It’s been brought to my attention by myself and several people I respect that lately I have been attacking without being provoked. Sort of like a poorly trained pit bull. Only said pit bull would probably be more discrete.
There were many reasons for my absurd attack mentality. Do believe that political blogging wasn’t good for my soul.
I must have been brought up in parallel universe. In the world I come from arguing about politics is as natural as breathing. But we didn’t personalize it; we didn’t tell people that they were mentally ill because they disagreed with us. Nobody accused us of hating our country because we disagreed with a president or a policy. Well there were the Viet Nam years but that was different somehow. And there wasn’t blogging. I never had to add to all my statements: “I support the troops.” Because why wouldn’t I?
I love blogging. Think it’s an incredible medium and we haven’t begun to scratch the surfaces of how it can possibly help communicate. That’s communicate, not put down people because you disagree with them. Though I began blogging last August I did it rarely until November. Now I understand why a person could critique my workshop writing so harshly and thoughtlessly. She was a blogger.
She did cross everything out save one paragraph about sex and said, “there’s nothing else worth reading.” She also crossed everything out in another submission and said “this is worthless.”
True story. Yes we live in New York; yes only the most fit survive. Guess what? I continued to make excuses for her to my closest friend in the class. We all need to feel validated; but do we need to feel it at somebody else is expense? Did she think that critique was in anyway helpful?
I like people despite….I’m always the one making excuses for their behavior. It drives my friends crazy. Lucia once said “she’d find an excuse for Hitler if they ever met.” Never and she knows that. But I have a need to understand and like people. Its the frigging Social Worker in me.
And you know what? I like that part of me; I like getting to know people from all over the world and the country. I have discovered that red state people can be even better than blue state people.
I love discourse. Just like it to be done respectfully. Don’t like my words changed; don’t like comments that I’m responding to changed to make me look stupid. So I turned into a pit bull.
I do live in a city that’s running on empty. It was obvious to me for a long time. Then I read the 7/25/2005 issue of The New Yorker, now I’m more scared than ever. We pay the costs of 9/11 over and over again. We can’t afford to. I remember the days of Ford to City: Drop Dead which he never actually said, but meant, and it did make a great newspaper headline.
Private conservatory money and old bonds make the city look good. What’s going to happen when people don’t want to give their money to this city anymore? Does anybody want to buy bonds that pay four percent–at the most? Yes damn it, this does affect me. And yes, I am hung up on if 9/11 truly was America’s Tragedy then all of America should pay. Except for service people in Iraq and their families. They are paying; many more in sheer numbers, are paying the ultimate price than did firemen in New York, and their families made millions.
This is a blanket apology to anybody and everybody I might have unwittingly hurt. Doesn’t include those people who oh so love to goad me. Won’t work anymore. But I’m really not giving political blogging up because of you. I’m giving it up for two far more important reasons: 7/7 brought everything home. No it didn’t change my politics. It did help me realize (once again) how precious life is; and therefore I’m going to spend the summer concentrating on things that are personally enjoyable and important to me.
And yes I sure do support the troops. I would list all my blogging buddies who have husbands or sons in the military, but that would be a rather long list. Those wives and mothers know that I care, and frankly, their opinion of me is more important to me than any person on the radical religious right.
My love for this country has grown since I began blogging, and have been meeting so many wonderful people who don’t live in my city, state, or in certain parts of California and Southern Florida. I was very provincial when I first began blogging. I’m not anymore.
I reserve the right to dissent at any time. End of speech.
Amen to that!
Amen to the amen!
I have only recently begun reading you so I feel it is sad you are giving up political blogging. There is no right or wrong way as far as I am concerned.
Dirro to the other comments as well.
I’m purple - so no apology needed. I have only been here a few times but I can tell you are a thoughtful and intelligent writer with a sarcastic wit…in other words my kind of gal
Okay I am a iittle lost. are you talking about the blogger I know? I’m not political however, can I just rant about how useless the English police are? They are no where to be found. The times when I needed help did they answer the phone? NO if they did they put you on hold. Are police stations open? No they are only open 9 to 5 and that’s when they’re at their desks or hiding in their cars. This country is full of shit and I hate it! It’s nothing compared to the GREAT USA!!! My baby is going to be AMERICAN! AS soon as it’s born I am giving it a US PASSPORT!!
