Okay, apparently I need to spell a few things out for a few folks.
I went into this blogging venture thinking there would be a few people out there who would send inappropriate comments to my blog but that most of the comments would be from people who truly wanted to engage in intellectual discourse about the issues.
How naive I was.
I now know that it is the exact opposite of the above scenario--the inappropriate comments rule and the civil discourse is nowhere to be found. Those who choose to comment are apparently fixated on killing the messenger rather than discussing the message.
Those who know me know I welcome opinions that are different from my own. I enjoy discussing politics with people, even those who don't agree with me. Sometimes I learn something new that sheds light on a particular issue, and I am grateful for the enlightenment. And I admit, I do like to discuss politics with those who agree with me because it's fun.
There is nothing I'd call "discussion" going on in the comments being sent to my blog. I've had people call me names and expect me to publish their comments on my blog. I've had people spew vicious personal attacks and expect me to publish them on my blog. The key words here are "my blog."
I've been accused of censorship for not publishing every bit of vitriol sent my way. This is not the public library. I'm not encroaching on anyone's first amendment rights by choosing not to publish comments I find personally offensive. I have the right to publish anything I want on my blog, because it's my blog. Does that make it clear?
If you wish to send comments my way, don't call me names, refer to my bodily orifices, or attack me in any other personal way. If you do, I won't publish your comments. Some of you have sent comments that have things I would like to address in them, but they are surrounded by insults. That's too bad, because we'll never get the chance to talk about the issues at hand.
I'm so surprised by the nastiness directed at me personally just because I may have a differing opinion on a political issue than someone else. It makes me wonder if those who comment are all still in junior high.
I do want to address one thing that came up in one comment from today. Apparently I've offended someone who thinks I'm calling people names when I use the word, "libs." I'm so sorry if people find this offensive. I guess I'll use the full word "liberal" instead. And I don't consider calling someone a liberal to be name calling. I don't object to being called a conservative. It is what it is.
So, to go over this one more time: if you wish to comment and have your comments posted, or even read for that matter, please refrain from personal attacks and discuss the issues. If you can't do that, then don't bother taking the time to comment because your comment will be deleted, and that's a waste of time. I welcome all serious attempts at expressing opinion or promoting discussion. Now, do we understand each other?
5 comments:
Dear Friendly Neighborhood Republican,
I hope my comment that "You should pull your head out" was not taken wrong. I was not speaking of your ass (orifice), I was speaking of the white collar clouds over Eden Prairie. I apologize if you thought I was speaking of your anus. I sure hope you were writing about some other responder.
My note to you was (I thought) a intellectual discourse about the issues you had brought up. I took on several things you had written about and asked for a reply.
I gave a good argument against "Trickle Down" economics and pointed to it's failures that many of us are now feeling for the second time. By second time I am referring to the recession of the mid 1980's. I asked that you explain what happened.
I asked why you had failed to mention that 1933 came after 12 years of Republican rule.
You decided not to post my comments and yes, you have that right. 100%. Your current post makes it clear that you don't like being called names and you won't post anything that calls you names. OK, again, 100% your right on your blog. No problem.
It did make me think about the names you have called Democrats (not Libs). FYI, here they are:
Hypocrites
Duped
Tainted
Apologists
Kool Aid Drinkers (Oh yeah!)
Socialists
Zealots
Indoctrinated
Anti War Zealots
Anti American
Angry
Bitter
Rude
Selfish
Boorish
Classless
Predictable
Undignified
Whiners
Thief (Election Stealer)
Despicable
Hooverites
Strange
Frightening
Unqualified
Old Man (Biden)
Dems
Idiots
Lame Blather
Biased
Hysterical
Liars
Desperate
Inept
Silly
Ridiculous
Over the top
Tasteless
Crazy
Joker
Shallow
Robots
Elitist
Snobbish
Mindless
I could go on more but I have become bored.
So, I hope you remember, that as the grasshopper says "It's all your fault". It is you who has been a name caller. One of your posts said "You know how they say people are more likely to recognize faults in others they themselves have but can't admit to?" Good words. I liked that.
