NOPE!

One of the things you risk when you have a blog is comments. Some are good, some are not, some are kind, some are not, and sometimes you just have to scratch your head and wonder...

Such is the case recently with one of my Faithful Few, whose identity I do not know, nor do I ever expect to know, mainly because that is their wish.

Recently this one individual has been making some strange comments, almost like they are trying to either pick an argument with me or just simply hurt my feelings. Why they have chosen this path, I have no idea. But, this is their choosing, not mine, and my best response is to try and "guess" why they have taken this stance.

Our local newspaper has recently changed their web design. One of the things they did was remove the "leave a comment" application. Personally, I'm glad they did, because some of the comments that used to be left were an embarrassment and to me, they left a black eye on our community as a whole.

This same person I'm referring to asked me to "promote" myself thru the newspaper website, which I did not do. I don't "advertise" myself, I simply write because I like to write, and this seems to be a good outlet for that purpose. I'm glad for each and everyone of my Faithful Few, but I don't actively go out of my way and try and attract more of them. I'm glad when others do that for me, but I choose for it to be thru them, and not thru me.

Apparently this individual thought enough of my blog go ahead and promote me thru the paper, totally without my knowledge until the info appeared in "Rants, Raves and Random Thoughts." While I found it a bit embarrassing when folks mentioned it to me, I took in stride and thanked the person for giving me some unsolicited PR in a comment on one of my blogs.

Now, I have to wonder, since the local paper has taken the "leave a comment" capability away, does this person feel a need to vent and attack me on my own blogpage that they themselves have tried to promote, simply so they can see their attempt at an argument in print?

I can take criticism, when I feel that criticism is left constructively. But when someone takes the time to belittle people by name and basically try and tear down things that I hold near and dear to me, that, to me, is no longer commenting but intentionally trying to hurt, defame and otherwise and try to create an argument.

Number one, I publish ALL comments I feel are left with good intentions, whether I agree with them or not. However, I will not, in any way, shape or form publish any comment that names someone and tears them apart regarding their weight or their appearance, or if the comment tries and tears down who that person is and/or what they are doing.

I won't engage in a public "pissing contest" with someone who tries and pick an argument with me over any subject, when it appears to me they are simply trying to engage me in an argument so they can see it in print. If they miss reading their arguings with others on the newspaper's website, I don't think I should allow them the opportunity to use my blogpage as another source of "showing off."

That's not why I blog, and it never will be.

I write, I give my opinions, and I try and give folks something to read, to remember and to ponder. If you want to leave me a comment about what I've written, chances are it's going to get printed.

If I read it and you tear it or me down, guess what? DELETE!

I write about a lot of things, and a lot of those things are real people. I absolutely refuse to publish comments that tear this person down, especially when it's someone I know and care about.

Also, if you want to really engage me in conversation, don't hide behind an alias. I'm here, wide open, exposed, and you know who I am. Why don't you show me the same respect and get out from behind your alias, and if you want to get involved in some in depth discussion, hell, I'll meet you in person, have a drink with you and talk to you for hours. I'm open minded and I'm a damned good listener. Also, there is a link on my page to my e mail addy, which you can use as well.

However, I'm not your personal punching bag to use when you've had a bad day, a fight with the spouse or if it's your time of the month to be an asshole.

I've had enough of that in my life, I go out of my way NOT to hurt people or their feelings, and all I have ever asked in return from anyone in my life is to pay me the same courtesy.

I stand by my comments I have made in my blogs. No, they aren't all right, but they are how I feel. They are my perceptions, and I'm allowed to have those perceptions and for those of you I talk to and for those of you who tell me face to face how you feel, whether we have agreed or not, I thank each and everyone of you for doing that.

I don't do a lot political commenting, mainly because I'm not a politician. The few times that I have, yeah, I've heard about it, in both positive and negative ways.

I'm about as middle of the road as you can get when it comes to politics, and I have probably never voted a straight ticket, EVER, except when you have to in the primaries. I live in a very conservative community and I realize most people in my community can't see the middle of the road because they are so far over to the right side. Trust me, you have your side of the road, others have their side of the road, and I like to hang out here in the middle.

So quit trying to tell me that I'm WRONG when I'm NOT!

Quit trying to act like when I write something on my page that it is a personal attack on you.

It's not.

It's just how I feel, and quite honestly, the more you try and tell me how damned wrong I am is just going to reinforce in my mind just how damned RIGHT I am!

Again, if you want to talk, let's talk!

If you want to disagree, that's fine.

But if you expect me to engage in a pissing contest with you simply because you want to just argue, it's not going to happen, especially when you hide behind your alias.

Again, thanks to ALL of my Faithful Few, including that one of you who knows who I'm referring to.

I really do appreciate each and every one of you.

More than you will ever know.

Thanks, and please keep reading!!!