It Takes All Sorts... Midway Ramble II

I read this sage advice over at Monica’s this morning, and I thought I’d post it here, because it was the best damn piece of commentary I’ve read in a week.

If you discount or negate what others to say, then the same, will be done to you. And, if you hurl insults at others, then don’t be surprised, or upset, when some insults come boomerranging back at you. Turnabout is fairplay.


If you’ve decided, that you’re the only one who is right, or those that agree with you, in a discussion, and won’t listen to others, and what they have to say, especially those who disagree with you, then you really should only talk to yourself, or preach to the choir.

You have to listen, if you want to be heard.

Now this shit applies to a whole bunch of people, not just the Monica Jackson’s of Blogland. If you read a comment that made you feel uncomfortable for one reason or another, take that discomfort and examine it, think about it, and question it.

Don’t stop participating because you feel slighted, because let’s face it, this is Romanceland, and over here, we can start a fight over something as petty as a photograph of an author on the back of her book. Feeling slighted is part and parcel of our particular corner of the world.

Also think about the people who are constantly made to feel uncomfortable in their everyday lives. This is one blog, it’s not your life, and to a certain extent, what goes on on the net, stays on the net. (unfortunately)

There are people who aren’t just able to ‘switch’ off, because their reality is just one big old bowl of racial tension, and exclusionary manouvres.

Having said the above, the only person I’m going to allow to be uncivil on here is me, ok?

This kind of debate is healthy, and sometimes you have to look beyond the initial hurt feelings to appreciate the fact that at least we're all growling at each other talking to each other.

Now y’all say it with me “In with anger, out with love… In with anger out with love…, In with anger, out with l…”

Coming up next, Bettye Griffin.