Can't We All Just Get Along?

I'm saddened to see friends of this blog 'Wind Rose Hotel' and 'Contratimes' faced with abusive commenters on their blogs.

They're not the only ones.

I've often left mild comments on other blogs only to be called names. Rather than engage and discuss differences there's a tendency for people to go on the immediate offensive with a crude and rude remark or response.

I've cut my participation down substantially over the years and I don't even bother trying to engage on a blog that holds a different opinion. I used to leave notes that were opposite on purpose just to spark what I hopes was a friendly debate. How naive of me!

It seems we prefer to preach to the choir rather than lock in a dialog with people of unlike mind.

It's a tough thing to discuss with someone who doesn't share your opinion but this is where class and real intellectualism kicks in. I believe we can be forceful without ever demeaning another person. If someone is wrong, and it happens often, merely politely point it out. Don't publicly insult them.

In this way, I rarely accept the opinion of someone is "yelling" or being abusive.

I do find most of the people doing the attacking have no interest in dialog. They dogmatically cling to whatever position they hold and attack indiscriminately. They rarely bother to read a post and if they do they completely miss the point - no doubt because they know the truth.

It's a lot like people who give reviews of movies and books without watching or reading them.

Now, at this point, it's too easy to single out anyone from either side of the political divide. I've been attacked from both sides. Judgmental and ignorant behavior comes from all angles. From the left, I recall a time (at least three years ago) when some anonymous comment asserted I get paid by Exxon (for merely posting a link to an article that questioned global warming) and another person wrote a nasty note telling me to take my guns and go back to the backwoods for blasting Michael Moore.

Another person called me a "shill" for writing and supporting about a company with a link on my blog.

From the right, I just got an email from someone saying, "As an American Military Man, Why would I want to support a tree hugging liberal canadian who trashes my honor every time I look at BBC? GFY!" Now this one was priceless on numerous fronts. Me a liberal? Ha. I've never hugged a tree or a person who does and what's the BBC got to do with Canada? That's British. What a maroon.

This guy decided to get all huffy and puffy ON EBAY of all places! The offense? I sell rechargeable batteries and it seems he took offense with my marketing alkaline batteries as "environmentally friendly."

Same on my sports blog. The comments, thankfully very rare, can be completely unfriendly, foul and lacking in any constructive thought.

Let me be frank. I can be vulgar and heaven knows I take shit from no one. Trust me, it takes every fiber in my body not to write back and say, "listen you judgmental, ignorant piece of shit puke...learn to fucking read you cumtard or learn to cope with people who hold different views from you."

But I don't.

I take a minute or two. Show someone the post. Have a laugh at the absurdity and move on. The reality is there are many, many, dicks and assholes out there. Worse, there are many stupid assholes who are empty headed, classless and opinionated.

My cousin said it best. The internet is a pubic place where every loser has a say. You just have to accept that.

This blog looks for challenges from readers. I encourage it. If I make a mistake, it's an honest one and I hope someone would take the time to point it out.

However, like other people, I don't tolerate assholes and the comments go straight into the trash.

Know why?

Because I'm the dictator 'round these parts. I'm Charles Foster Kane and I decide what gets printed. Capiche?