Haters & the Anonymous Comment

I grew up in a religious household. Those I associated with took the words written in the bible very seriously. Fornication, smoking, tattoos, swearing, homosexuality, etc, were all behaviors that were sinful. However, I never felt anyone I associated with were hateful. I never felt the church taught hate. The behavior may have been looked down on, but never the person. Even now, as I've chosen to leave the church, most of the feedback I've gotten has simply been disappointment.

Perhaps, I was lucky and the people I knew/know were more tolerant than others, the exception rather than the rule. Or perhaps I've been naive, shielded from reality in some way, but as I find random articles on the internet, I'm stunned by the amount of hate people seem justified in spewing.

For example, apparently public nudity is allowed in San Francisco, but they've recently proposed an ordinance that requires clothing in restaurants. I'm not sure how sitting at a table naked qualifies as a sanitation issue, unless these diners are making their way back into the prep area. Do I agree with public nudity? No. I most certainly do not want to see random naughty bits.  That being said, the self-righteous hate in the comments of this article is incredible:

• "You've GOT to be shitting me. More reason to not ever go to San Francisco. No wonder they call California the Granola State (home to the nuts, flakes, and fruits)."
  
  
• "San Franscisco [sic] is modern day Sodom or Gomorah [sic] of Bible time. God is merciful but He will execute justice on this preverted [sic] city in His time. I pray for SF to turn from their sin."
  
  
• "There is always hope that the next earthquake will break off parts of California into the ocean! Say San Francisco, Oakland and LA, then the state would be somewhat normal!"
  
  
• "Yeah! I hope they all die as the buildings fall, including the pregnant women and their unborn children." 

Call me crazy, but I think this type of behavior is juvenile and inappropriate. I think if you don't like a naked person at the restaurant you're at, you can ask the owner to change to a No Shirt, No Service policy, or you can choose to eat elsewhere.

Misplaced and misdirected hate can be found all over the internet and I don't understand it. This article about nudity and food safety was found on delish.com, a place for food enthusiasts not a platform for moral debate. I still believe the comments are completely inappropriate, but perhaps they would've made more sense in a forum discussing public nudity?

Why do people feel the need to voice their hatred at will?

Why post something like this on an article about autism:

• "Ignorance IS bliss! There isn't any MONEY in this diagnosis! NEWSFLASH ~ OUR GOVERNMENT IS BROKE!!! My child is perfectly joyful and everyone simply loves her! She possess the phenominal ability to memorize dialog and comments from hearing the information ONCE! I possess a MASTER's degree and very typical in my psycho / social disposition plus I am working toward my DOCTORATE! God is wathing [sic] you and KARMA is reciprocal!"

Why is it okay to post something like this on an article about a Soldier who died and how is family is coping:

• "Blah blah blah.. someone went to kill other people cause some other people, that are known for LYING, told him to and he died.
  I AM sorry that a living creature lost their life.
  I am NOT sorry for HOW he lost his life.
  I am NOT grateful for his 'service'.
  He CHOSE to listen to LIARS, he CHOSE to kill people, and he got what he asked for."
  
  

Or this on an article about health care and PTSD:

• "dont get me wrong here, im all for giving these men and women all they need, but within reasons. Post traumatic syndrome is something mental, can be remedied. if you cannot handle it, then dont join, seriously"

What gives anyone the right to hate the Soldier doing his job just because they disagree with the wars in the Middle East? Or to think that they don't deserve adequate health care when they come home?

Perhaps it is because of beliefs like these posted in response to the exotic animal incident in Ohio:

•  "I'd rather see all three of you shot, than animals that were kept in captivity shot because of some humans stupidity. Yep, that's right, I hold human life in so little regard. So, continue to respond, but it doesn't change the fact that I'd sooner see you dead. The only shame is that nothing would be there to feast on your carcasses. Btw, local animal control has tranquilizers, and last I checked lions and tigers aren't exactly equipped to open car doors. As I said, stupid, lazy, ignorant imbeciles, such as yourselves are much better off dead. It actually does the human race some good. Having been to Ohio though, I can't say I'm surprised, the level of intelligence that resides there isn't exactly rife with promise."

