Have I Told You Lately…
…that I love you?
Seriously, you guys, I can’t tell how much I appreciate my commenters here. I’ve spent the last day or so swimming the swamps of Greenwald’s comment section and it’s just pure, unadulterated hate and bile spewing from every orifice (how’s that for a visual?).
I make two vows to you here and now: to never take you for granted, and to never comment at Greenwald’s blog again. When you reach a certain age, you realize that intentionally engaging in activites that raise your blood pressure is just asking for trouble – and who needs it?
Nope, I’m perfectly satisfied with my smaller, but more civilized (and did I mention much better-looking?) audience here…so here’s to you!…
Well, right back at ya, big guy! You set the tone that attracts a passionate, yet civil (and pretty damn smart, if I may say so), crowd.
Aw shucks, I promised myself I wouldn’t cry! (Sniff!)
I’m on a board where about 90 percent of the members voted for Kerry in ’04 (no exaggeration there; we ran a little online poll and the numbers were something like 40 votes for Kerry, four for Bush). It’s generally a good-natured board, and one of the things I’ve liked about it was that even though I had a minority viewpoint, people have generally been willing to hear others out and treat arguments with respect.
But a couple of people there have really fallen into full-scale BDS, slinging around words like “fascists” and lobbing personal insults (my personal favorite was the guy who said he couldn’t see how any thinking person could vote for Bush, and then he quickly retreated when I called him on it). Gradually, they’ve taken all the fun out of it; I can’t talk about Bush or the war without these two falling into their political Tourette’s. So I’ve just given up on discussing those topics, because there’s not much point in talking with people who have no interest in what I might say. It’s a shame, but it beats driving home angry because of some idle viciousness from a person who likes to talk tough about Bushitler and whose action against the coming tyrany consists of lobbing cowardly insults.
Exactly – I just find myself getting angry at the constant invective and ad hominem, and it’s just not worth it…
Mark – I’m sorry to hear that, and I hope you change your mind. I’m sure you know that intense hostility, personal insult and the like is directed at everyone, in every political Internet venue. Like everyone, I get swarms of vulgar and hateful e-mails whenever certain right-wing blogs mention me, criticize something I wrote, etc. (and they get them, too). It’s just one of the unpleasant aspects of the free-swinging blogospheric environment. Political arguments embolden people’s passions (for good and for bad), and anonymity — and/or the separation created by the computer screen — can bring out the worst in people.
You just can’t take it personally and have to block it out. Either way, you’re always welcome to comment at my blog, and we can always have cross-blogging exchanges (sniping or otherwise) as we did before.
A certain age, you say? Ahem, may I speak on behalf of other Goldwater Girls who are destined to enjoy everything twice? John Kerry – twice; Jane Fonda – twice; fund-slashing Congress – probably twice. Many of us have seen Groundhog Day twice. So, when we find a blog of such clarity, civility, humour, and clever and informed commenters it’s a joy and a productive use of time to visit. Thank you, thank you.
Well, seriously, the biggest kick I get out of the whole thing is the comments, and I’m damn proud of our regulars, conservative and liberal alike…
Yeah. I’m sexy. lol
Glenn, thanks for coming by and for the kind words. I’ve always appreciated the fact that you don’t ‘troll-rate’ like most of the big lefty blogs, and believe me, I know you aren’t responsible for the comments left by your readers.
I’ll keep reading, and who knows, maybe I’ll comment some, too.
Again, appreciate the sentiment…