The internet is an excellent tool for the average person to use in order to better themselves. There is a wealth of information online that can be discovered in minutes of web surfing versus hours at a library perusing reference books. That is my primary argument as to why the internet is so valuable.
Unfortunately, there are people out there who abuse the internet. These individuals like to pretend to be someone they aren't in an effort to meet people simply because they lack the social skills to find people of like ideals in the real world. Some will argue that blogging allows readers to see who the blogger really is. I disagree. It is easy to manipulate public opinion by saying anything to get others to take your side. It is extremely easy to lie to someone when you don't have to look them in the eyes. I'm not saying that all internet users or bloggers are phony, but how can someone truly know the intentions of an individual they meet online if they never meet them in person? There are a handful of people out there who find it just as easy to lie to someone to their face. These individuals cannot be trusted and should be avoided at all costs. They clearly have some deep seeded personal issues that have gone unresolved and are just trying to make those around them feel as miserable and as lonely as they are.
I am a very opinionated person and I have no problems telling someone to their face anything that I may write online through a blog or an e-mail. I consider myself to be a moderate conservative mainly because I am a reasonable person who believes there is an exception to every rule. Few things in life are black and white and the older I get, the more I tend to see things in shades of gray. Regardless, my core values have never changed. In my mind, certain behaviors will always be unacceptable. I'm not here to advance my political beliefs on others. The important thing to take from this post is that it is important to stand up for what you believe, especially in the face of ignorance and hatred. If you are willing to write something in a blog or in an e-mail, then you better be willing to defend your position when someone who opposes your opinion is staring you down. If you can't do that, then quit blogging and find a new hobby.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Phony bloggers
Let me begin by saying that I think that blogging is a waste of time, especially when you have a family to consider. I do not intend to update this blog on a regular basis because I have a full time job and a daughter that keeps me very busy. The only reason I am starting this blog is to poke fun at a member of my family who is an outsider and a divider. I will not use his real name, but anyone who knows me or a member of my family knows exactly who I am talking about. This person has made every effort to build a wall between my mother and her children.
I have served in the Army for nearly 12 years. My mother has been with this man (and I use the term 'man' very lightly) for about 5 or 6 years. I have been in his presence on numerous occasions when I have returned home on leave to visit my family. He had never once to my face told me that he was anti-military. He even bragged about his own family's involvement in the military, which I discovered through a little internet research is most likely a hoax. I think he just typed his last name and some reference to the military into a search engine and used the first name he found to be his token family 'war hero.' (Once I debunked his story, he took down a picture he had posted on the web of his alleged great-grandfather who served in the civil war because I showed him the proof that he had the wrong picture.) Through his words and his actions in my presence, he appeared to be a genuine supporter of the military.
About 2 months ago, around Veteran's Day 2007, his true colors showed. Some members of my family responded to his anti-war blog post under fictitious names (I know, they are trolls, but their 'trolling' revealed the truth -- trolls have that affect on phony people). He began to equate soldiers to murderers and used a few other not so nice terms to refer to servicemen and women. I responded using my real name and the battle began. After I made many well researched and valid points, he refused to respond anymore. In fact, he chose to delete his anti-war blog post all together. He claims he did it at my mom's request. If that was true, he should have respected the intent of her request which was essentially to stop bashing her son and his profession. Instead, he chose to continue to make posts which made negative references to the military, all in some childish attempt to hurt me. Unfortunately for him, it takes a lot more than some unintelligent and misguided comments to hurt me.
The saddest part about this story is that when I told my mother that he was continuing his tirade against me, she essentially took his side over that of her son of 29 years. She offered no apology for his actions and didn't even act remotely upset that he was belittling the child she gave birth to. I have a daughter of my own and if anyone made the kinds of false statements about her that he has made about me, I would disown that person and take the side of my daughter. That's the right thing to do, especially since I always went out of my way to help my mother when I came home with little projects around her house. Little projects like changing a light fixture that her 'man' could not do and wouldn't even attempt, not because he lacks the knowledge, but rather the fact that he sits in front of a computer for about 16 hours out of the day in the basement of a house that he contributed nothing to in terms of money when it was purchased due to his lack of employment.
