Thursday, April 28, 2011

Where's the line?

After my spam comment yesterday, I got to thinking about where the line is between disagreement and bullying, interest and stalking.

Here are my thoughts.

I know Jeanne's last name, but I don't share it.  I assume she's a real person and I think a certain amount of privacy is fair.

I don't know where Jeanne works, or where she lives.  I do know where she's gone to school, only because she talked about it on her blog.

I don't know a thing about her husband, other than what she's posted, and I don't know his name.

I don't know these things for two reasons.  1) I don't care.  I respond to an online persona and writings.  That's it.  2) I don't look for these things.  To me, that crosses the line between interest in what a person has said in a very public sphere (like the internet) and stalking.  I am not a stalker.

I don't tell Jeanne not to write her blog, though I have questioned why she does.

I don't tell her what she can and cannot talk about.

I've never told her that I'm going to take any action against her, despite a few rather nasty run-ins.  Though some of her comments to me on a message board were reported which resulted in her being banned from the site.  That, however, is not my fault.  The terms of service there are pretty strict.

I don't do these things because 1) I don't know the "real" Jeanne.  I know an online persona.  2) I don't wish anything bad on anyone.  Even if Jeanne is, in real life, exactly who she appears to be online, I wouldn't wish anything bad on her.  She's a human being.  She's someone I can disagree with, and not think about how I can sue her, or make her real life difficult.  To me, that crosses the line between disagreement and bullying.  And I am not a bully.  An opinionated bitch?  Sometimes.  But not a bully.  Jeanne has every right to her opinion and her blog as I do.

The views stated here are my opinions.  No more.  No less.  While I am not a bully or a stalker, I equally am not someone likely to be easily bullied, or put up with stalking.

Since starting this blog, I've had threats of legal action, threats that I will be reported to Blogger, someone trying to hack my Google account, and the posting of my personal information (albeit much of it incorrect or not completely accurate) in a public space.

Who ever that is, I believe it crosses the line into bullying and stalking.  And I hope you're not doing it for Jeanne.  Even I think she deserves better than that.  And I'm going to choose to think it's not Jeanne.  Because while I find her online demeanor to be all kinds of wonky, I'd like to think she knows where the lines are, and that I have certainly not crossed them.

Besides, this blog, with it's few opinions and few posts, can't possibly rate that much work and ire, right?

7 comments:

  1. Hey, why is it not okay for you to talk about Jeanne's blog but its totally okay for her to rip direct quotes off of Faith and Family Live? She's threatening to sue YOU? Maybe I should report her shenanigans to Faith and Family?

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  2. I don't know who the latest person to threaten legal action is. But I've saved the comment and it's generated email in case I need it.

    I wouldn't bother reporting her to anyone. I don't care enough. But that's just me.

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  3. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  4. 他のブログを放っておきなさい。 または役立ち、フロリダに飛ばなければならないのに…

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  5. αφήστε το άλλο blog μόνο. ή θα εξυπηρετηθείτε και πρέπει να πετάξετε στη Φλώριδα…

    It is Greek to you.. ha ha

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  6. выйдите другой блог одн. или вы будете послужены и для того чтобы лететь к florida…

    russian..

    kako ste? serbian...

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  7. You're right, JDStark, I don't read anything but English and some Spanish. But thankfully for me, there are online translation sites.

    Your first post translates to:
    "Put another blog alone. Or help, I have to fly to Florida ..."

    Hmm, that one may have lost something. Are you telling me to leave the other blog alone or I'll have to fly to Florida?

    The second comment said:
    "let alone another blog. or will be served and must fly to Florida ..."

    Listen. Just like anyone else, I have a right to my opinion. I don't take credit for anyone else's writing. I quote well within the "Fair Use" laws.

    This is a freedom of speech issue. I have every right to share my opinion. I don't do so on the other blog because the author doesn't allow it. Which is totally her right, and I respect it. But I certainly have every right to share my opinion on my own site.

    Thank you for dropping by. In the future, I will be happy to entertain any comment you have that wishes to engage in the content of this blog. But I will no longer allow anyone to post threats toward me or my family. Please be advised, I keep all comments in e-mail files, which are properly dated and time stamped, should I ever need to prove that I have been harassed and threatened. Which, I'm pretty sure is a bigger internet deal than discussing one's opinion on a blog.

    ReplyDelete