Rant of the Day

One of the things that is really different on blogs than message boards is the ability to post comments anonymously. On message boards, even though people were using screen names, after weeks and months there was a sense that you came to “know” that person. At least you had a good sense that when you clicked on that message by Free2BMe, or Paganmommy, that you knew a little about that person’s perspective. After five years or so on the Religious Experiences Board on AOL, I also knew about people’s families and as a cyber group we celebrated new babies, weddings, and prayed for posters who were undergoing cancer treatments etc.

On blogs it’s a bit different. The blogger is, in a way, standing there naked! Oh they may be using a fictional name, but after weeks and months of reading a blog you get so that you have a “feel” for the person. You know what they believe in, what affects them, what their personal stands are and what convicts them.

What unnerves me are the folks that come by and comment anonymously and I certainly understand why so many of the blogger blogs don’t allow it. It’s because you’re standing there with just your proverbial underwear on, and the anonymous commenter is not only fully clothed, but also perhaps sending high velocity spit balls at you and the other guests from behind an invisible force field. It’s creepy

But it’s more than that. I believe that if someone has a comment to make, they should be brave enough to sign their name to it.

An anonymous commenter on the Third Wave Agenda Blog, commenting on the NoMoHo Keep Your Pants On Web site recently opined:

I wouldn’t let a person like this (Matt Smith of MTV Real World Fame and now chastity speaker and web site host) come within a hundred yards of my kids, let alone teach them about respect, maturity and Christian values. Sorry. My standards are higher than yours, I guess.

Uh… OK, it’s fine to be critical of Mr. Smith and his web site. It’s fine to be critical of his style and web content as well as even his message. But if I find value in it, how does that make my standards lower? And how come she gets to hold the yard stick? My life is pretty out there on this blog with stories of my kids, pictures etc. And she gets to decide who is a better mom by whether or not we give a chastity web site a thumbs up or thumbs down? It’s absurd.

The other thing that grinds me about anonymous commenters is their free and easy use of the ad hominem zingers, but then that’s easy to do when you don’t have to take ownership. Maybe it’s my Lithuanian blood, but if I’m going to send out a good zinger, I sure as heck want my name on it!

So I think as part of my New Years Resolutions, I am not going to allow anonymous comments on this blog, but I will also refrain from commenting on anonymous comments on other blogs. No sense wasting time shadow boxing, and then too you run against the occasional nut case threatening to blow their brains out… no thanks.

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