In cruising my friends’ blogs this evening, I came across a particularly venomous exchange in the comments section of one of them. I started to jump into the middle of it and wound up writing this long op-ed piece that I knew I was going to have to re-post to a half a dozen other blogs, so I decided to just state it here and be done with it. (Also, I feel there are too damned many people reading this blog, so I thought I’d scare a few off.)
For the record, I believe that the impending war with Iraq is ill-advised (to put it mildly). If the Administration had a shred of evidence to support any of its claims, it would be trumpeting it across all the news networks (assuming it wasn’t leaked first). Either that, or they should be giving it to the weapons inspectors, rather than screwing around with some sort of game. “We know where they got the weapons, but we’re not gonna tell you. You’re getting warmer. Warmer. Nah, cold.”
But the thing that really bugs me more than anything is the inability for intelligent people to discuss an issue which we have no control over outside of the next election (unless members of the Administration read this blog) without resorting to name-calling and piss-poor rhetoric.
This goes for both sides. “They started it!” is no excuse.
I’m tired of watching someone try to voice their opinion in an open forum or blog comments and having them chewed up and spit out as a person. I thought we were over the four-year-old “you’re a doo-doo head” stage. But, apparently, I am either the most naive person living or, as my dear departed mother would say, “the only one with brains God give a goose.”
I’m opting to believe the latter. Screw it. I’ll play the grown up. Because, you know what’s the worst that will happen? You’ll stop reading this blog. (I’m not going to say you’ll stop being my friend, because if that’s all it takes, you never were to begin with.)
I started with three readers. And though it might have hurt me a while ago to think of typing this crap for my own amusement, right now it doesn’t bother me a bit.
So, here are the rules for Solonor’s Groovy Grove of Mystical Wonders:
1. Love thy neighbor as thyself.
If you can’t say your piece without including a snide comment about another person (not counting trolls and public figures), don’t bother saying it.
Um, geez, I had a couple dozen of these here a minute ago…
Seriously, that’s it. I’m not a political blogger, so I probably won’t put a bunch of political crap here to get you all huffy about anyway. And, to be honest, I’ve not had any of this go on at my site. But I have friends on both sides of the political spectrum. I don’t want to lose any of them. More than that, I don’t want to see any of them hurt. Ever. For any reason. And just because those are the rules here, it doesn’t mean you have to limit yourself to sticking to them here alone. They should apply to the entire blogonetiversisphere.
Meanwhile, for those of you who accidentally linked to me because I hang out at so-called warblogger sites and still tell their owners that I love them dearly, please, read my mini-manifesto at the bottom of my goofy About Me page. It will tell you all you need to know about this left-of-center idiotarian.
If you can’t handle any of this, I suggest you find someplace else to play. Or at least, play nice while you’re here.
Parrot joke anyone?
Well no one likes war. But they turned my plan down. It was to send Saddam Hussein a videotape of Celine Dion and some other female ho-singer (I can’t remember her name — something like Aquanetta) doing a live version of AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long.” The idea was the viewing of this would make Hussein so depressed and suicidal — some things are just too evil even for evil dictators to endure — that he would kill his two sons and himself rather than go on in a world that contained such horrors. But no one listens to me. (PS: that performance is real — my ex-boyfriend has a snippet of it on tape. It is toxic, I swear.)
Well said, and power to you. It’s funny, isn’t it? The number of people out there who are prepared to protect their opinions with….*gasp!* name-calling!!! You want to see real cretins at work? Go read the archives of a Yahoo group called Theology-Electric. Classic empty-brained, right-wing, yee-haa, lock-and-load rhetoric. I’m ashamed to say there’s even a couple of Aussies there, not counting me of course 🙂
Andrea, you are just as evil as I thought you were. Bless your heart.
Niall, thank you. And there’s just as much empty-headed, left-wing, conspiracy theory, everyone’s-evil-but-us crap at the Democratic Underground. When I said both sides, I meant it.
Bravo. I often find it amusing and/or sad that otherwise reasonable and probably intelligent people lose their perspective when posting on “the web”. Or maybe many of them are rude in person, too, but I hope not. As grown adults, we should be able to discuss most anything without resorting to insults and other boorish behavior.
Another of my geekish pursuits, ham radio, is a fine example. In a hobby predicated on at least a certain level of technical knowledge, where a large percentage of those participating are way above the intelligence curve, those folks confound me. So much time and energy is spent tearing others down, criticizing, name-calling, and just plain mean-ness. After a while, I go away from the websites for a while, to not let them get me down. it appears you’ve witnessed the same, in the blog-verse. It’s a shame. Again, thanks for your stance. Most of us here can play nice, I’m sure. Left, right, on-the-fence, or head-in-the-sand (I am all of these at one time or another).