I have told my mother how I feel about her lack of loyalty and have told her that I never plan to see her again. Both of my sisters have been offended by his actions and his careless comments on several occasions and have also decided that they want nothing to do with her. It doesn't seem to bother her that she is 'dead' to her children. My mom has chosen a man she has known for about 6 years who belittles her family over 3 children and 4 grandchildren. Sad, isn't it? All because she and her husband do not know how to say "I'm sorry." At this point, I don't think a simple apology would fix it, but it would be a good start.
Every person is entitled to their beliefs and I am not trying to change his. I just prefer that people stick to their guns when my beliefs are contradictory to theirs and not smile to my face and then stab me in the back. If you are anti-war, anti-government, anti-Bush, or whatever, that is your choice. Just don't forget that it is the American government that gives Americans the freedom to decide what to believe. Americans do not get imprisoned because of their personal beliefs, unlike many other countries.
This man is not who he pretends to be to all of his internet followers. I hope that I have shed some light on what he is all about. I could go on and on, but I think I have made my point. I will post all responses to this blog so the people reading it can decide for themselves what the truth is.
I have served in the Army for nearly 12 years. My mother has been with this man (and I use the term 'man' very lightly) for about 5 or 6 years. I have been in his presence on numerous occasions when I have returned home on leave to visit my family. He had never once to my face told me that he was anti-military. He even bragged about his own family's involvement in the military, which I discovered through a little internet research is most likely a hoax. I think he just typed his last name and some reference to the military into a search engine and used the first name he found to be his token family 'war hero.' (Once I debunked his story, he took down a picture he had posted on the web of his alleged great-grandfather who served in the civil war because I showed him the proof that he had the wrong picture.) Through his words and his actions in my presence, he appeared to be a genuine supporter of the military.
About 2 months ago, around Veteran's Day 2007, his true colors showed. Some members of my family responded to his anti-war blog post under fictitious names (I know, they are trolls, but their 'trolling' revealed the truth -- trolls have that affect on phony people). He began to equate soldiers to murderers and used a few other not so nice terms to refer to servicemen and women. I responded using my real name and the battle began. After I made many well researched and valid points, he refused to respond anymore. In fact, he chose to delete his anti-war blog post all together. He claims he did it at my mom's request. If that was true, he should have respected the intent of her request which was essentially to stop bashing her son and his profession. Instead, he chose to continue to make posts which made negative references to the military, all in some childish attempt to hurt me. Unfortunately for him, it takes a lot more than some unintelligent and misguided comments to hurt me.
The saddest part about this story is that when I told my mother that he was continuing his tirade against me, she essentially took his side over that of her son of 29 years. She offered no apology for his actions and didn't even act remotely upset that he was belittling the child she gave birth to. I have a daughter of my own and if anyone made the kinds of false statements about her that he has made about me, I would disown that person and take the side of my daughter. That's the right thing to do, especially since I always went out of my way to help my mother when I came home with little projects around her house. Little projects like changing a light fixture that her 'man' could not do and wouldn't even attempt, not because he lacks the knowledge, but rather the fact that he sits in front of a computer for about 16 hours out of the day in the basement of a house that he contributed nothing to in terms of money when it was purchased due to his lack of employment.
I have told my mother how I feel about her lack of loyalty and have told her that I never plan to see her again. Both of my sisters have been offended by his actions and his careless comments on several occasions and have also decided that they want nothing to do with her. It doesn't seem to bother her that she is 'dead' to her children. My mom has chosen a man she has known for about 6 years who belittles her family over 3 children and 4 grandchildren. Sad, isn't it? All because she and her husband do not know how to say "I'm sorry." At this point, I don't think a simple apology would fix it, but it would be a good start.
Every person is entitled to their beliefs and I am not trying to change his. I just prefer that people stick to their guns when my beliefs are contradictory to theirs and not smile to my face and then stab me in the back. If you are anti-war, anti-government, anti-Bush, or whatever, that is your choice. Just don't forget that it is the American government that gives Americans the freedom to decide what to believe. Americans do not get imprisoned because of their personal beliefs, unlike many other countries.
This man is not who he pretends to be to all of his internet followers. I hope that I have shed some light on what he is all about. I could go on and on, but I think I have made my point. I will post all responses to this blog so the people reading it can decide for themselves what the truth is.
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