Deborah Frisch

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Deborah Frisch was formerly an adjunct lecturer in psychology at the University of Arizona.^[1] Frisch taught psychology at the University of Oregon from 1988 to 2001 when she was denied tenure.^[2] Frisch was a program director at the Decision, Risk and Management Sciences Program at the National Science Foundation in 2001.^[3] Frisch operates the politically left weblog called South(West)Paw.^[4]

Frisch gained internet and blogosphere notoriety when she was the source of harassment against the weblog Protein Wisdom, its creator Jeff Goldstein, and that she subjected Goldstein and his family to blogstalking, including remarks about Goldstein’s son. ^[5]

Frisch received hundreds of irate emails, and was harshly criticized by conservative weblogs.^[4] Frisch has acknowledged that her remarks were in bad taste.^[2] However, she says she that will continue to speak out, saying: “I have been trying to evolve into a left-wing Ann Coulter for a long time,” referencing the controversial conservative pundit. She continued, “I am going to be more careful, but I am not going to stop.”^[6] Frisch now says that she herself is being stalked.^[7]

Deborah Frisch is currently on probation after pleading guilty to telephonic stalking in the Lane County Court in Oregon. This case is distinct from her remarks concerning Jeff Goldstein and his son.^[8]

[edit] References

^ Smith, Kim (July 11, 2006). UA lecturer resigns over blogs furor. News Elsewhere. Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved on 2006-10-04. “An adjunct psychology lecturer at the University of Arizona resigned Saturday after writing to a conservative blogger that she wouldn't care if his 2-year-old son was killed the way JonBenet Ramsey was.”
^ ^a ^b Blogger returns to Eugene amid criticism. Associated Press (July 17, 2006). Retrieved on 2006-10-04. “'It was in very bad taste ... very, very, very horrible,' [Frisch] said. 'I don't think professors should do that. I crossed the line.'”
^ Meeting Agenda; Washington Study Tour. Department of Engineering and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University (October 2001). Retrieved on 2006-10-04.
^ ^a ^b Calhoun, Patricia (July 20, 2006). Blog Eat Blog. Denver Westword. Retrieved on 2006-10-04.
^ Everett-Haynes, La Monica (July 11, 2006). Blog blunder fells UA teacher. Tucson Citizen. Retrieved on 2006-10-04. “She also wrote: ‘If I woke up tomorrow and learned that someone else had shot you and your “tyke” it wouldn’t slow me down one iota. You aren't “human” to me.’”
^ Brodesky, Josh (July 16, 2006). On campus, beware the blog. Arizona Daily Star quoted on KMSB-TV. Retrieved on 2006-10-04.
^ Hume, Brit (July 12, 2006). Professor Goes Postal. Special Report w/ Brit Hume. Fox News Channel. Retrieved on 2006-10-05. “Frisch, who stepped down after her department was flooded with e-mails, has apologized to Goldstein, but tells Inside Higher Ed that the real issue is ‘how these rabid, crazy, right-wing nutcases have stalked me, told on me, reacted totally out of proportion to a joke in bad taste.’”
^ Lane County Court.pdf (October, 2006). Retrieved on 2007-2-15.