Well, if you did hang it up, things would be a lot less fun for me. It would also mean that the trolls have won.

Does that help, or do I need to hit you with some more cliches?

Ooo, you know I love good cliches....

I think part of the problem might be that politics has ceased to be a fun subject. It used to be wonderfully entertaining. All the disagreement just gave it juice. Now there is so much distrust and paranoia, coupled with an instant presumption of ill will on the part of those with whom we disagree.

And it doesn't help, as you pointed out, that a some people are simply ill-mannered clods.

Maybe you just want to leave politics alone for a while. Try something innocuous -- like religion!

I think it would be a lot more fun if you weren't such a filthy, repugnant, arrogant, ignorant, stupid, dumbass, asshole.

Or you could just be like me, embrace it all and remember that at the end of the day, it's not how many well-written, thought-provoking and insightful comments you get, it's how many fr33 ci@lis, gr33n cardz, CASINO CASINO CASINO comments and e-mails you get.

And dammit, if you get groupies out of this I'm going to be seriously pissed because all I got was a fat guy in a lawn chair in my front yard who smells vaguely of cheese, B.O. and one of those cherry air fresheners out of a 1973 Dodge Coronet that carries a sideline fragrance of Hardee's fries. He says he's some kind of "filmmaker" but I've never heard of him.

Yeah! Something totally non-devisive!

Maybe I should just start talking about life-extending technologies...

Z,
You know, when I was a kid, I remember being obedient and trying to appease my parents and when I'd get into trouble, they would whip my butt, and I knew I was going to be in some trouble when I did whatever it was that warranted that butt whipping. As I grew older, I realized that I knew alot more than my parents thought that I did. I was right, on more than one occasion, and I needed that recognition! As I grew even older, I realized what a punk I was in that middle phase. I tried to understand why my beliefs and my dogged hard-mindedness were so immoveable at that time, but I really don't know. Maybe it's a stage that we all need to go through in order to better establish our own individuality, or possibly to set our own beliefs apart from those of our parents. I don't know. What I do know is, when people disagree with me it is better to stop and think about what they are saying and their perspective, rather than lash out at them. It is quite possible that they are just being the antagonist, like I was, so many times, during my middle phase.
Many of these people that you are confronting may be going through my "middle phase." Please note that the "middle phase" is not linked to any age specific time, but is necessary (at least was for me) in developing their own beliefs.
I heard a saying that if you're 25 or under and not a liberal, you have no heart, and if your 30 or over and not conservative, you have no brain. This is kind of the jist of what I'm saying... Our beliefs change with the recognition that we are human and not omniscient. We have to first realize that we CAN BE, and ARE WRONG, sometimes, if not often. Then the next feat is, to admit it.
Don't be offended at these "middle phasers" giving you grief...
just know that you are having a hand in helping them grow up. Eventually, when people learn to talk, as well as you and others in the blogosphere, then they may realize that they don't have to go jump in a car full of plastique to get their point across, and they might even be dying for something that is not accomplishing anything because it is "wrong."
God bless you for doing what you love.
-Super

You're just lying to yourself. You know damn well that the Bushitler had those towers destroyed because he took up drinking the blood of Iraqi children when he gave up the booze and his supply was running low. Since there was no real reason to invade Iraq, being as how there were no WMD and Saddam was a peaceful sort, he had to whip the American people into a war frenzy. Not that that's hard or anything.

Jeez, can't you filthy repugs be bothered to read the DU?

Between Deb, Zygote, and SH, I think I just found some of that fun that I'd been missing...

In any case, I'd request that you hang on until January, at least. Why? I think blogging is going to undergo some major changes at that point. The run-up to the election is driving a great deal of the discussion right now. Iraq is a major issue, as well, and having an elected government over there and a president with a mandate of some sorts is going to quell much of the divisiveness, I'll wager.
Heck, just look how the Liberation of Iraq itself pretty much drove Jo out of blogging (because she took too much abuse for her position, I think).
In another 7 months, we'll be back to flame wars over something Dawn Olsen said and we'll be back to normal... [/snark]
Seriously, by January, I expect the bulk of debate over Afghanistan and Iraq and the economy will be over with. We will need good, intelligent, thoughtful bloggers to help shape the dicussion for what direction we go next. I think you'll want to be a part of that.

