Comments on: Lines That Shouldn’t Be Crossed

By: Joseph Condron

Joseph Condron — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 06:34:08 +0000

I would use selective focus. Ignore the wrong type of people.
Roughly one per cent of people who go to websites leave comments. The vast majority of those comments are sane, well-reasoned, rational and thoughtful. The minority are from trolls, people who are less than desirable for many reasons. The world is what ever you make of it. Just choose where to look.

By: Charlie

Charlie — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:35:31 +0000

Thanks for the tap on the shoulder. You make an excellent point. It’s not the simple act of one individual having an ugly or uncharitable idea, but rather the fact that so many people are willing (if not eager) to publicly spew their bile from the highest mountain top. And you never hear of anyone ever being fired, shunned, etc. for it. “Stupid, loud, greedy, and proud” seems to be an increasingly popular viewpoint. I’m sickened.

By: Kristin

Kristin — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 13:47:16 +0000

Your post eloquently expresses what I have been feeling for some time. The ignorance and selfishness of so many people is horrifying to me. I’m not sure whether it is truly getting worse, or I am simply more aware of it as I get older. The internet enables these scum and gives them a forum that they may not otherwise have had.

The comments of Limbaugh and Robertson made me so angry I had trouble sleeping for a couple of nights. The fact that they have millions of followers sickens my heart.

Thank you for your heartfelt words.

By: Kristen

Kristen — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 05:45:47 +0000

Ugh. That kind of stuff makes me prickly on the neck! Why do people feel the need to criticize ANY humanitarian effort?

Our family had a few news stories recently since I had to leave our almost-adopted son there after the earthquake. Instead of commenting about the tragedy, or how heartbreaking that goodbye was, or the trauma of the earthquake, people were leaving comments about why we didn’t just adopt from the US. Um . . . hello?

(Shaking head)

By: Adrienne

Adrienne — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 15:39:10 +0000

The silver lining is that they exposed themselves to their family and friends by posting their hate under their real name.

Family and friends may not even know that is how they really feel until they log on and read their family/friend’s hateful comments online.

Haiti has had my heart for years, and God bless each person and organization who are donating money, and time to help Haiti.

By: Julie

Julie — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:06:37 +0000

I’m ashamed to say that someone I know posted that evil crap on his own facebook page (he has since been unfriended). It makes me ill.

By: Aunt Becky

Aunt Becky — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 02:04:47 +0000

I spend a lot of time ignoring the small minded (or trying to because I work on a site where I regularly get called names and, well, other stuff) and every time someone has said something uncharitable about Haiti, I turn my cheek. If I don’t my head explodes. I simply cannot comprehend the ways that people can be ignorant and cruel and so I try not to.

It’s the way I stick my fingers in my ear and go LALALALALALA! Because I’d go down there in .48 seconds if I could and help them.
.-= Aunt Becky´s last blog ..Go Ask Aunt Becky =-.

By: #1 Dinosaur

#1 Dinosaur — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 01:41:38 +0000

As you said, the vast majority of the comments were appropriate. Interesting how the relative minority status of Chris Fuck’em didn’t seem to mitigate your rage. I think that speaks well of you. OTOH, there will always be jerks in this world. You used up a lot of ATP synthesizing the adrenaline that flowed through you that evening. Did you enjoy it more than you would have your game of Bejeweled? (I don’t play any fb games, so I don’t know about these things.) Life is short, and requires, IMHO, a delicate balancing of indignation and responding, “Fuck ‘em!” to the Chris Fuck’ems of the world, while carrying on with life.
.-= #1 Dinosaur´s last blog ..I Didn’t Know You Could Get Them That Small =-.

By: Monica

Monica — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Liana, don't know if you are a religious or spiritual person, but trust that those idiots will be dealt with harshly by our creator..I personally believe the ignorant attitudes re:Haiti reek of bigotry plain and simple…

By: Djibril

Djibril — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 21:28:11 +0000

I know, and I know how much it hurts when someone’s circle fails so basically to overlap with ones own. I guess all I was saying is that I shouldn’t be surprised if Chris “fuck ‘em” is a very community-minded chap, incredibly kind to his family and generous with his neighbours. Some people would be shocked by that paradox. Chris probably isn’t a bad person. Nevertheless, as JJ points out above, it’s not our job to educate him. Making public statements like your blog does help, though–not that it affects him personally, but it helps people like me to realize that this is not an issue on which you can be neutral.

(As Ursula Le Guin once said, “I know I’m preaching to the choir, but that’s okay, that’s important too. If we stop preaching, the choir will stop singing.”)

Keep it up. Please don’t be demoralized. We value this sort of post.