Blogger Blather

Tonight, I decided to visit an online forum that offers some highly opinionated commentary about Rogersville. It includes for the most part what I consider to be potentially libelous information posted by anonymous bloggers about Rogersville's people and its businesses. These folks have managed to bastardize what could have been a useful news source for the Rogersville community.

By the time I was finished reading I was disappointed, disallusioned and angry. So, the chance for me to comment about it here the way I want, on my own blog, using my own name, is like eating chocolate cake without the calories or the lingering guilt.

I write features and news to put peas on my plate. I've done so more than six years. Once in awhile I even throw in an editorial for good measure. Most anybody who reads this already knows that. Public opinion might vary regarding how much all that writing's worth, but for now I'm using it to vent while I offer some clarification and personal observations.

I'm tired of being 'Silent, party of one.'

The blather I encountered on the Rogersville forum can best be described by any number of negative words. 'Cowardice' and 'ignorance' float to the top of my list.

There are a few positive threads that are unique only because there are so few of them. The rest ramble incessantly about idle gossip, rumors, the need for change, or how one business is better equipped to outperform the other. Most of it is the latter.

First, if you want to change your community you have to be more interested in the community than yourself. The people who have anonymously posted those things are only interested in a pissing contest. Perhaps it's to further their own self-interests. Maybe it's so they can say things they wouldn't otherwise dare whisper outside the comfortable shadow of a pen name. Or maybe they do it just to be cruel.

I can handle change. Yay, change! It makes a great news story. I can also handle constructive criticism and I love opinions when I have somebody to credit them to. What I can't handle is a coward or somebody with a premeditated agenda.

Are these anonymous bloggers the ones who're going to shake up Rogersville? God help us if they are, or else everybody who lives and works there might as well let the tumbleweeds blow in.

Rogersville deserves better. Hawkins County deserves better.

These anonymous local men and women, some of whom identify themselves as part of the business community while they lay bare their opinions, should be ashamed.

My finger points in your general direction, people, but you'll have to guess which one I'm using.

I'm disappointed that a forum intended for news and information has been reduced to a smalltown sit 'n' spit. Instead it's used to ridicule individuals, as well as the businesses they work for ... which have not only in many cases created, but continue to help develop the Rogersville that these anonymous bloggers choose to live in.