With much regret

As many of you may know, I have removed this blog from the Charleston.net’s Lowcountry Blogs.

This was a choice that I did not want to make, but felt I had to if I was going to be true to how I am trying to live my life and conduct myself in this world. It has nothing to do with all the fantastic people involved in this wonderful community.

I will not reprint private emails without permission, but the replies that I got from the Post and Courier on this subject were unsatisfactory.

I understand the nature of commentary on blogs. I understand that people must sign up to comment and must agree to follow certain standards when commenting or they will have their privileges revoked (and then, as we all know, sign back up again under another screen name with one of the other six or seven email accounts one can have).

Let me just say that the impression I got was that the Post and Courier is not actively trying to maintain any quality of discussion. Perhaps because, just as gladiators drew crowds to watch the maiming and death, these comment sections drive up their “hit” counts as people come to look at the hatred and fighting displayed on the virtual pages of our community voice.

I also found it wrong that a personal opinion in the form of a letter to the editor to the Post and Courier requires a valid name and address to be printed, yet people are not required to take the same responsibility for their words when placed on a comment section.

I do not believe that people who post hate and ignorance should be silenced. I think they should do so under their own name so they can take responsibility for their words.

And the Post and Courier’s hiding behind statements such as posters on the sites “policing themselves” is disingenuous at best. Anyone who has participated in or read anonymous community forums or discussions knows what happens. First, there is real discussion, then the arguments start, comments are made simply with the intent to create division and ill will, then the reasonable people leave and the forum becomes nothing more than a group of verbal thugs who support each other in their point of view.

There isn’t anything I can do to change this behavior.

I can only do what I think is correct for me.

I will continue this blog and continue to read the blogs of those who I have grown to love, I just won't be listed on the Lowcountry Blogs.