Careful what you wish for
As much as I enjoy the warm embrace of the thousands of you who come here sharing my views and cheering my brilliant insights, I can't help noticing the way contrary viewpoints are rare here. Conservative voices are pretty rare on most progressive/liberal sites, and vice versa. Even my stuff at Raw Story, a much higher profile venue, rarely generates much in the way of cogent dissent. (I'd love to think that my logic is so compelling that cogent dissent is an oxymoron, but still.)
I've often thought that much more could be accomplished by trying to open up a dialogue, as opposed to preaching to the choir.
Rubber, meet road.
Yesterday, someone named "July Canute" launched an off-topic, anti-semitic rant in the comments to my "No Truth, No Consequences" piece @ Raw. In person, I can get pretty worked up about such things, but my Internet persona seems to have thicker skin, and I responded in the comments there only with snark. She responded by following me over here and ranting some more in the comments to the previous post.
I checked Ms. Canute's blogs (I am not inclined to link to them -- find them yourselves if interested), and am truly confused. She calls herself a "Democrat from the South," and does seem to share our view that Bush is a dangerous moron. But the level of invective and blame hurled at Jews is frightening -- I get the feeling the Protocols of the Elders of Zion lurk in the background.
So what do you, the bluememe regulars, think about this? Should we be using this space as a venue for some actual retail politics, and try to get some actual debate going here? Or should we treat her as a troll?
Speak up, the rest of you Anonymi. And participate, damn it.
I've often thought that much more could be accomplished by trying to open up a dialogue, as opposed to preaching to the choir.
Rubber, meet road.
Yesterday, someone named "July Canute" launched an off-topic, anti-semitic rant in the comments to my "No Truth, No Consequences" piece @ Raw. In person, I can get pretty worked up about such things, but my Internet persona seems to have thicker skin, and I responded in the comments there only with snark. She responded by following me over here and ranting some more in the comments to the previous post.
I checked Ms. Canute's blogs (I am not inclined to link to them -- find them yourselves if interested), and am truly confused. She calls herself a "Democrat from the South," and does seem to share our view that Bush is a dangerous moron. But the level of invective and blame hurled at Jews is frightening -- I get the feeling the Protocols of the Elders of Zion lurk in the background.
So what do you, the bluememe regulars, think about this? Should we be using this space as a venue for some actual retail politics, and try to get some actual debate going here? Or should we treat her as a troll?
Speak up, the rest of you Anonymi. And participate, damn it.
posted by bluememe at 3/22/2006
5 Comments:
A debate sounds really boring. Especially a debate with someone who sees the world in stereotypic flatness.
Most conservative blogs don't allow comments. And most conservatives don't bother reading opposing viewpoints unless Bill O'Reilly tells them to go spamming.
It's up to you, man. If you have issues with anti-semitic rants , then make and publish your posting policy.
Personally, I think there are no dangerous ideas, only dangerous people and would allow all non-commercial postings. Let her talk, we'll beat her up about it until we get bored and then she will get bored and go away. Or maybe we'll get through to her. It's hard to change someone's mind about something if that someone keerps his or her ideas to him or hersef...selfs? selves.
Mox nix to me, I'd probably just scroll though the mud to get my daily (I hope!) fix of your own bluememish, clear and concise and colorful withal, bloggery. Arrant flattery but Word, so deal with it.
What Brenda said exactly. Couldn't possibly have said it better.
Love the site Blue Meme. Sorry I don't speak up more.
I think your time could be better spent on say, washing your dog, running another load of laundry, maybe checking the air in your tires, rather than on engaging in a printed chat with a person who spews race/religion hate drivel. Up to you, but, for me, I would label her troll and move on.
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