Whose blog is it anyway?

There's a very outspoken blogger over on wordpress, Queen of the Couch, who tells it very much like it is.  While I was pleasantly astounded by her post You didnt thank me for punching you in the face, there were many others who did not agree.  Several random peoples of the interwebz disagreed so vehemently they decided to basically flame the hell out of this woman on her blog.  

So wait a minute ... who invited these people to read, much less comment on, her personal opinions expressed on her blog?  It appears a lot of the 1000+ responders, dare I say many of them trolls, happened upon it through links via FB pages.  Of course, I'm responding to it here though it's none of my business.  I also responded positively there as well.  

The topics of children hitting each other, bullying at school, boys and girls learning to respect each other, and domestic violence are all very near and dear to my heart.  We have already had to deal with the beginnings of bullying at pre-school.  "Little Guy" isn't even in kindergarten yet, and he is already learning to take up for himself at school.  Geez.  It's a sticky situation to teach him about interacting with other kids, because not all parents (or teachers) are going to agree with the way "Big Guy" and I chose to advise him to act/react.  

I digress.  This particular blogger probably wanted to purge her frustration with what she saw happening with children by writing about on her site.  She put it out there no matter how wide the web reaches.  There's that, but there's also the fact that she invited none of us to comment on it.  People think it's their right to critique her not only on what she has to say but how she sees fit to parent her children.  All kinds of accusations flew about who is a nut job, what is a helicopter parent, her use of "foul" language, and her blog being the supposed forum for debate.

It's HER damn blog!  She can say anything she wants.  She can feel any way she wants independent of anyone else's direction.  She can certainly parent any way she wants.  Then again, you can judge all you want.  

Guess what, though?  She probably doesn't care.  She didn't ask you to read her post or invite your opinion.  Yes, she has an open blog.  Why is it important enough to take the time to make your own oh-so-important views on the subject known?  You're not going to change her mind any more than she changed yours.  The rest of us don't give a rat's ass what you think.

There's been no FCC control of the web yet, and I hope there is never any to come.  But it is nobody's right to free speech to harangue someone else with whom you disagree. You wouldn't do it to her face (it's called harassment), so why are you so brave to do it on her blog?  It is my contention that anonymity is the impetus of all this negative crap.  

If it acts like a troll and bottom feeds like a troll, it's probably a troll.  More power to you, @Queen of the Couch.  

Of course, I always have more to say on the subject

Oh Rihanna, why are you disappointing us so?  A re-mix with #downwithchrisbrown, really?  That's how you spend your birthday, tweeting about this stupidity?


Is that how you want your young female fans to look up to you?  You might just be reinforcing their assumption that it's okay to let an abuser off the hook as long as he is cute, can dance, and throws you a bone of his fame.  They bled it all over twitter after the latest Grammy debacle.  Don't you remember that other one on Grammy's Eve three years ago?  


As comedienne Sarah Colonna has so graciously stated it, (Sarah says) you could give your young audience an explanation. Stress to them it wasn't okay for that scumbag to beat you and walk away unpunished while he basks in all the glory of his celebrity.  


My disappointment obviously doesn't matter to you, but it is ever present any more.  I'm one in a trillion who like your music, and I'm definitely out of your target demographic.  However, I am also one who will reconsider buying any music you create based on your public acceptance of his despicable behavior.  Perhaps there will be many others who will do the same.  


I'd say "step up, girl," but you're not a girl.  You're a woman who should be setting a better example.  I'm so disgusted and hope your younger fans are, too.

My bloody and bruised Valentine

I wish celebrity status did not equate royalty in America.  The 2012 Grammys reminded me so much of this travesty.  Victims of domestic violence probably felt the same way as this blogger:

feministing

It's still too soon, Grammy producers.  In my opinion, this person (who shall remain nameless here lest I vomit) was never actually punished for battering Rihanna.  Perhaps he shouldn't have to pay for his past so-called mistake, but he didn't have to pay attention but a very short stay in jail.  He was/is above scrutiny because of his fame, and that more than sucks.  He has a permanent Get Out of Jail Free card tucked in his pocket for life.  I, as a random schmoe, couldn't wreck a CBS dressing room and fly away free as bird, much less batter another human being.

Why isn't he working at a shelter for victims of domestic assault?  Why is he not doing PSAs denouncing violence and promoting anger management?  Why isn't he doing something besides getting more tattoos and continuing to pull in the big cash?

I'm just as guilty -- I watched his performance on the show.  I thought of his despicable behavior, seethed for a moment, and then kept on watching.  He wailed about "you're so beautiful, girl," or some such shit, and I shook my head in disbelief.  But I have never taken a stand by voicing my opinion to any of the powers that be on the network or with the Grammy production.  Not that my opinion would count for anything in their minds, but I would have done something.

Apparently many girls trivialized the situation further by tweeting their naive, dare say ignorant, comments about taking it from someone like him because he's cute and famous.  We, as a society, have taught these girls it is OKAY to accept this type of behavior.  They stand to become victims themselves and don't seem to care.

I especially love the comments on the article listed above.  There are some very astute perceptions there, especially about all the abusers of past to whom we give a pass because of their supposed status in our caste system. Here's another for you:

hello giggles


Fully realizing my 180 here, (can you see me as a newsreader?), on a much lighter note:

Instead, I wish more people paid attention to suggestions such as this one from MissRepresentation.org.  The feminist writers there say today is a day to ...

"Write yourself a Valentine. List the things you like about yourself in your personal valentine. And, when you write others cards, remember to avoid complimenting physical appearance and instead focus on their talents, generosity, unique personality, and/or intelligence."

Let's try this!

That's "let's" in the proverbial sense of everybody on the internet being the us in the contraction of "let us."  Let's try this experiment ... making my novella "Contained" available FREE on Amazon for the next five days.  

Another author recently wrote on Blogspot of his experience doing so with great success (see David Kazzie).  He had upwards of 100 comments on his entry, including my own, which is more people than have probably ever visited my blog here and on Wordpress combined.  Unfortunately, my combined count probably includes how many times I've viewed them myself.

Regardless, I'm hoping to see some sort of impact.  My inner debate is whether I would rather see people download it simply for the exposure (but, of course, critical reviews to possibly follow) or leave it up for the measly price of $0.99 for the selling factor.  There has been a handful of interest, or I should say willingness to read it for free, through my Goodreads friends.  They are mainly avid readers I "know" through a different online community.  It is good to see my title listed there, though.

It narrows down to a purpose for my writing in the first place, and I have to ask myself if it is writing for writing's sake.  I like to think of it as a personal outlet more than being a desire for others to take notice.   

The freebie is offered through February 6, and perhaps sales will have a jump if people then see it "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought..." section.  There's also the matter of not getting ahead of myself.  Ego gets a person nowhere in my opinion.  It took me 44 years to get to this point with my writing, so what's the hurry, right?

  

As I dip my toe into these experimental waters, I hope to enjoy the swim.