Well said. My point exactly. This is why I don’t go into deep political discussions with my friends. We agree to disagree and leave it at that. Otherwise, it alsway degenerates into name-calling. It doesn’t matter who starts it, I only like to see it stop.
I don’t understand why people can’t hold discussions about things without getting offended. I really enjoy having a two sided debate with a friend (but not about politics; I hate politics) as long as they can present their side without freaking out and making it personal. It’s not so much about “winning” the debate as just presenting your side and trying to see where the other side is coming from. But maybe I’m the weirdo here…
When I started the Nook, I never meant for it to be a political blog. It just sort of started seeping in, as my outrage grew.
My new rule of thumb is not to bother with people who irritate me. I’ll do much better in the long run.
Andrea — Celine Dion performing AC/DC?
The world didn’t need to ever, in a million years, hear that one. It frightens me.
Well said Solonor! I love debating, and think that debates SHOULD take place, that’s how minds are stimulated. But if someone says something that you can’t refute, but still dont’ believe them, then attacking is not the answer. As far as the war goes, we DO have evidince, but there’s more to it than that, check out my responses at either ThymeWise OR Gamer’s Nook.
-Speaker Out
Beee-ut-i-ful.
My thoughts, views and fears are on my blog.
I have no intention to change anyone’s point of view on their blogs. I firmly believe that “friends should not discuss sports, politics, or religion.” it’s simply getting ugly out there.
I respect their flawed, not based in reality land, views all the same… :0)
If you *FIRMLY* believe in what you say, you can discuss it rationally, with facts & reason, and calmly. If you don’t like what you see, you can simply ignore it…
(And for [take your pick of your deity, if any]’s sake… learn to lighten up and know the difference between humor and an actual insult!)
How about them Yankees?
(Aw shit, I’m discussing sports… ignore that!)
You found venemous comments???? Where? I don’t see any venemous comments ANYWHERE in the Blogsphere.
See, my new approach is denial. Or perhaps, just ignoring people. If I don’t see it, it’s not happening.
On the bright side, have you heard about Crayons? They’re wonderful. I’m going to start blogging in crayon, if I can ever figure out an easy way to get the wax off my monitor for my next post.
*does the drums for Tracy’s punchline*
BA-DUM-PAH!
You know how to tell if a blonde has been sitting at the computer?
The whiteout on the monitor.
Did -e- just say “How about them Yankees?” Now I am doing my best to play nice, and not get into nastiness about religion or politics, but The Evil Empire is an entirely different matter, altogether! 🙂
It’s difficult being nice in such a situation with “Clash City Rockers” blasting into my brain…..
The Evil Empire???
Which one, George Steinbrenner’s, Ted Turner’s, or Bill Gate’s?
You know… when I was a kid, we only had ONE “Evil Empire”. Life of oppression was simpler back then… AND WE LIKED IT!
Yeah, but Rome fell a long time ago, -e-. Get over it already.
“How about that new religious sect… the Christians? They are so POOR…
{{How poor ARE they?}}
They are so poor… they can only afford ONE GOD!”
ba-dum-pah!
-Mel Brooks (no relation) “History of the World Part I”
i love you. 🙂 I don’t do much political stuff either. as far as sitting on either side of the fence goes, I tore it down and painted it all pretty and made a treehouse where I eat cheese and crackers and drink koolaid and watch everyone else squabble.
*high five*
I’ve actually managed to stay out of the venemous bullshit and have had some really excellent debates with several of my blog friends. Even -e-!! *g*
I don’t wax political on my blog either, but occasionally I will state an opinion. And I do try to look at other people’s opinions with respect and perspective. I don’t try to convert people to my way of thinking, and when people try to do that to me, THAT’S when things get ugly.
But in total copycat fashion, I did post a little “aside” on my blog in the name of a ceasefire. Of course, I had to steal that from elsewhere too. *g*
If Switzerland is so damn neutral, just what did it do with the Duchy of Grand Fenwick?
Left is right – right is wrong
That old male-earring adage pretty much describes my political leanings. That’s all you really need to know. I voted for Clinton. Twice. I’d do it again in a heartbeat if I could. I’m a liberal. I oppose the war with Iraq until the second it starts bec…
I grew up in Switzer-land. It’s not such a bad place.
It’s true, Scott — Celine and some other skank doing an AC/DC cover. My ex-boyfriend still has it on tape, unless his wife managed to tape it over with… anything, I hope. (Actually, I hope she put the tape in a landfill. Some things are too tainted to be of further use…)
Well said!
I know you are, but what am I?
The real Highway to Hell…
See and hear it via VH1.com
You are lucky I don’t ban your IP for that.
Bwahahahahahahahahha!!!!