My Blog, MY Rules

Those words were directed at me recently and while I admit, I was a little put off by it at first ...I'm starting to warm up to the idea. 

It all began when I decided to read down the list on Yeoldfurt's blogroll.  When I read posts, I like to read the comments too because sometimes other people see a different angle that I might have missed.  I read the lady's post and then moved on to the comments.  The post was about some recent hardships in her family such as her stepdad getting laid off recently.  That's a tough break.  Since Yeoldfurt has been out of work for nearly 10 months, I can certainly relate.

The first comment was sympathetic and encouraging. 

The second comment began the same way but then launched into "It just seems like you were so hoping that 2010 would bring relief and here we are so soon into and you are again back in it. Things will look up - it can't keep going downhill from the backlash of the Bush years - it has to improve eventually and I would like to think sooner than later."

There was much more to the second comment.  The words quoted above were neatly tucked into the middle of several less caustic paragraphs.  But boy did they stick in my craw.  I decided to leave a comment of my own ...first a word of encouragement to the lady whose stepdad was laid off and second to address the 'backlash from the Bush years' comment already posted. 

In my comment, I said to the blog owner, "I'm sorry things are rough and getting rougher. Are your folks of a prepper mindset as well?

And, directed at the previous commentor, I added "I just have to ask about your 'backlash from the Bush years' comment. Surely you don't blame this crash and burn economy all on Bush??? Surely not. Bush did some things I didn't like but at what point does Obama get to own the (sad) state of affairs in this country? The man has been in office for a year already. Forgive me if I misinterpreted your 'backlash' comment."  

Now I thought at the time that I was being pretty darn polite and diplomatic.  If I had said what I was thinking, the fur would have been flying.  But I guess both of us got put in our place when the blog owner said "Now now, let's stay away from the politics please. Unless I bring it up, my blog, my rules. I have a bunch of readers from all different walks of life. Thank you for understanding."

I think the tone set by starting off with 'Now, now...' is what rubbed me wrong ...as if we were in grade school and caught arguing on the playground.  But after mulling it over for a bit, I decided that 'my blog, my rules' must certainly be universal.  So from now on I'll keep my opinions (especially the political ones) on my own blog and limit my comments (and probably my reading) to like-minded bloggers.   But I don't mind if my readers choose to disagree with me or even with each other on my blog.  I don't want to have my opinions censored and I don't want my readers to feel like they can't say what they think.  So keep it clean,  keep it polite, but for heaven's sake KEEP IT REAL ...say what you think!

With that in mind, I'd just like to ask ... at what point does Obama get to own the (sad) state of affairs in this country? The man has been in office for a year already!!