Someone figured out the real identity of a popular pseudonymous blogger and left a threatening note on the door of his home. “Knight in Dragonland,” a Richwoods High School graduate (“Knight”) now residing in Pekin (“Dragonland”), blogs about Pekin politics just like I blog about Peoria politics. But someone is trying to silence Knight through threats and intimidation:
Today someone placed a handwritten threat addressed to “knightindragonland†on my screen door while my wife was home with our baby girl…. Paraphrasing, it told me to shut my mouth. I don’t remember the exact words and the note is now in the hands of the Pekin police.
I’m not exactly sure what I’m supposed to keep quiet about. I’ve opened my big mouth on quite a few topics, and my stalker wasn’t explicit about what he/she found offensive. This lovely sheet of paper also listed my parent’s address in Peoria with the phrase “do you recognize this?†after it.
The implied threat was clear … I know who you are, I know where you live, I know where your parents live, and you better shut your mouth.
To his credit, Knight has not been cowed by the malicious little dirtbag who’s threatened his family. He’s come out fighting, filing a police report and letting everyone know about the threat. He will most likely “come out” and reveal his identity soon, once he gives his employer a heads-up.
Keep up the good work, Knight. Don’t be bullied. Keep blogging.
Knightindragonland you hang in there and stick to your guns of the right to free speech. We are all behind you and no little dirtbag is going to silence you or us. I have read your blogs and answers and even if I didn’t always agree with you I uphold your right to speak your mind and I have never found anything you said offensive. Dig in your heels and I for one am right beside you.
I hope the police put a priority on tracking down this dirtbag, and that the State’s Attorney prosecutes him to the full extent of the law. We all know that if it were some govt. type that was so threatened they would pull out all the stops to get the perp.
Thanks for your support, everyone. I really appreciate it.
To me, bloggers need to realize even though they can say what they want, taking a second thought could be wise before hitting submit. Knight in Dragonland seems to have made comments others took offense to.
Bottom line folks, when choosing your battles, make sure it’s something worth defending.
Free Speech is worth defending.
Knight is one of the few to finally voice his opinion in Pekin and some feel threatened by it. Why is that? There are some who have flooded the editorial pages for years saying whatever they choose to say. they have gone so far as to sling personal attacks at school board members and the Superintendent, who is now going to take his ability to run a district to someone who will appreciate him. when someone disputes anything they say, they choose not to comment, they do, however sling more lies and deceit. To those, I say, step into the 21st century before you ruin this fine city. You have already probably cost the school district plenty by forcing them to replace a quality person. And to think they claim to be looking out for the taxpayers. We can look out for ourselves, thank you.
I hate to say this, but is this not self-fulfilling act of the Pekin stereotype?
Mick,
Most of the people in Pekin that I’ve encountered have been wonderful people. However, there is an undercurrent in this town that is xenophobic, intolerant and territorial in the extreme.
Pekin has the potential to be a great little community and experience true growth … and not just as another bedroom burb for Peoria. To do this Pekin MUST be seen as accepting of outsiders. MOST here are, but a very vocal minority is not. Edgar Sandoval, District 108 Superintendent Don White and myself have all run afoul of this element. I’m making it my mission to marginalize these forces.
Knight: first, I am sorry that you and your family are being subjected to small-town terrorist tactics. The perpetrator of that act deserves to be caught and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. That behavior cannot be tolerated.
Pekin isn’t the only local community to suffer from “an undercurrent that is xenophobic, intolerant and territorial in the extreme.” Peoria suffers from the same malady. Just think about how they treat outsiders – particularly those brought in for governmental or quasi-governmental leadership positions (police/fire administrators, city administrators, and school administrators, for example). Our track record for the last 15-20 years isn’t so good – most of the people who fell into that category were not able to be successful in this community and left. Seems to be a little pattern behavior here.
Your mission to marginalize the xenophobic element is a worthy one. Peorians desiring a change need to adopt the same mission and do our best to marginalize these forces, too.