Going against my wife's advice

I've been blogging now for roughly 6 months. I've learned alot, and yet I know that I've much more to learn.

I knew when I started this, based on my own life experience, that when one opines publicly about anything, one can expect to be rebuked, opposed, defined, caricatured, etc. It's this give and take that, for whatever reason, brings me a sense of ...contentment, satisfaction, challenge, frustration, curiousity, bewilderment... fun.

So, with that bit of melodrama as a setup...

The other day I found myself checking out my referrers, those sites that are linking to me. Lo and behold, I came across this site.

The Neandertal (sic) at a blog that should be called "Utterly Stupid" has congratulated the white students on what he considers to have been a wonderful idea. Rick in Virgina applauds their contribution to increasing racial tensions and possibly further fueling the already much to (sic) high dropout rate of African-American students.

What would he know about thinking? In regard to this issue, and others, he has no insight whatsoever. There's absolutely nothing racist about encouraging African-American students to excel academically and in leadership. Since they are often shunted aside, they need the affirmation. The only racist aspect of this episode was the white students' efforts to humilate their peers. This is the same repeated pattern of harassment that the neo-Confederate movement has encouraged when it urges white students to wear tee shirts depicting black people picking cotton and the Confederate flag to school. I wouldn't be surprised if Rick is involved in such activities, since Virginia, the cradle of the Confederacy, is one of the most active venues for neo-Confederate groups.

But, the corruption of conservative Southern white males is not the point of this post. Stupidity is. It seems to me that if a person does not know what he is talking about, he could at least maintain silence. Instead, the blogosphere is awash in Ricks who spread ignorance every time they sit down at a keyboard.

Only a fool would believe nonsense about how 'African' Trevor is. So, Rick is either ignorant, dishonest or both.

I would love to be able to say exclusively positive things about the blogosphere. But, if I did, I would be a liar. In fact, I recently had to throw a damp blanket on a claim that some bloggers were making that weblogs are better sources of news than newspapers. That is not true and will not be for as long as most bloggers are incapable of writing entries backed by facts.

I recommend Rick's blog as an example of vacuity. If I thought him capable of irony, I would credit that to what he named his weblog. He calls it 'Brutally Honest.'

Well...

I kinda wish ole J. would tell us what he really thinks...

:)

There's a lot I could respond to in my defense... but I won't... I think his post says all that needs to be said... Linda thougt I should ignore him altogether and not post about it... she might be right... but on rare occasions I think that the best defense is to simply let someone's words, the claims, the ad hominems, stand on their own... Ole J. has never come here to give his opinions, and if you'll note, he doesn't allow comments on his own site... Something I think speaks volumes...

Ya think?

Comments

[Totem to Temple]

Rick:

As Axl Rose from Guns 'N Roses once said

"Welcome to The Jungle"

I've had my share of those types of blog comments. The worse comments are the ones that are scathing beyond print that are in the private e-mail only and not posted in the blog itself.

You'll do fine.

[crankyneocon]

I once heard that opposition is a sign that you are being effective. Keep up the good work.

Gordon