You should blog what you feel. I’m a conserative and anything you say will not hurt our feelings. But don’t take advice from me, my blog is moronic and light hearted. So there is a comment that is wide open to attack, have fun!
I feel your pain and passion….and politics.
Amen again.
Thanks for coming by earlier.
Pia,
I always enjoy your writing, political or not. Blog away and Blog on. Dissent when you feel like it, it’s what living in the USA is all about.
Pia Dahling;
I come here for the writing; the polytix are just the gravy. Ignore the bastards, I say, and write what you want. Silly children who change comments do so because they can’t compete intellectually. If they were on their games, there’d be no need for shenanigans.
Pia,
Write what you won’t to write. Write what makes you happy. You know it’s all the same to me. You could copy the phone book and I’d read it. Well, at least once.
I’m purple too. Don’t worry about what other people think of what you have to say. If they spend their energy goading and antagonizing you, they’re still reading you! Some people just can’t stand to hear other viewpoints. Said people shouldn’t surf blogs, shouldn’t turn on the TV, shouldn’t step out of the house, etc etc. Keep on keeping on, Pia.
As one of your soldiers mama’s, I would say that I too will read anything you write. There has been such an outpouring of love and support for out troops during this confrontation;I wish that the vietnam soldiers had gotten the same kind of response. I am truly not sure if I am in a red state or a blue state (ducks) but I know that I don’t believe killing people ever solved any problem. I will be here no matter what you do or don’t write. It is your blog pia. Just do what you do girl! Oh, I like the social worker in you too.
Thanks for posting on my blog. I hope you feel that I wasn’t attacking you, because I love hearing other opinions. I was just letting you know if you want to write a good jab at me, that I I don’t mind. In fact I find them entertaining. Keep up the good work on your blog. I like the design it shows creativity. I think I’ going to redo my later.
JC is a wonderful woman. Her son, daughter-in-law and I all share the same birthday. He’s in Iraq
When soldiers come home from Iraq, they come home to a country that they know cares, and their psyche’s will remain intact.
Something tells me that it would take a lot to break JC’s sons psyche.
In college I knew many Viet Nam vets; bright, good, lost and broken.
Maybe the one really good thing to come out of Viet Nam was our knowledge that we had to let people in the armed forces know that we cared.
I can’t imagine being treated as many Viet Nam vets were when they came home. The irony being that while they were treated so badly by many war protesters, so many Vets had the same feelings magnified by knowledge.
Maybe the one good thing to come from Iraq besides the entire military, could be a renewed love for this country. Real patriotism, not just flag waving. We’re not our government; we’re people in this together. Blogging’s taught me that.
I’ve only just begun to read your blog, but I agree with what someone said earlier…if you want to blog about political stuff, do, it’s your blog. And if you’re afraid of offending people, maybe you can find a “different way” of doing it. For example:
I did a post on Bush’s senate pick. Now, instead of coming right out and saying the Dems would be immature babies and drag the confirmation out for God only knows how long, just to spite the President, (even though I HAVE said this before! hehe), I said that Bush was indulging in VERY wishful thinking when he said he was confident that Roberts would be confirmed quickly. That way, it’s not a bash on Bush, but it did not come out and blame the Democrats for the slowness, either.
Hope this helps!
Dude, blogging is about whatever you want it to be about. And the nice thing? There’s that little red X up in the right corner. If i don’t like what you’re saying, I don’t have to call you names, I’ll just leave.
If you wanna argue politics, there are plenty out there who will argue. They won’t call you names. Those who do are out of ideas.
But if you don’t want to argue politics and do want to talk about beautiful NYC (coming up for our 10th anniversary in september, and can’t wait!), well, I say “Bring It On!”
(*)>
Pia, that’ll be a lot of frequent flyer miles you’ll rack up there!!!