Zbabyfacemuffincakes:

Election year. Election year. Election year. :)

I have to agree with Nathan. I *know my blog is Craptacular, but even still I get a comment now and again that makes me anxiously await the growth of my extra-thick skin, but I'm afraid I won't ever have it. Too damned girly foo-foo sensitive for my own good, I am.

There are times when it's good to push away from the blog and just ignore it.

But don't go away completely. I would miss you far, far too much.

Well, I think I have yet to call you any names, so I guess I am one lefty who is off the hook, right? :)

I miss blogging for dumb reasons. I sent nathan a photo of John Edwards with his fingers tented with a Simpson-esque caption, and he pointed out how I should've blogged something like that.

BUT, I don't know if I want to go back, with everyone disagreeing with me all the time, sometimes not politely. I was fine as long as it stayed civil, but my worst offense was- get this- backing up a conservative blogger. I got so many negative hits it was just too much, the comments so over-the-top offensive. And instead of maybe just re-visiting the issue, I had ***hole readers visiting me daily just to be rotten. I never blogged daily after that, not with any substance anyway.

As you know, D, I went on to do another kind of blog and it has been very rewarding. my traffic is cut in a third, but the rewards outweigh that.

What I am saying is, blog what you want to blog, in a way that leaves you satisfied. I don't think you can go wrong. Your writing is fun and I enjoy being here, even when I disagree with you.

So there!

;)

One thing you may try is not thinking twice about banning anyone who is abusive or trollish. I don't usually do that myself, but only because most of the trolls I've had to deal with are so stupid that they provide a perverse form of entertainment, at least for a little while. Once their idiocy stops being fun for me, they're gone, and I move on to other topics.

I don't know that I've ever banned anyone for anything other than spam--and that doesn't count. Maybe I should consider it for some of the comments.

Jo, I have a few favorite lefties (although, you'll always be number one in my lefty-loving heart) that both stretch me intellectually and treat me as something other than an arrogant, stupid repuglican (or something like that). Check out Steve the Modulator (see the trackback for this post) for one of the examples.

The funny part is that a good portion of the mud slinging in my direction has come from people on my own side of the political fence. Of course, the worst of it is reserved for people with far different ideas than mine.

And Nathan and Em, you are both far too kind.

You've been called all those just this week. Damn ZB, I live for that. I must be losing my touch. *lol*

I grew up being called all kinds of hurtful names -- and that was by my friends. <rimshot>

If you're getting called all those names in a week, you must be doing something right.

Besides, don't you want to keep getting that paycheck from your Zionist masters?

Try writing something controversial some time. Try 'heroin should be free for gradeschoolers' or the like.

Then you'd be having fun.

Remember, that insults and other personal attacks are only used by those who cannot develop arguments based on facts. The fact that they have to go to those levels only show that they cannot hope to go toe-to-toe with you on ideas. You present your opinions, backed by fact. If they cannot keep up with you on that level, why the hell do you care!?

Besides we at the "Society that shall not be named" are still monitoring your activities, and if you stop this blog, you will cease to be valuable. We will come and visit you, and it won't be pretty. Remember, even though the first implant didn't work, we do have more direct methods.

Deep Thought: Try saying to yourself, "I'm rubber, you're glue. Whatever you say..." Never mind.

Keep strokin', Z.

I recommend you turn off the comments, blog what you want, have whatever kind of 'tude makes you happy, and leave it at that.

The trolls don't come around for stimulating debate, they come here because it's a place for them to burp and fart. Those of us who want to read what you've got to say will keep coming around regardless of your feedback options. Instapundit does just fine without "help".

Anyways, I'd rather not lose you because of troll burnout.

You better not pull a Ricky Williams on us man.

Seriously though, if you find yourself not having any fun when writing on any particular topic, try blogging while naked. It works for me.

