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Add to NewsvineFrequent commenter Larry Parker, who is exhausting, has reported me to Beliefnet for "gay-bashing" him, for some reason that is not clear to me. But there you are. This brings to mind a mystery that I'm always thinking about, especially when I consider the possibility of ending this blog, because it takes up so much of my time:
Why do people like Larry, who disagree, often vehemently, with my opinions, and who are not shy about telling me what an inferior person I am for holding them, keep coming back to this blog?
Honestly, I don't understand it. Don't get me wrong, I like having a diverse readership, and would be disappointed (and bored) if all my readers agreed with me. But there's a vocal contingent of folks who seem to hate, or at least strongly dislike, this site, yet they're here all the time. Why? This is a mystery to me. I spend a fair amount of time on the blogosphere, on a variety of blogs, none of which I agree with all the time. One of my favorite bloggers is Andrew Sullivan, and I agree with him maybe half the time, and strongly disagree sometimes. But he's a great read, and I always learn something from him. And I agree with him often enough to keep going back.
I suspect that a lot of you think the same thing of this site, and I'm grateful for your readership and participation. But what I can't figure out are those of you who can't seem to stand anything on this site, and yet participate actively in the comboxes. Why? I'm asking honestly. Because I couldn't imagine the point of spending a significant amount of time reading a blog I hated, and haunting the comboxes. It makes no sense to me. None. At all. I mean, is life really that long?
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And by the way, don't hold your breath for me to scrub the comments till later today. I've got lots of work to do at the paper, so it'll be light posting today.
Rod, please don't waste your time on any more scrubbing of these comments. The thread is about to roll off the front page, after which almost everyone who hasn't already left will do so.
A better use of your time would be to launch a new thread that will puah this one into the archives. For maximum controversy, try something along the lines of "How Peak Oil Causes Gay Obama Fanatics to Leave the Catholic Church and Embrace Islamofascism". That should be good for 150+ comments, with nary a mention of transgendered marine life.
Posted by: Simon | March 10, 2008 3:17 PM
I know why they keep coming back. Hatred is invigorating. Fighting is intoxicating. Yeah, its that kind of world.
Posted by: Osvaldo Mandias | March 10, 2008 4:19 PM
Actually, I wouldn't mind seeing Larry's reply either.
What is distinct about this blog is the willingness to run it as a public and aggressive, but still basically fortress mentality based, political forum.
That draws in the desired veteran defenders and faithful of the proposed City On A Hill and CrunchyCon gospels at its center. But in its vehemence it will also draw out a response from Left/liberals, who are assigned the role of barbari ante portas. Not all of whom are content to cower or flail at the rhetorical slings and arrows and burning pitch cast their way :)
Posted by: Jillian | March 10, 2008 6:02 PM
Here is Larry's hail and farewell. Enjoy it:
http://community.beliefnet.com/blogs/8672
Posted by: Rod Dreher | March 10, 2008 6:11 PM
Addendum: I've gone back over the comments, and I simply don't have the time to spend rewriting and editing them (which takes a lot more time than you might think with this software). I encourage anyone who wants to read Larry's response to visit the link above for his 2,500-word magnum opus. Larry's not gay, he thinks I'm a bully, etc.
And with that, I'm going to close down the comments on this thread. Again, I apologize to Larry for hurting his feelings. Now, onward, through the fog!
Posted by: Rod Dreher | March 10, 2008 6:55 PM
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