“My door is always open-bring me your problems.” This is guaranteed to turn on every whiner, lackey and neurotic on the property.” —Robert F. Six
It’s rarely ever a good idea to solely devote any kind of a blog entry to a person who has responded to an entry written, where that respondent or his or her comment is the central thesis. What the old adage? “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people…” I like to follow that concept, but it gets exceedingly hard in the sphere of religion and politics. After all, ideas and events do not simply osmose into the realm of virtual communication, but are brought forth by people.
So we go about the business of writing our rants, posting our blogs in fact, often times intentionally being irksome about it. And we often post sometimes very serious ideas, we are challenged, condemned, called into question and disagreed with. That is the nature of this beast.
One of the great treasures of the blogosphere is the ability to anonymously post ones comments. Also, one of the worst aspects of the blogosphere is the ability to anonymously post ones comments. When I write, I use my real name, not some pseudonym. I am a real person with a real address and a real life. I write for GRANITE GROK and NH Insider. All my entries are mine. They are written, edited and submitted by me and nobody else. Therefore, I am responsible for the content in my entries and I don’t hide in some “E”-corner with an anonymous identity or nickname. In other words, I wrote it and in doing so, I have an obligation to possess the cahones to claim its ownership.
On the other hand, there are those who shamelessly, fecklessly and without conviction, take advantage of the ability to post limitlessly and endlessly without ever having to account for the character, truthfulness or veracity of own their comments. I possess no such luxury because my name is on this. While the blogger might elect to counter the point or response, it really isn’t a fruitful dialog where the anonymous poster is not accountable for lies, distortions and other sundry charlatanries. There is the whole “civility bit.” Personally, I don’t delete posts for want of civility, name-calling or other gratuitous vitriol. But that “ain’t” what we are talking about here.
In my time, I have deleted two people. One made a threats and the other insisted on an endless stream of utter nonsense which was neither unkind nor impolite, it was just useless nonsense. The threats I took down not becuase they bothered me, but because they bothered others. Threats don’t bother me because I have guns and skills. But, frankly, and more to the larger point, I did not sign on to be the proving ground for anybody’s medication adjustments, either. Its just not my thing. I like it as much as I like microwave-cooked Cauliflower, without the kitchen smelling like farts: Not so much. That never ending, inane, white noise, bandwidth-occupying “I did not take my medication today-style,” gratuitous post. And I still delete some of those individuals posts….from time to time….and I will likely continue to do so. See? I have a wife, kids, grandkids, a dog and a house… Therefore I have neither time nor patience to suffer such fools. and therefore, I don’t.
Censorship is what governments do, not bloggers. Censorship is what governments do to squelch ideas concepts and political speech that is a perceived threat to the given entity doing the censorship. How does one “censor” something on its face that most reasonable people grounded in reality find no value in reading. What if it has no has no redeeming value? Basically, just being a useless pain in the ass pecking at a keyboard does not endow some freedom of speech when occupying the space of others.
Finally, why do we care one lick about some nameless faceless anonymous person, who, anonymous by personal choice, persists ad nauseum with often stupid, childish moronic comments that are so difficult to follow half the time, I’d rather watch paint dry? Why? The Nashua Telegraph, Concord Monitor, Union Leader and many other interactive media sites moderate comments made yet no complaint is tendered?. More importantly, Boo-Hoo Hampster (Blue Hampshire) is lightening fast about deleting comments they don’t like and “mum is the word” on them. I think there is some misguided notion that some out there hiding behind keyboards think they can cow us into keeping their comments up.
It would appear on the face of it that, given the number useless comments still surviving, clanging around like a pair of 1959 vintage bowling shoes, the case can hardly be made that we censor people. And freedom of speech isn’t so infinite that the limits are non-existent, nor does it mean I am duly required to host a forum for idiots to vent their spleens of useless B.S.
This is the stuff of crybabies and whiners. Those who need something to needlessly complain and protest. I knew something was going to come of this when Oprah retired. And besides, Can’t the adults have a conversation without you children interrupting all the time?