Remy:

Turning off the comments defeats the whole purpose. Without comments there is no discourse. Without discourse you revert to stating an opinion, not forming one.

The reletive anonimity of internet communication simply proves the aphorism that charactor is how one acts when no one is watching.
When you get these really hateful comments and E-mails it says little or nothing about you and much about the sender.
I have my differences with you, Hell, I don't agree with anyone on every single issue. I have taken the trouble to read enough of your (better written than you give yourelf credit for) entries here and your comments on other sites to know that your views are honestly come by and held.
You may have gained some mindless hatred by the same kind of people who are prone to road rage because of the reletive anonimity of their automobiles.
If it matters, you've gained the respect of other people.

Usually in a bar the person speaking is
A: drunk, therefore given some sort of concession.

B: Not drunk or drunk, but doesn't speak in an overbearing, rude, or holier then thou way. Thusly, people aren't rude back.

C: kids can't go into bars. well at least not legally.

*nothing in the above is directed at you, necessarily, since I haven't read your blog long enough to get a feel for what you're about. It's a general opinion made about most people who blog.

Bottom line is most people are far more opinionated and rude on their blogs then in person

I have attempted three or four times to respond to this post and yet I can't seem to write what I want to convey.

I know what you're saying, and would terribly miss your thoughts being posted for the world to read, but, there is so much out there and it simply cannot be missed. Balance is challenging for even the most organized person.

Just yesterday E and I were talking about a situation that was frustrating for her: a sensed betrayal by a friend. I had to help guide her to examining facts against feelings; said friend had actually demonstrated faithfulness repeatedly in the past and one thoughtless screw-up shouldn't dominate E's decision process. While you have been hit hard lately with the mudslinging, in long-term review, you have made people think; challenged positions based on tradition rather than thought; met some really interesting people (literally and virtually); and perhaps made some genuine friends. From what I have read (and a person conveys much more through their writing about himself/herself than I think is realized), if you quit blogging, you would have to find an outlet for discussion, and not just with those with whom you agree, but specifically those with whom you disagree. You like to be challenged and to challenge in return. You have a need to write and talk about that which you think. I for one would miss being a spectator/participant in such discussions and thoughts. I think you more gentlemanly, more civil and polite, than most and it is the lack of those characteristics and qualities in the course of commenting that irks you.

You know, there are far more testimonies of allegiance on this post than I think you could've imagined.

Besides, what would life be like without a few insults? ;)

We love ya, Z.

P.S. Well said, Peter (do I know you?).

Jerry:

If the conversation isn't civil and enlightening, of what value is it? I've never enjoyed being around people screaming at each other. Besides, what discourse will there be If Z decides to hang it up. I visit many blogs because I want to hear what the blogger has to say, not the commenters.

I do believe that we are at the beginning of a wholesale change in political discourse because of blogging. I think that the kinds of commenting that are getting to Z (I assume, with all that implies), are a drag on blogging's full potential.

How about a compromise--(we're planning out your life your ZombyBoy. Don't you feel special) -- Z deletes the ranting/hate-filled comments and otherwise ignore the comment section. It's what I'd do in his position.

I'm not a good enough writer to get across my feelings about people (both on the right and left) who go around sowing anger wherever they can because they can. It is not censorship to say, I don't want you yelling in my house.

Remy: I agree with you that mindless ranting and raving does not make for discourse. The problem that Z is discussing here (and that he and I have spoken about at great length offline) is not a problem with everyone. There are numerous people who comment here in polite, civil, thoughtful manner. If the only comments that were made were of the hateful variety then turning off the comments would stop those comments, but it would also mean that there is no discourse. In this case, ending the blog would be the only reasonable thing to do. Fortunately, this is not the case. Turning off the comments in order to deter the few hate-mongers stifles the people that do behave appropriately, which is just as bad. The real solution, as you have mentioned in your most recent comment, has to be somewhere in between. deleting comments is one approach, but only Z can say if thet would work for him. The problem with deleting these comments is that you have to read them first. Z doesn't just want them gone, he doesn't want to have to read them at all.