By and large, language is a tool for concealing the truth.
- George Carlin
(My sincerest mea culpa to the late Oscar Wilde….)
After 11+ years of playing in my online sandbox, I’ve attracted some fans and more than a few detractors. That fact makes me smile. I’m still amazed that I have readers spread out across the globe, and I love that some folks are sufficiently threatened by my opinions that they feel the need to insult me. A couple days ago, I took down one particularly vulgar, personal comment and my response to it. That’s not what WWJD is about for me, and I won’t put up with it- in myself or others.
Every now and again I feel the need to reiterate a few simple rules. It’s a pretty simple proposition, really; my sandbox, my rules. Those who don’t like that are free to look elsewhere. There are plenty of blogs written by hyperpartisan Right-wing nuts who’d undoubtedly welcome you as a reader. I value my readers, regardless of what side of the political/ideological spectrum they happen to call home. Hey, if everyone agreed with me, this world would be an exceptionally dull and uninteresting place. That said, there needs to be a minimum level of decorum, and while I’m not a fan of enforcement, I will assume that role if and when necessary.
Agree with me or not; if I’ve caused you to think about something, then “Mission Accomplished.” I don’t set out to gratuitously offend anyone’s tender sensibilities, but expressing opinions means that somehow, somewhere, and/or some time I’m going to piss someone off. Such is the cost of doing business in my dark little corner of da Interwebs. I’d apologize, but if you’re angry over something I’ve written, I think that says more about you than any complete sentences I’ve strung together.
I accept the reality that not everyone will be enamored of my opinions…but they’re only opinions. I try- I’d like to think successfully, for the most part- not to make things personal. I’ve occasionally fallen short and proven that, if nothing else, I’m a fallible, flawed human being. I try to be respectful (as much as possible), and I hope for- nay, expect- the same from commenters. With that in mind, here are the rules for those of you who haven’t already seen them many times previously:
Be respectful. I deal in opinions, and I have some strong ones (shocking, I know). I try to be respectful in how I express my opinions. Commenters are expected to do the same.
They’re opinions, not personal attacks. Ergo, comments should be undertaken in the same vein. Feel free to attack my opinions, but personal insults and attacks will result in your comment being deleted. As Benevolent Dictator and Chief Executioner of my Empire, I reserve the right to blacklist a commenter. I don’t do it very often, but I have done it and will do so again should circumstances dictate.
Keep it civil. Tear apart my opinions if you must, but no one (least of all me) wants to endure a hateful screed full of venom and obscenities. If you dislike/hate/can’t tolerate me on a personal level, there other other venues for you to express yourself. Knock yourself out there, eh? WWJD is designed for the civil exchange of ideas…or at least as close to that ideal as we can get.
Try to have at least one foot planted in reality. Being convinced that something is gospel by virtue of your steadfast, unshakeable belief in it is an open invitation for other commenters to have their way with you. I try not to respond to comments (though sometimes temptation gets the better of me), because quite often my readers will leap to my defense. If you dislike my Liberal politics, there’s always Breitbart.com and the Drudge Report. Andrew Breitbart took a shot at insulting me before he died, and I survived. Don’t delude yourself into believing that your self-perceived moral superiority will make a difference to me.
Play nice. If you find my opinions sufficiently threatening to your mental health that you feel the need to go nuclear and attack me personally, may I suggest you seek professional help?
I love the 1st Amendment; it’s what allows me to have spread my opinions over da Interwebs for more than 11 years now. As I said many times over, free speech can be and often is offensive speech. This being my sandbox, though, I establish and enforce the rules for (sometimes arbitrary) reasons of my own making. I try to be fair, but like any human endeavor, it’s an imperfect undertaking. With that in mind, I’ll leave you with one very basic rule that should make everything clear:
Treat others as you would wish others to treat you…hopefully that’s with kindness and respect.
With that, he carefully stepped down from his soapbox, mounted his trusty steed, and galloped off into the brilliant orange-hued sunset, leaving the assembled multitudes to wonder:
“Who was that masked man??”