In addition to the values I personally work to instill in my children, since Kindergarten my children's school has promoted courtesy, kindness and respect to the entire student body. Have we grown up and forgotten these basic principles?

Perhaps these devout Christians, who glory in quoting scripture, should take a moment to reflect on this:  “Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged. You’ll receive the same judgment you give. Whatever you deal out will be dealt out to you. Why do you see the splinter that’s in your brother’s or sister’s eye, but don’t notice the log in your own eye?"

(On a complete side note, apparently I'm not the only one noticing dumb comments today. Please take a moment to enjoy this article from Cracked.)

Authenticity

I was contemplating the other day why I blog. Honestly I started mostly because my good friend RS Emeline was doing it. I figured I could mess around with some stuff, throw some of my writing out there and help generate interest for her amazing writing and the wonderful YA novels she's writing. (Not that she needs my help, she's fabulous and capable all on her own.)

My enthusiasm for it lasted about a week. Then this blog sat idle for nearly a year until something RSE said prompted me to start again. I really enjoy writing, painting a mental picture with words, finding the right one to give you, the reader, the same mental picture I have. It's like trying to describe colors to someone.

"I just got a new blue shirt."

What color blue did you picture? Light blue, dark blue, navy blue? The English language is so robust in its descriptors...like having a fridge full of condiments <wink>.

"I just got a v-neck, short sleeve t-shirt as blue as the Aegean Sea." (Now, we're thinking more along the same lines.)

I also decided I like to blog because I feel like I have a non-judgmental audience. (Although, some posts have been misinterpreted as personal rather than introspective.) I can blog about emotional insecurity. I can share with you how incredibly blue I've been. How hard these last couple weeks have been and how this one doesn't feel any better. I can tell you I feel incredibly disconnected. I can also flip the coin and tell you how ridiculous I'm being because I have many, many things to be grateful and happy for.

Which brings me to authenticity.

Unless your blog specifically represents itself as a resource for something or as the virtual face of a business, I think you should blog what you want. I keep looking at this blog and thinking I should blog something happy or positive.  Problem is, lately I don't feel happy or positive. Therefore, I think I should blog what I want.

I think I should "blog authentically."  I think if I feel down and want to write about it I should.  I think that if I hear something controversial on the news and I have an opinion I want to share, I should go ahead and do so.  I think if I want to blog about politics or religion, I should.

Certainly I can be respectful in expressing my opinion, but I don't think that I should type on eggshells when I blog.

What do you think? Do you want to read what's genuinely on a blogger's mind? Or should they write what they think you want to read? Something that's "politically correct" or neutral or happy?

You Like Purple Unicorns? Me Too!!!

It’s a classic tale. Boy meets girl. Boy and girl fall in love. Marriage and babies follow. The babies grow up, become friends with their parents friends’ children, and the cycle begins again. Same school, same church, same sports, same college. It happens all the time in neighborhoods all over the world. It happened in mine. Those I grew up with settled down with people that fit with the lifestyle they were already living, many of them with their childhood sweethearts.

I wonder what the statistics are for how far the average person gets away from the area where they were born. Fifty mile radius? A couple hundred maybe? How many people who manage to get away for college or join the military, end up returning to settle down in their home town?

Does commonality equate with long lasting, happy relationships? Are mutual interests enough? A shared love of football, hiking, or pop culture? Or do you need deeper core values in common? Can a Buddhist and a Catholic have a long term, happy relationship?  What about a Democrat and a Republican?

Maybe with mutual respect the differences in opinion simply make your relationship more interesting. Is such a thing even possible? 

If to your very core you believe in heaven and that you must accept Jesus as your Savior, can you live knowing your partner refuses to do the same? Does it tear you up inside? 

If you believe in a woman’s right to choose, can your partner reconcile their belief that life begins at conception?

This isn’t even touching on your friends and family and the controversy that will arise there.  I’m just musing about things between the two of you.  Friends and family are a whole different mess.

Obviously there was something that attracted you to that person to begin with. Perhaps that alone says those differences aren’t such a big deal. On the other hand, who meets a guy at a bar and says, “by the way, I believe in stem cell research.” Unless, of course, you’re trying to scare him off. While you’re at it, unless you have something nice to say, you might want to stay away from the topic of his alma mater as well. ;)

Your thoughts?