9.26.2010

All For One, and One For All!

Can I just say how much I love being a part of this milspouse blogging community?! I think today we have seen the outpouring of love and support for one of our own.

For the past few days, Mrs. GI Joe has been battling the dreaded Anonymous commenter on her blog. The post originated way back in March, but apparently this nasty commenter went surfing through her blog. The content of the post really doesn't matter. What does matter is that this commenter - who later referred to herself as Mrs. GI Jack - was determined to cut Mrs. GI Joe down for her beliefs, opinions and feelings. Feelings that any one of us would have had if we had been in Mrs. GI Joe's shoes.

Not only did she cut down Mrs. GI Joe, but she continued to do so in several comments. After each one, Mrs. GI Joe and her husband attempted to shut down the commenter by being civil and trying to help them understand the reasoning behind the post. In the end, the nasty commenter decided to tell Mrs. GI Joe that she and her husband needed to grow up. That she and her husband were just trying to give GI Joe and Mrs. GI Joe [unsolicited] opinions that "most people have to pay" for.

Sweet, isn't it?

I find it difficult to believe that this woman and her husband would willingly put down another member of the military community. We ALL go through deployments. We ALL struggle to deal with them in our own ways. How dare they come into her "realm" of the blogosphere and tell her how to feel?! Even IF she had acted (or said things) immaturely, it's HER blog. She was stating HER feelings and HER reactions. What difference does it make how someone else views that situation?! Disagreeing is fine - allowed, even. But, if the only way you can share your opinion is to cut someone else down, my advice is for you to stay away from those of us who aren't afraid to tell you to leave our friends and our blogs alone.

The reason we have blogs is so that we can get our thoughts and feelings out there. And maybe, in the process of things, we make new friends. New friends who understand what we're going through. New friends who are there for us when we're having a weak moment. NOT people who only read and comment so that they can tear us down to feel better about themselves.

If you are a person who gets their "kicks" by tearing other people down, I have some advice for you:

1. Reevaluate yourself. If you need to kick other people to feel better about yourself, then it's YOU who needs to change.

2. Stay away from the milspouse community online. If you hit one of us, you hit US ALL.

Mrs. GI Joe is a dear friend of mine, even though we've never met in person. She doesn't deserve to be treated like this. In fact, no one deserves this kind of treatment. If you would like to read her post and the comments, just click here.

If you agree with me (and pretty much everyone else...), let's no longer allow rude anonymous commenters to be heard on our blogs. If you have something to say, I believe that you can do it tactfully. If you can do it tactfully, what's the harm in putting your name with it?!


my button


I think our milspouse motto should be that of The Three Musketeers:


{Yes, I did use a phrase from a group that may or may not have existed in history. Yes, I did use a picture of my husband and I. =P}

9 comments:

  1. I'm so in tears over here. But NOT for the same reason I was crying the morning I got the first annon. comment this week. I can't believe at one point I was going to try and keep this "incident" with this commenter to myself. I have such incredible friends and I can't believe how much support you guys have given me!

    This and all the comments and posts have just saved my week! I have had some other {less serious but incredibly more lame milblogger drama} lately but all this love and support reminds me that we have an incredible community here.

    I would never stand for someone talking to my friends like that so its sweet to know mine do the same for me :)

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  2. Great post. I couldn't agree more!!

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  3. I am shocked! I can't believe someone could be so childish.
    I have so much to say but I'm too shocked to say any of it.
    The anonymous reader really needs a reality check.

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  4. You are too sweet for standing up for her like that. Very thoughtful :)

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  5. Great Post! I follow her blog too and have had NO issue with anything she posted. Stay strong ladies! Love from Hawaii!
    XOXO!

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  6. So true. Anonymous commenters are NOT welcome. Especially if they are rude. You are so right. You hit one, you hit ALL. =)

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  7. I am a new military wife blogger and I have to completely agree with you. Even in ife when people do things like that, that their own opinions matter and no one elses is terrible. Anonymous to me means you dont want to put it out there. Match the face to the comment. Its being a coward.

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  8. Great post! No one has the right to attack anyone for their own opinions, especially on their own blog! I am a follower of her blog and have never felt there is anything wrong with what she says, thinks and feels! Thank you for standing up to them and for your friend, you're a wonderful example of a supportive milspouse bloggy friend, keep it up! :)

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  9. I wonder if it is the same lady who hit my blog a few months ago. I got 20 comments from her. she went back through all my post and degraded me.
    i agree we need to stick together

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