Anonymous Comments

In the Madonna post I just deleted a comment from an anonymous poster. Why? Because he (or she) made a personal attack on another commenter.

Not on my blog, bucko.

The anonymous attacker (to be know as AA) actually celebrated his approach by saying one of the beauties of the internet is it allows you to say whatever you want without fear of retribution or consequences.

Well, AA was wrong because his comment got him deleted. And I detest the anonymous factor of the Internet that leads people to say hurtful things they would never say to someone else in person. It's uncivil.

Does that mean I don't want a frank exchange of ideas? Of course I do. Still posted throughout this blog are comments from people who flat out disagree with me. Through an honest, open exchange of thoughts and ideas -- not insults -- we can learn from each other.

AA also made the point that would signing a comment as "Steve or Bruce" etc. really tell us who someone is? In many cases, no, but one of the things that has surprised me about this blog is I've actually gotten to know some of the people who leave comments. Many of them have their own blogs and I've gotten to know them through their blogs as well as their comments. One person who began commenting here almost from the beginning has become a good friend whom I've met in person. The best thing about blogging is the community it can create around ideas and interests.

So, AA, although you are safely behind your anonymity (Though I suspect you are probably someone I know), take your insults someplace else. If you have ideas you are welcome to share them. But we don't need your spiteful venom here.