I have just joined the ranks of many other bloggers that have become tired with the "Anonymous" hate posters.
Personal attacks, or attacks that are just plain not fair, against me or any other person, place, or thing, will no longer be tolerated. Their posts will disappear like a fresh spring wind has come in and blown them away.
I have done a lot of soul-searching about what I should do about unfair and unsigned comments. I have come to the conclusion that I would not allow a smelly pile to remain on my walkway just because someone put it there. My friends don’t like having to walk around something like that, and neither do I. So, why should I feel that I have to leave anonymous comments, or for that matter any unfair comment? They will no longer linger.
If you have something that you feel is important to say, sign it, and it will have a better chance of remaining. I am the last arbiter of what remains in this blog. This is a place where my friends and I come to talk and play, and school-yard bullies will disappear. I don’t like having my friends be made to feel that they have to defend me.
I have seen many blogs spin into oblivion. Some with dozens of nothing but anonymous posters prattling on like children. The blogs become dull and uninteresting. The kind of people that I know, and like, soon stop reading them. I don’t care if I only have one comment per post, as long as the comment is from a sincere person that wants to say something pertinent and non-hateful.
I'm not sure how this change will be received, but we’ll find out together. No more garbage!
Garbage!
ReplyDeleteOkay that's funny, it can stay!
ReplyDeleteYou tell it, Ernie. Embrace your delete key.
ReplyDeleteDown with Hate. Up with Good Sense, polite arguments, and Kind Hearts. Hooray!
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking this approach, Ernie. Not all Anonymeese are hateful, and some of us, like you, find the childish "mommy, he touched me!" back and forth irritating, vacuous, and a pointless poison in the community dialogue. Now making those calls on what to delete, I'm guessing is going to be harder than it sounds... Good luck. And thanks for trying.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, good sense, polite (if passionate) arguments, and above all, "Kind Hearts." I'm with you, kym.
And Ernie becomes a censorship whore. You going to delete this too Ernie?
ReplyDeleteStrange, but I don't find it as bad when you call me names as when you degrade my friends and associates. Besides, I don’t really mind being called a whore, it implies that I might have something of value that people want. Like an interesting blogsite.
ReplyDeleteBut, don’t push it.
I’ll probably leave a few hateful things on for awhile just so people know what kind of people are out there, then just like fish, when the place starts stinking, they will all get thrown out. But, I’m not going to stop “Anonymous” from commenting because some of the most thoughtful and interesting comments come from that source.
I really don’t think that I will have any problem deciding what to delete. Anymore than I would to decide what needs scraping of my sidewalk, or when fish is getting bad. If it doesn’t pass the smell test it’s gone.
Some bloggers don't care if their blogs turns into a torrid mess one step short of a sewer, but eventually, as you pointed out, all the civilized people go somewhere else and eventually the blog dries up and blows away. I like your blog, and read both your posts and the comments regularly. I appreciate your taking the time to clean up the trash.
ReplyDeleteWho would post anything negative here, Ernie? This is not that kind of place.
ReplyDeleteIt just seems that anonymous, hateful postings are the work of cowards who feel safe in unleashing their alter egos from behind a veil. Unwilling to pull themselves up to a higher calling, they instead choose to spread their misery and anger toward others. Rarely are their comments clever, thoughtful or of any constructive value worthy of a response.
ReplyDeleteI’m going to set up an account for my future postings (as soon as I figure out how) in the event that you decide to block all anonymous postings as some do, whether the comments are good or bad.
On another note, here in Grants Pass, I’ve been grousing about the southerly winds that have blown the Buckhorn Fire smoke into our valley yet again. I‘ve been muttering to myself about how long it's taking to put that fire out down there. Imagine my guilt as I learned of the nine firefighters who died in the helicopter crash two days ago as they were involved with that same fire. They were members of the local Grayback Forestry and, as of this writing, their names have not been made public. Carson Helicopters, based here in Grants Pass, has been fielding calls from anxious relatives and friends, wondering if their loved ones were among the nine who died. Can you imagine what that must be like? Meanwhile, four others remain in hospitals, fighting for their lives. It’s just one more reminder of how fragile life is. Maybe each of us should offer up a prayer and then go give someone we love a hug.
I doubt that I'll ever block anonymous comments. They are as easy to delete as a mouse click and they are gone. The only time that I might block comments would be if I was gone from a computer terminal for any length of time. Comments and news like yours is the very reason that I want to leave the comments open, and just take out the trash every now and then, so people don’t have to be bothered with the anger and stupidity.
ReplyDeleteI'm am greatly saddened to hear about the helicopter crash. I worked helicopter crash/rescue at the Con Camp this summer with the Redway Fire Department. The possibility of a crash seems to be so remote when you watch how skilled and well trained the pilots are. But, as you sit around the landing zone in your full bunker gear, and talk about all of the helicopter crash stories, it seems like they happen all the time. I'm glad that I don't have one of those crash stories.
I've gotten to know some of the pilots and crews fairly well, so news like this is very chilling to me, and I don't know what to say.
This is a link to the LA Times on the Helicopter crash.
ReplyDelete"... I’m not going to stop “Anonymous” from commenting because some of the most thoughtful and interesting comments come from that source."
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ernie. I'm glad you appreciate your Anonymous posters.
Some of us strive to make our contributions interesting, thought-provoking, respectful, humorous, and even a little crazy (in a good way) from time to time.
I firmly believe that when "Anonymous" becomes synonymous with courtesy in commentary, our entire nation's well-being will be enhanced.
It is a heavy responsibility, but I do not shrink from bearing it.
I promise to do my part until, one day, "Anonymous" does in fact become synonymous with courtesy in commentary, and the nobility inherent in every human soul is finally and completely realized by all of humankind!
Hope your weekend is a fun one, Ernie!