A comment was left today on my last blog entry that just caused me to shake my head in disbelief. And while it's not even close to being the worst comment that I have ever received, it is just begging to be dissected. And since I took a couple of bloggers to task last time, it only seems fitting that I do the same with a commenter this time.
Here is the anonymous comment that was left behind today:
You sure have a lot of anger to deal with. Maybe you should step away from the fanbase for a while. If you identify with Taylor and you can't control what happens to him, you'll never be happy. I doubt that he would pat you on the back for this blog. I'm sure this won't get out of moderation, but I haven't said anything all that rude, now, have I. I just spoke the truth as I see it.
Since there is no reason to beat around the bush, I'll just dive right in by starting at the beginning.
"You sure have a lot of anger to deal with. Maybe you should step away from the fanbase for a while."
While I may have some anger issues to deal with in my life, how people who hate Taylor Hicks write about him isn't one of them. This was a topic that had been discussed in our Forum several times over the years and one I had toyed with writing in the past when I had noticed half-truths and all-out lies being written about him.
So what was different about this time? Why did I decide to finally write that blog entry? The main reason was that it was a readily available topic for me. I needed a topic to get back into blogging with, and there certainly isn't a shortage of biased people writing blogs about Taylor. Besides, I knew my readers would enjoy the topic.
"If you identify with Taylor and you can't control what happens to him, you'll never be happy."
I'm not even sure I follow the logic being used here. The anonymous commenter seems to be saying that to identify with someone means you automatically want to control what happens to them. The two don't go hand-in-hand, unless the commenter was trying to say that I am obsessed with Taylor. It's really the only way the sentence makes any sense.
While it is true that I read more articles, gossip, and rumors about Taylor than most people, it is only because that is what my job as Administrator of TheOfficialSoulPatrol.com requires me to do. But obsessed? Not even close. I do not get the sweats when I go more than an hour without knowing what is happening to Taylor. In fact, at least four or five times a year I will take a week away from the site so that I can spend some time where I am not submersed in all things Taylor. I like the guy and think he is a terrific singer, but there comes a point where I need to take a break from him.
"I doubt that he would pat you on the back for this blog."
I didn't write my last blog entry in the hopes that Taylor would pat me on the back. Nor do I have any idea what Taylor would say or do if he had read it. While I would like to think that he would enjoy any entry about him that I have written or will write, I have no visions or grandeur about it. For that matter, I doubt Taylor even knows this blog exists.
"I'm sure this won't get out of moderation...."
It amazes me how many people think that a blog's moderation capabilities are used solely to keep dissenting opinions from being published. If that was the only reason to use the capabilities, then I wouldn't ever have to use them. But that's not the world we live in.
We live in a world where people cannot talk or write more than two words at a time without cussing. We live in a world where people go around posting links to pornography sites anywhere they can. We live in a world where people post links to sites that will try to take over your computer. We live in a world where people will bully and attack other people just because they can. We live in a world where people will do anything and everything they can to disrupt things and cause as much havoc as they can.
It is because we live in a world with those type of people that we use the blog's moderation capabilities.
"...but I haven't said anything all that rude, now, have I."
Actually, you have. Your entire comment was predicated on the assumption that I think of myself as some kind of savior for Taylor Hicks. In fact, you made several assumptions about me that had no basis in fact or reality. Instead, you looked down your nose and pointed your finger at me through your comment. If you did those same things to anyone you work with that you knew just as little about, it would be considered very rude. Just because you did it online doesn't change how rude it was.
"I just spoke the truth as I see it."
If that is how you see things, then I really pity you.
Oh, and just so I don't have to repeat myself in another blog entry, please know that I did not write this blog entry in anger, I do not think I can control Taylor, I do not think he will pat me on the back for this entry, and I welcome dissenting opinons.
Tags: Taylor Hicks, American Idol, Birmingham, Alabama
# posted by Alan @ 8:06 PM
Post a Comment
