Tag: opinions

Rules For Commenters…or Think First!

Books and Reading, Commentary, education, History, In the News, politics, This and That

There should be a rule
on commenting protocol
requiring at least
(if not a working knowledge)
mini-common sense.

Every school age child
with a mite’s  intelligence
should have learned restraint
in matters of opinion…
at least a few facts.

No one should ever
consider as an expert
smart snappy comments…
an internet free-for-all
sans supervision.

Our Rule Number One:
Start out with a set of clues,
a few question marks,
a reasonably open-mind
and process of thought.

For Rule Number Two,
should be needless to expound,
an unspoken rule–
have proof, or at least
citations of information.

Who, what, when, where, why
How the commenter knows,
…at least Who Said So?
citation of source
and last—Who Cares?

© Sometimes, 2016

 

THIS UNREST IN ITS WIDER FRAMEWORK (Re-Blog from Jnana’s Red Barn)

Commentary, History, In the News, Other Bloggers' Work (re-posted here), politics, This and That, Writing and Blogging

I like this post by Jnana Hodson–and would like to comment here.

When anyone tells me that I should just put up with injustice and world atrocities of various degrees because I “can’t do anything about it…” I like to say YES, I CAN! Just speaking out about it! As I see it, my responsibility is to voice thoughts and interpretations in any way I can. Admittedly, “preaching to the choir” is actually what I do here in this blog…most of those who follow my blog tend to agree with me. They “get it” most of the time. So what have I personally done? I have taught university classes, written newspaper columns and decades of news and point-of-view articles. Now my main audience is other bloggers. I write poems, opinion pieces, talk to my readers through my blog, talk to my family and friends—some of whom consider me a valuable source of information—others who don’t.

Every scrap of information, from any source, counts. I never make snide comments or asides, and I do make every effort to back up what I say with references and citations. Nothing is ever black or white, always shades of gray. I can be wrong (really!) Sometimes I have a complete about-face…there is no shame in changing one’s mind. Some call it being “wishy-washy” or “easily swayed”…I like to call it “flexibility.”   The point is that my opinions are based on information and facts, unless clearly stated otherwise.       What is wrong is not to share what we know (or think we know.)

Jnana's Red Barn

Oh, these polemic rants! Maybe they become endless? There’s always injustice and inequality and those who would cheat us.

Sin, in other words, inflicted on the public. Bring on the repentance and cleansing.

So that’s the underlying struggle, it’s over spiritual values and action in motion or their lack, whether the candidate and the party are pressing for the greater good of all or the private enrichment of a few alone.

In the face of overwhelming odds, that’s the equation. But remember little David facing Goliath.

And then the way preaching, even to the choir, does renew the soul and prepare the faithful for spiritual battle.

As well as prophets, who often sound like Woodpecker, off in the wilderness somewhere.

One thing I’ve found in releasing Woodpecker’s drumming is a breakout from a feeling of helplessness. A cry as a kind of prayer. Now, back to the fray, together …

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Hi to my Readers…which includes Everyone

Sometimes, This and That, Writing and Blogging

[Blogging 101 assignment for Day Four, identify your audience.]

As indicated in my title of this post, there is really no specific intended audience or readership.  Right now I have readers and/or followers from just about any category of possible bloggers who are interested in my blog.

This includes young students, teenagers, young mothers…no, let me rephrase that:  young parents, political heavy-leaners, carpenters, education, news coverage, college professors, poets, photographers, artists, beauty and health practitioners, religious leaders, human-rights workers, gardeners…and lots of writers who define themselves as “Bloggers.”

I could not pinpoint an exact focus on my blog, which is called Sometimes: Who, What, Where, When, How, and Why.   Please forgive me if I mixed up the order there.  🙂     I deliberately set up my tag line like that because I want to be free to write about anything that strikes my fancy.     I may write about CNN one day, or cats, or countries I have visited…snow, opinion on any number of subjects, childhood, the future…Death, animal rights, drones, stupidity, math… few restrictions.

As for keeping some semblance of order in my blog, I depend on Categories to sort the posts.   That way it is possible to at least try to sort out topics so a reader who is not interested in reading my Poetry can skip it and go to Fiction, or see photos of my cats, or my yard which I loosely call a “garden.”

In a nutshell…my goal is to write about things that I think will appeal to a wide variety of people.     I work hard not to offend anyone, and so far so good on that score.  No one is obligated to follow me or even ever visit my blog.  Of course the same is true for me…it I don’t want to follow a given blog–I don’t.

There are people that don’t like me–really!–and I can be annoying at times.  I respect everyone’s opinion and treat all comments and points-of-view with respect. Agreeing with me is NOT a prerequisite for following my blog and commenting–although I insist on the same respect for MY opinions and sometimes radical viewpoints.  I am very opinionated, mouthy, and often launch into “lecture mode” about some subjects.   I don’t claim to know everything…but the few things that I DO know I love to talk about.

So, that’s why I say my blog is written for EVERYBODY… or maybe I should say ANYBODY who is interested.