Thursday, July 21, 2005

 

I've Been Outed!


I made a post on May 14 regarding what I felt was a distasteful post on someone else's blog. I deliberately didn't link to him at that time, as I have always felt that although I'm going to say what I really feel about things, having spent far too many years sitting down and shutting up, that it's crass to link to someone if you're dissing them.

Which I was. Clearly. I felt that his post was pretty much over the line, and disrespectful of anyone who didn't knit with only fine fibres. I stand by (most of) my words of that evening.

Anyhow, seems that one of his ardent fans has told him I've been "dragging his name through the mud" (and they also seem to want to use me as a cat toy and claw me all up -- ouch!). Tonight he made a gentlemanly and thoughtful response to that comment, to my post, and to my blog in general.

The comment about dragging his name through the mud was clearly incorrect, as I have never until this point mentioned him by name or linked to his blog, however the spirit of that comment was accurate, and I am glad that he has supporters who defend him.

This is one of the reasons I don't do a Google search for "rabbitch". If someone loathes me, I don't want to know. Although now I'm strangely tempted to do so ...

I have said that I stand by most of my words of that evening. I still feel the same way as I did when I wrote it. The word that I do not stand behind is "bigot". It is a nasty word and I feel small for having used it.

I wrote him an email, thanking him for his post and apologizing for the use of the word. It is a strong word, loaded with perjorative implications and was clearly inappropriate in this case.

I believe I am big enough to admit when I am wrong. (I also believe that if I get a lot bigger I will be eligible for my own postal code.) I therefore publicly apologize and withdraw the term. I was a total assbeagle to use it in the first place; I was just very angry and hurt, both on my own behalf and on the behalf of anyone who knits with funfur or acrylic and who makes things that aren't quite "art".

I also reiterated what I have said more than once; his knitting and spinning are fantastic. I have less than half of his skill at this point in my career, and have learned things from reading his blog, for which I thank him.

And now, in the hopes that the fibre police won't kick in my door and take away my Rowan Magpie, I make the plea ... can't we all just get along?

Comments:
I have to give you kudos, girl, you handled that very well, and after having read Joe's blog, he didn't do so bad either. A couple of his commenters were snarky and I had to resist the urge to be snarky back cause I don't care for folks dissin' the good people, but that would have made me not so good. :-) See, we are getting along.
 
Nicely done. Mwah.
 
Repeat after me: It is my blog and my opinion I may and will post as I see fit. That includes apologies or not. I have still not noticed any blog police out there FORCING anyone to read a blog. I suggest that anyone that has a problem with your posts simply not read your blog. How can people just not get it?
 
There are always going to be those people out there that take offense to everything. They don't realize that if that tv show offends you, you can either turn it off or change the channel. If they haven't figured that out, then someone needs to explain it to them.
If someone else who blogs has opinions, then they need to know not everyone is going to agree with those opinions.
Keep doing exactly what you are doing.
:)
 
The "if that tv show offends you, you can either turn it off or change the channel" credo also applies to reading Joe's blog. if you don't like it then stay the fuck away. I don't notice anyone forcing you over there.
 
Hmm. Why is it that the shitty, abusive commenters never leave their names? Surely "if you don't like it, don't read it" doesn't mean the same as "if you disagree with one thing I say, you're not welcome to read anything I say". If a blogger expresses an opinion I dislike enough to stop reading, I stop reading and come back tomorrow.

I think you and Joe both handled this admirably.
 
Oh, so sorry--my name is Lisa "abusive" McShitty.
 
Ya know, I stopped reading several blogs regularly (still check in on occasion) because of the amount of not-so-good-natured commentary about others.

Support is one thing, trashing another person for amusement?? I don't think so.

You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!
 
Admirable tact and diplomacy. We need a little more peace and harmony in the world, even if its only among blogs. Rah for Rabbitch :-)
 
I think everybody has a bad day.
I think both of you were very nice about it.
I guess if I don't complain about people reading romance novels, I'm not going to complain about people knitting with fun fur.
one of many "k"'s
 
Hmm. In reading over the comments left in response to the May post, there seemed to be several content-free, bitchy get-on-the-rag-on-Joe-bandwagon comments that were very personal in nature. So I think there are some "poo-slinging monkeys" over here who ought to examine their own consciences. I am not registered on blogger, but you can find me at Joe's as Carol S.
 
what's interesting is that while the two of you are being relatively gracious about the whole thing, i see commenters from over there that are being nasty here. sigh. if you don't like what is being said, fine, but there's no need to be nasty about it. and i have noticed that commenters over there are nasty to any one who doesn't subscribe to the credo presented. i refuse to comment over there, because the one time i did, i was told i was a dipshit for believing what i did, and to get a reality check. hello? no need for rudeness. we are all supposed to be adults here, i thought. ah well. keep up the good work, rabbitch, we appreciate you.
 
Dear Ms. Abusive McShitty:

Welcome -- I'm pleased to meet you, and I'm glad you're such a strong supporter of Joe's. He deserves it.

I stand by my dislike of what he said, however I also stand by my opinion of his spinning (lovely) and his knitting (fantastic) as well as his blog (usually interesting, sometimes so fucking opinionated that I want to whack him with an unwashed fleece).

I have no problem whatsoever with anonymous posts -- I set this blog up with that option on purpose. Please feel free to comment at will; I have no interest in censoring your words and don't require that any commenters identify themselves.

Thank you for stopping by.

Sincerely,
Assbeagle McTwat
 
it's all about one opinion vs another...no one is really right, I got blasted on Knitting Curmudgeon because I knit with everything and spoke up about it...not by the Lioness (she offered her opinion and stuck by her principals - ya' gotta love that) but one of her cubs...I love working with natural fibers and I love some of the crazy stuff, and some people think that's wrong...

Can I use assbeagle? What a great word!

Tim - www.knittingguy.com
 
bottom line... they can dish it out but they can't take it. - I'm not surprised.
 
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