Another Winner...

So another day has passed, and yet another person has left comments on one of my CA-04 posts, attacking and insulting me. This time the perpetrator didn't even have the balls to post non-anonymously. And though I should be able to say "oh well, just another internet crazy," I'm having trouble getting past this one. It's extremely bizarre as "farm-league" blogger as 5C11 put it - though I'd say I'm actually more of a backyard garden league blogger, or even an herb-garden league blogger... nay, I'm a friggin' Chia-Pet league blogger - to be the subject of such vehement attacks. And though I do get past the initial spike in heart rate and adrenaline when I read such attacks, and I eventually "wax-off," I'm quickly realizing that I just don't want this sort of thing to be happening on my blog. I want this to be a place for my friends, as well as for whatever passers-by might enjoy the content. I don't want to be a target for some crazies out there, emboldened by the anonymity of the internet to unload their frustrations on me. It's just not what this is supposed to be about.

So, a couple of changes... I'm no longer allowing anonymous comments. I'm also not going to be blogging about CA-04 very much, as it seems to make me a target for some very troubled people out there. I don't want their negativity here. That doesn't change how I feel about the situation, and it certainly doesn't change how I'm going to vote come June. Am I caving to the crazies? Maybe. But I've been in many internet flame-wars throughout the past, and it's just not a pleasant thing to be involved in. I'll be happier if I just remove myself from the situation and move on with my life and the blog...

That said... Were a political candidate to basely attack a small time blogger, make numerous grammatical mistakes while doing so, and then enlist others to go and do the same, I'd say that political candidate would indeed be unworthy of your vote. I would say that political candidate might be characterized as a "loose cannon," and would not at all, through those actions, be demonstrating the level of professional behavior that we, as voters and constituents, expect of our elected representatives. I would even go so far as to say that a person behaving thusly would be demonstrating such an utter lack of common sense that I would not want them to be working in any position of authority. Additionally, calling someone an "ass" is certainly a helluva way to get them to vote for you.