TRYING A BLOGGER'S SOUL

I've read blogs where the blogger began to question the purpose for why he or she began keeping a blog. Today, I find myself in the same situation, and for the same reasons.

I blog about issues that are near and dear to me. I blog about issues that I hope can be used to raise questions and facilitate deep thoughts about the political landscape we now live in, and not just be herded along like sheep because the leader shines as bright as the stars, but is empty of substance. Most of all, I keep a blog because I want to educate people about elected officials and why more should be demanded of them when they obtain public office.

You know that you're on the right track when you begin to attract trolls. They don't come to engage in worthy debate or discussion of the issues; they would rather engage in personal attacks of the blogger because they disagree with what the blogger has posted on their board and either are reluctant to articulate those disagreements, or are too lazy to do the homework and rebut the blogger on factual basis, documented proof and verified evidence.

Anyone can access the Internet. But, depending on the subject matter, it takes a dedicated individual to keep a blog and post their thoughts or information that hopefully gets visitors to think about the issue and respond to the issues. I choose to blog, and I accept what goes with the territory, but I've had people send me emails attacking me, my family and all kinds of things that go with being a troll and the only point of power you have is the keyboard.

I've been watching fellow bloggers like Steve Gilliard, The Pesky Fly, and Thaddeus Matthews deal with trolls. They just keep plugging away and eventually, the troll gives up and goes in search of new bloggers to harass. I've seen trolls attack Matthews for his attempts to hold the Mayor of Memphis accountable. He's been harassed about his appearance, his weight and has had to endure attacks on his wife, his family and his past, which he has never made any attempt to hide. I say to myself, when I read the comments that "he must be on the right path and is scaring the crap out of the hierarchy."

Like a Timex watch, he takes a licking and keeps on ticking.

I watched one of my associates give up his blog because he felt that he wasn't making a difference. He made a difference to me, in that, his impassioned posts gave me the courage to start blogging. For Autoegocrat, I am always humbled and awed when he rips a post that reflects his soul. Thinking about him, and Thaddeus, gives me the courage to go on.

I don't like being attacked, but I'll accept it as part of the territory. But I look forward to the day when I'm proven right about my positions, and instead of saying "I told you so", I'm going to say, "You didn't know then, but you know now, so get up and do better."

Message to the trolls, especially the female ones - I'm here to stay, and I'm not running from you at all. What I won't do is feed your behind by responding to your posts. You may think that's running; I call it engaging in a strategy that you know nothing about, because if you did, you would engage in a meaningful discussion of the issues and not speculate about my love life or the object of it. From now on, as Stephen Colbert would say, "YOU'RE DEAD TO ME" because I won't waste my time or my energy being angry, upset or pissed off because you post something stupid, mundane or off topic here.

But if it's a fight you want; it's a fight you'll get, so fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a very bumpy ride...for a troll, anyway.