Betchfest 2008

In honor of Betchfest weekend, The Mommy Diaries is being taken over. If you haven't heard about Betchfest you can read all the details over in The Basement.The following post is part of the Betchfest exchange. The Mommy Diaries has offered this space so another person could find a safe space to rant and rave - something we all need to do every once and a while.

I get loyalty. I get friendship. I even get wanting to protect someone you care about. I understand that we do actually build relationships and bonds with some of the other bloggers we meet online and that we care about those people. I have learned much about myself in the past three years of blogging and I have made a few "friends." That being said, what is driving me crazy is the constant "OMG someone commented and didn't agree so lets all let that person have it. They must be stupid/jealous/gay/lonely/bi-polar (or insert whatever word you've seen recently). Here is the thing, just because someone blogs something, that doesn't mean we all have to be in agreement. We don't have to take the words of our favorite bloggers as scripture. They are human, just like us, capable of mistakes, just like us. They have opinions Just. Like. Us. Don't put on the friend face and agree because it's the thing to do. Don't attack other commenter because they disagree with you or the blogger. Don't attack because a dissenting comment might hurt the feelings of the blogger or because you disagree with what they're saying or feel they are being mean to the blogger. We are adult now. Speak your mind but do it civilly. If the blogger is really interested in your opinion, they'll be thankful. It might be a secret thankful, but if they don't delete the comment, then chances are they read it and thought about it. If they too are adult, they aren't going to ban you from blog commenting forever more. And if they did? Remember what your mom used to say? They weren't worth your time in the first place.