, but the petitions and the press’s gentle endorsement of them reveal that a lot of people would like to do it. Worse, the petitions show that a lot of people in America today are so filled with hate and envy that they no longer see anything wrong with joining in on a two-minute hate, nonchalantly calling for the death of someone. It is also incredibly hypocritical, as I have no doubt that practically everyone who has signed these petitions has also purchased something from Amazon at one point.

Let’s perform a thought experiment. Would any of the signers of these petitions celebrate a different petition, demanding that all blacks be sent back to Africa, because “that’s where they belong!” Would they celebrate a petition that called for the banning of all Jewish businesses, because the signers don’t like the Jewish faith? What about whites? Should all whites be ostracized because a very small handful are bigoted? Certainly a petition to imprison all Trump supporters seems reasonable, considering their unwillingness to accept his clearly evil “orangemanbad” persona.

Maybe we should kill everyone in these groups, so we can guarantee that very tiny minority of rotten apples within each can’t exist.

This is all very ugly, especially the glee I sense from some about the very idea. I’d say they should be ashamed of themselves, but then, they have no shame. They want to hurt their opponents, and have been showing us their willingness to do so now for months.

Genesis cover

On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.

 
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.


The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
 

"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News

27 comments

  • Geno

    Just plain sick.

  • Questioner

    But this time it hits the right person. Haha. But what’s going on here? I thought Bezos was ideologically part of this cultural Marxist movement.

  • John

    I dunno, it says it right there in the petition: “evil overlord hellbent on global domination”, “in bed with the flat earth deniers”, “last chance before they enable the 5G microchips and perform a mass takeover”.

    Besides, he’s one of the ruling elite, they’re going to let Dr. Evil re-enter regardless of the petition ; )

    Seriously, the guy is a bond villain and lives in a volcanic lair somewhere.

  • Doubting Thomas

    I know I’ll see disapproval here; but when I read it, I just laughed.

    Lex Luthor is a thoroughly odious person, not because he is wealthy, but because he is part of the section of Big Tech elite who are using their power to suppress discussion, competition and freedom. He is part of the group that knows best for us and will darn sure do all that he can to box us in until we do what he and his pals want.

    So, no, I don’t want to see Lex die. Yes, I know the difference between a sub-orbital and orbital launch system. Finally, yes, I root for Musk over Bezos on space matters because, while Elon is equally obnoxious about his vision for electric cars, in the area of spaceflight, he just seems a little more open, transparent and risk taking. Because of these things, it is fun to watch SpaceX try to reach the stars.

    As for the petition, some things are just funny and you laugh at them.

  • James Street

    McAffee didn’t kill himself.

  • Chris Lopes

    Not a Bezos fan, but the 2 minute hate inherent in those petitions is something a civilized society should avoid. He’s not REALLY a Bond villain and he isn’t trying to rule the world. He’s just trying to put Walmart out of business.

    And yes, the physics of the flight make those petitions unworkable. As the old joke goes “Remember kids, gravity isn’t just a good idea, it’s the law!”. :)

  • Icepilot

    Or, one could consider only 1/20th of 1% wishing death on the richest man in the world a good sign. And that’s against just the U.S. population – those petitions probably got votes from around the world.

  • Gary in Transit

    People realize that the few control the many and to the detriment of the many. These petitions show how powerless people feel. These are dangerous times for us all.

  • Cloudy

    It’s a bit off topic, but does anyone know why he chose to develop a hydrogen fueled vehicle for a manned suborbital hop? The main advantage of hydrogen is it has better theoretical efficiency (known as ISP)than any other widely used rocket fuel. In every other respect the other alternatives are better. You don’t need an especially efficient system for this application. You need reliability, ease of handling, and lower operating costs. Is hydrogen better for a reusability or was New Shepherd always intended to just be a pathfinder for something else? If it was just a dumb decision, I would hate for him to get nature’s death penalty for it.