When you write things like you have written, you are "fair Game" (your words again). You invited response.
Now I must comment on just a few other things before I sign off. You keep talking about your readers and asking for their comments. You have posted only two peoples comments. Two by a person who has a picture of Teletubby Democrats on her blog and one other from a person who thought your comments on global warming were off base. That's it. TWO people. Have you noticed this.
Well, as one of those "people who are only concerned with what they "get" from the government," I wish you well.
Keep that champagne chilled in EP. Us blue collar elitist folks drink beer. Champagne gives me a sugar high that I already have.
Wow, how could I possibly have misconstrued the friendly phrase, “pull your head out.” You’re absolutely right: the sentence is customarily completed with, “of the white-collar clouds over Eden Prairie,” not, “of your ass.” I don’t know how I got that wrong.
As to the low number of responses I’ve printed: yes, there aren’t many I have published, and that’s partly because I’ve only started getting more comments in the last two weeks, and almost all of them have been vile or creepy. I did start this blog in March 2008, but I stopped writing in November 2008 and took a year off. I only started it up again last month. You said that I, “invited response,” and that I “keep talking about your readers and asking for their response.” I did invite response on the, “What do you think of this?” post, but other than that, I don’t “keep talking” about my readers and asking them to write to me. You must be reading another blog.
Let’s talk about your list of “names” I have called “Democrats.” I have to commend you on the amount of time it must have taken to compile this list. It’s a long one. I beg to differ with you on most of them, though. The only word I called Democrats was “elitist.” I’ll admit to that. The rest of these are really picky at best, plain don’t apply, or I didn’t say them at all. For example, if I refer to anti-religious zealots, I am only referring to anti-religious zealots, not Democrats, because not all anti-religious zealots are Democrats and not all Democrats are anti-religious zealots.
I did call Al Franken several names during the election, and I stand by them. I loathe him. I also admit that my “Kool Aid” reference wasn’t very nice. I never said eight of the words on your list, so I don’t know where those came from. I did use the word anti-American several times to refer to comments made by Fort Hood terrorist Nadil Malik Hasan.
Using your standards, I wouldn’t be able to use any adjectives at all. I said global warming science has been tainted by ClimateGate. The word, “tainted” was descriptive of the word “science,” and did not refer to Democrats at all. I said I thought a presidential candidate was unqualified. I didn’t say all Democrats are unqualified, as you imply by saying your list is of names I have called Democrats. I said I thought Katherine Kersten’s article about teachers at the U was “frightening.” I also used the word to describe the number of doctors who would quit under ObamaCare. Again, I was using the word to describe a concept, not to describe all Democrats as “frightening.” This seems pretty clear. I'm surprised to have to give this English lesson to someone who seems to be a really good writer.
So, per your extensive list, I do not admit to being a name caller. And let’s be real. The gist of my blog post about this was that people are sending vile comments filled with hatred and personal attacks, not just name calling. I think that’s what most people do when they have nothing more intelligent to say.
As to the rest of your questions and requests, I’ll get to them later. This is already taking up too much time and space.
Good for you for posting this. That took courage! Now you have a blog. What you had before was just a website of your ideas. Blogs are a meant for sharing ideas.
Now the rest of you liberals, be nice. Don't call Ms. Kelley names. Shame shame. She is entitled to her opinions and I am sure she will try to put a check on the name calling too.
Have a Merry Christmas.
Mr. Anonymous, if I continue to post all of your comments, this will start to become your blog. Why don't you start your own, if you don't have one already? In the meantime, I have lots to do other than this. Just know that I really do enjoy discussing politics with people who disagree with me, if I like those people. If I find they are disagreeable and obsessed with talking about me rather than the issues, I don't enjoy it.
FNR,
Don't take it personal. There are many "trolls" out there trying to disrupt conservative blog sites with the sole purpose to stop people from learning the truth. Although they can be annoying at times (most times), they are a necessary evil and as long as they don't spit to much venom, they should be welcome.
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