  • Doubting Thomas

    Chris – I respectfully disagree. If Bezos was simply building a better shopping mouse trap, I would say to Walmart, step up your game guys! But there is a reason besides his follicle challenged appearance that people call him Lex Luthor.

    Amazon controls over 80% of the books published in the US and they have already used that position to censor either outright or by shadow censoring by setting their algos to bury the book so it is not seen until click 987.

    Amazon cloud services have already knocked websites and Twitter / Facebook competitors temporarily or permanently off the web.

    Many of Amazon’s amazing deals come from China, they are a highway of US $ to our strategic competitor. When the previous President, tried to encourage US manufacturers and retail sites to increase their number of US product, Amazon refused to cooperate, even as they began a project to do just that. They preferred not to take credit and be the recipient of negative jawboning rather than potentially being accused of helping the then President.

    Amazon Prime Video (Free with Prime boys and girls!) creates channels that show some of the most blatant ideological and social propaganda that I worry over what my grandkids can see.

    Here in my relatively conservative home town, my local regional paper is filled with pieces from the Washington Post (Lex’s paper) which the local paper can obtain relatively inexpensively and quickly. These pieces are relentlessly one sided.

    Most of this came about because Congress took pity 40+ years ago on a “struggling” internet startup situation, which has long past and is now using the enormous capital that they have generated with these protections to take apart not just other business but often our very republican, federal way of life.

    So I respectfully disagree.

  • Chris Lopes

    @Doubting Thomas
    I agree with much of your criticism of Bezos and Amazon. What I have a problem with is the lynch mob mentality. A mob is an unthinking creature that feeds on hate. It’s uncontrollable and doesn’t care about the truth or merits of the issue. That’s why the cancel culture has been so successful.

    Yes, it would be psychologically satisfying to watch someone like Bezos get torn to shreds by the very mobs he’s been willing to support. Unleashing (or encouraging) the mob though, is never a good idea. That’s not what civilized people do.

  • Gary in Transit

    Can you study history and still believe that civilization is civilized? For the most part the powerful few manipulated the masses to enrich the few. The US involvement in WWII was a major exception.

  • Doubting Thomas

    Chris – OK and I am not advocating chasing people thru the streets and wacking them. I also don’t think that most people “signing” the petition advocate or would do it. Again, see my first comment, I laughed at the bogus petition, knowing that both by physics (wrong booster guys) and practicality that the petition was impossible.

    But like Gary’s comment: ” People realize that the few control the many and to the detriment of the many. These petitions show how powerless people feel.”

    I see the sentiment behind the silly petition and recognize the real feeling which in of itself is not wrong.

    Best of luck to you and THANK YOU Bob for letting us comment on your site. Great discussions by the way on Hubble recently.

  • Alex Andrite

    CLICK BAIT.
    To the logical ? conclusion.
    Loss of Reason, Madness, a Descending into Nothingness.

    click click

  • wayne

    James Street–
    Holy cow, just saw that headline— they epstein’ed him.

    Ref: We Are Change–
    We’re talking about Luke Rudkowski, correct?
    I’d put that petition in the same class as 4chan, Pepe, and Harambe the gorilla,

    Tim Pool
    Timcast IRL (ep 308)
    https://youtu.be/vcTWjy79r60
    2:07:10

  • Jeff Wright

    I just wish I had his money. I would try to get HOTL working…start up OMNI and Starlog…invest in space toys and models. I’d buy up all wrestling toys and have them destroyed.

  • Doubting Thomas wrote: “THANK YOU Bob for letting us comment on your site.”

    You are welcome. I know it is a strange and rarely followed concept these days, this idea that people of all persuasions should be free to speak their minds, civilly, without rancor, but then, I come from a culture long-gone that honored such an idea in all things. It was called freedom and the American Dream, created with the founding of the United States of America.

    Hard to believe how many people now hate that nation and its ideals.

  • wayne

    Jeff-
    I definitely like your idea of buying up all wrestling toys…

    Doubting Thomas–
    I second that sentiment– thank you to Mr. Z. for allowing us to make comments, and for not going nuts on fancy web-site add-ons.

    Jordan Peterson / Akira the Don
    Rule #12: “Pet a Cat When You Encounter One…”
    https://youtu.be/_lRjwOJQ_A0
    4:10

    “If we didn’t all attempt to make terrible things even worse then they are, then maybe we could tolerate the terrible things that we all have to put up with, to exist.”

  • Erobot

    Bezos beat the unions and made my life vastly easier. If he wants to spend his profits on space stuff, he has my blessing. At least, he’s not robbing me with high taxes to support the lefty lifestyle of bureaucrats by the gazillions.

    Go for it Jeff.

  • D3F1ANT

    Bezos is a bad human being.

  • Rick Caird

    I propose all those signing the petition be put on the no fly list, If they are so cavalier about 4 people returning from a flight, we should not give them an even larger opportunity.

  • J. J. Hall

    I do think that the petition is intended as satire. First of all, who would review it or even contemplate taking action? There is no authority. It is more of a fanciful fantasy and certainly not in league with the professor who declared that she dreamed about killing white people. The only people afraid of his banishment are those lefty organizations that depend upon his monthly check. I list the petition merely as dark humor expression of angst similar to a wife threatening to kill you if you don’t do the dishes. Hey, if you were watching the Forensic Files eating the favorite dish she cooked, it may be already too late!

  • Max

    Is this the modern version Roman gladiators? Doing a petition for thumbs up or thumbs down?

    Or is it class envy that led to the beheading of the French ruling class… (The Chinese ruling class, the Romanoffs and the Russian ruling class, Pole Potts war against the educational elite… history is full of examples, and because of predictable human nature and poor education often repeats itself)

    Chris Lopes said;
    “He’s not REALLY a Bond villain and he isn’t trying to rule the world. He’s just trying to put Walmart out of business”

    Controlling shares of both businesses are owned by Black rock/State Street/vanguard.
    Competition is superficial, they try to complement each other. When other businesses and industry was shut down, these had federal exemptions to stay open and make money. Quite literally a federal monopoly for select woke companies to drive out all other competition.
    Is it Rockefeller who said, “it doesn’t matter who owns the company as long as I control it?”

    https://johnbwellsnews.com/did-blackrock-vanguard-buy-the-entire-world/

    People can be so shortsighted, not seeing past the tip of their nose or their own feelings. Actions have consequences and digital petitions have records.
    I laugh at the accusation of white privilege when the entire world is jealous of American privilege and are doing anything they can to get here. We are all so privileged to live in a time when we are taking bets on somebody gambling their life in a private space attempt. Outrageous exuberance, or entertainment?

    Nothing ventured nothing gained, hopefully he’ll be so excited by his adventure that he will catch the enthusiasm that musk has and start a real space race. Feeling alive has an affect on people.

  • Sam L.

    Buzz off, Bezos! (I couldn’t resist.)

  • jfm

    I’m curious as to how many who signed either petition are also Amazon Prime members.

  • I would not doubt for a second that the vasty great majority of people signing that petition, and similar, would trade places with Jeff Bezos in a heartbeat. Else, why have lotteries? Everyone wants to do better, but many vilify those that have. Sure, the modern crop of billionaires are all rectally-oriented to some degree or another, but that’s what it takes. I am under no compulsion to buy anything they are offering; but I must, on pain of imprisonment, support the public sector.

    As I’ve said about the 19th century robber barons, and equally applicable today: these folks build things. More than can be said for most of their detractors.

Readers: the rules for commenting!

 

No registration is required. I welcome all opinions, even those that strongly criticize my commentary.

 

However, name-calling and obscenities will not be tolerated. First time offenders who are new to the site will be warned. Second time offenders or first time offenders who have been here awhile will be suspended for a week. After that, I will ban you. Period.

 

Note also that first time commenters as well as any comment with more than one link will be placed in moderation for my approval. Be patient, I will get to it.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *