Friday, September 7, 2012

Stark Raving Mad: Wisdom from the Combox

So my last post, which was pretty much a random stream of thoughts that I'd had during those long, fairly painful hours on the road (pregnant and driving nine hours a day and then carrying around a two year old who wants to run, run, run, are rather painful these days), was apparently incredibly offensive.  Actually according to one reader, I've apparently been a "stark raving mad" ranter, who belongs in the loony bin for some time now.

Thanks Rachel.  You brought tears to the eyes of these, admittedly hormonal, woman this morning, while I'm getting ready to go decorate for my best friends wedding and am looking forward to two long days of flower girl wrangling while wearing a dress I can't breath in.  Thanks for making things seem a little brighter with your loving reprove:
"You know how you think that Obama supporters sound stark raving mad and possibly all belong in a loony bin? I'm afraid I have some bad news - you sound exactly the same, you just happen to be rooting for the other team. Obama may not be the savior of the world, but he's not the devil incarnate either. A little bit of restraint on both sides wouldn't go astray. You can't control their rhetoric, but you can control yours. 
Really, you should try it sometime. I've been reading your blog for years and gotten a lot from it, and I'm getting sick to death of you putting down every single person that disagrees with you, just because they disagree with you.  
I'm about to go back to shopping with Garlands of Grace instead of buying your snoods. They might not approve of the Catholic Church, but their behavior is certainly more in line with my Catholic beliefs right now. They've only made one badly thought through comment and I can forgive a mistake. 
I can not wait until this stupid election is over. Perhaps then people can go back to pretending to get along."
I went back and re-read my post, to see what sounded so incredibly horrible and I found that I complained about the unsolicited political ads that I'd received and their incredibly biased surveys, and a radio host that I heard while driving across country.  And I discussed an analogy where being pregnant was compared with being dead, and asked if our culture really believes that?  I'm not exactly sure where I "put down every single person" that disagrees with me.

The funny thing is, the majority of the people that I love are pretty liberal.  I'm from California.  I went to a liberal school.  I was a communist for a while.  I've changed.  In the last year I've met more conservatives.  But my family and friends are overwhelmingly not conservative.  And so the picture I have in my head of liberals is one that's informed by actual experience.  I worked at a non-profit in Berkeley.  I know that most liberals are people who are inspired by love and a different picture of what would fix our country's problems.

Will I slam ridiculous politicians?  Absolutely.  Especially ridiculous politicians that attempt to use their "Catholic" faith to lead people towards evil, like, um, I don't know, killing babies (oh wait, there I go, sounding stark raving mad again).

Maybe it's "stark raving mad" to believe that there is right and wrong, good and evil, in this world, but our faith tells us that it's so.  And a man who argues that a baby born alive and still be discarded like trash, is spewing incredibly evil and trying to promote it.  I'm sorry, Rachel, that's the truth.

If my defense of life means that you need to shop elsewhere, or stop reading my blog so it doesn't lead you to sin, that's okay.  You don't have to read my blog.  You don't have to shop at my stores.  You have the right to shop where you want, which is awesome.  And if I make you feel uncomfortable and angry than it's probably for the best if you lend your support elsewhere.  Then you want feel bad about where you spend your hard earned dollars.

There are more important things than making a buck.  It's not going to kill either of us.  And it sounds like my blog isn't good for you, from your own description of your interpretation of my words.

And maybe, just maybe, you should think twice before you publish your next comment and take a good long look at the blog to see if what you claim your reading, is really before your eyes, or whether it's a reflection of the anger in your own heart.

It's a frustrating time right now.  I can't wait until November.  But I'm also not going to transform who I am and hide what I believe is true, because it makes some people uncomfortable.  This would be a pretty boring blog if I did that, wouldn't it?

27 comments:

  1. Cam- Either this commenter has not been reading your blog for years (she'd have sounded off looong ago...lol) or is someone posturing as something they are not, OR... someone who is very, very confused about what is at stake in this election and their Christian identity.

    There. That was terribly judgmental of me, no?

    I don't know if Obama is "evil" but I do know that he is doing evil things with is authority. He is either very ignorant or very bad. Either way, not a good scenario. Catholics helped elect him once... we can't do it again. My last post was about how I am a one issue voter until the murder of the innocents is stopped and I'm sure I offended someone out there. But we just can't stop talking about it. No regrets about speaking against the culture of death. (Oh, and his economic policies are pretty dastardly as well) Preach it, Sister!!!

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  2. Maybe you need a blog vacation until after your baby is born. I sympathize with your hormones and discomfort, but I, too, find myself not longer enjoying this blog as I once did.

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  3. *Points to the door.


    Use it.

    ~thomist

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  4. Wow, some people need to rein THEMSELVES in before they worry about what you are writing about. First of all, you haven't been doing anything she accused you of. Secondly it's YOUR blog! You get to say anything you want :)

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  5. Hey Anonymous-

    Maybe you should take a vacation from my blog until after the baby is born.

    If you don't enjoy, and you're not learning anything from it, and it's not a reminder to, oh, I don't know, pray for me on hard days because you might think I need it, then is there any reason to stick around?

    Anonymous comments are seldom helpful in my experience.

    And there's no guarantee that I'm going to be some light, sunny ball of goodness when I'm dealing with sleep deprivation after the baby's born.

    Just saying.

    I'm sorry, I'm tired of people assuming I should be something that they should be and hiding behind an anonymous combox to tell me that I somehow haven't been doing my job as a blogger by sharing my life with you and should stop.

    Do you realize how insulting that is? You basically just told me that what I've been writing isn't worth writing.

    And I'll say that this is 100% hormones but: Your anonymous cowardly comment, isn't worth reading.

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  6. Dear Anonymous,
    Until you can stop hiding behind being anonymous, you don't get listened to (and even if you decide to step up to the plate and tell everyone who you are, you're some random person on the internet and you don't get to tell people what to do on their own blog. If you don't like it on this blog, you are free move along.)

    Dear Cammie,
    You are doing fine. Don't let the jerks get you down. :)

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  7. I've been debating going unplugged until after the election because the abortionpalooza is giving me hives - literally. But, I've decided to just pare back a bit on my news consumption. See - that I thought about it and made a decision that was good for me - not that hard - just do it anonymous(es)!

    Cam - keep writing and get as hormonal as you want. I can only imagine what my blog would have been like if I blogged while pregnant with my two - holy cow.

    Keep on!

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  8. Cam, I just want to chime in that I have always enjoyed reading your blog. Your air of truthfulness and humor is refreshing, as is your willingness to defend your faith. I truly admire it, and can find nothing inappropriate in you voicing YOUR views on YOUR blog- especially not when your views so neatly correspond to Catholic teaching.

    Not to mention- God created us each in vastly different ways. Pope Benedict and Cardinal Dolan could not have more different (public) personas, but each is holy in his way. (That analogy isn't mine, but borrowed from Simcha Fischer). Anyway, what I'm saying is that I enjoy your blog not because you are someone else, but because you are you.

    Cheers!

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  9. Holy moly! There are some angry, mean people out there. I've never read your blog before right now. YOUR BLOG where you can write whatever you want!! Nevermind that I like it, that's beside the point. Don't let jerks get to you. Be true to yourself. Ugh. People.

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  10. Cam,

    You are fine!! Good grief, it is YOUR blog, you can write what you want. FWIW, I wasn't offended at all. You were stating your opinions, what on earth is wrong with that?

    You keep on writing as much as you feel like - and by the way, how you manage to accomplish everything you do amazes me to no end.

    Take care and I wish you the best the last couple months of pregnancy. I know what it is like to be 7months and people think you are due any minute.... BTDT. And they never quit growing!! LOL! As teens both are at the 99% or more for height.

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  11. I've read of all of your posts and, while you seem tired and overwhelmed, I DO NOT think you need to stop blogging. It's a 'blog, for heaven's sake. It's not like you're get paid by these Anonymous folks to write for them. I get what they're saying, but so what? My 'blog has been full at times with "I'm so angry/scared/sad." I didn't realize 'blogs were supposed to be "enjoyable" but a slice of life, however uncomfortable. Please hang in there, girl.

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  12. Hey Anonymous Coward, here's a tip: if you don't enjoy the blog, then don't read it.

    I'm mystified by the fact that some people don't seem to understand that they can't control the content on someone else's blog. If Cammie wanted to post nothing but cat videos on her blog, or angry rants about Democrats, that's her prerogative.

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  13. Cam,
    Bless you. I, too, have unequivocally found that the comments that have brought tears or have generated stress in my home have been anonymous. I wouldn't imvite a stranger to aggressively voice contrary positions in my living room. Perhaps that is a valid policy to apply to one's living room on the internet as well. I think the fact that your husband had stood in your defense is a fine example of traditional family roles and I commend him. You are welcome to borrow the door on my sidebar. :)
    Pax Christi Dear Cam,
    Be well

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  14. Cammie, I left a message for you on FB on Aug 28...don't know if you ever received it, so I'll repeat it here; it said:
    I just wanted to tell you that I enjoy your blog SO MUCH! Your little girls are just adorable, and your writing is always uplifiting. It makes me want to hug you. And I am not really much of a hugger! God bless you!

    I think your critic and I must be reading different blogs! Keep up the good work; you brighten my day every time I read your blog!

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  15. In fairness, I've never assumed you thought liberals/President Obama's supporters were "stark raving mad".

    People need to stop assuming that disagreement comes from a place of anger. There are legitimate reasons to disagree with people.

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  16. Goodness, some people can be jerks!

    I understand your concerns about Obama, I don't like his stance on abortion but on the other hand...I do admire what he's done so far with what he was given. I'm not a single-issue voter and might consider voting for him again. But I get why some people wouldn't, and there's a difference between respectfully disagreeing with someone and calling them coocoo bananas!

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  17. hi camm. A loving family member here who has read your blog for years. Yep a flaming liberal. But that's OK. Nope, you don't sound crazy, but yes, I think you can sound kinda mean, judgemental and unforgiving which, having been raised Catholic, is something I think is very important there. Judgemental being the operative word here. I know this is a blog so yep...some of it is appropriate! But golly, at times it's been tough to read what feels like mean judgements. My biggest challenge over the years has been to accept where people are...their age, beliefs, lifestyles. I've learned to accept gray area. That is not so much a gift or a belief of the Catholic church however and I know that. So I keep reading with interest about where you are at in your life and beliefs. But hey ya, sometimes I wince...and think hmmmm...I think she is judging me and my beliefs. Lots of love to ya and keep writing....

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  18. I don't think your commenter and I are reading the same blog. Reading your blog for some time now and I think you sound totally sane and highly charitable to those who disagree with you.

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  19. Idk, maybe I haven't been reading long enough (though when I find a blog I like, I often read a bunch of back posts, too), but I don't really feel like anything has changed around here. Same ol' Cam. ~shrug~ Well, you can't please everyone. I agree with opinions already stated. It's YOUR blog. You aren't trying to please everyone here, and if they don't like what they find here, I'm sure there's a plethora of other blogs on the internet to choose from. The 'net is boundless; stop harrassing people who write stuff you don't like, and find something you DO to read. Just sayin'. Like Thomist said, the door is open. Feel free to use it.

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  20. I love your blog. Please don't stop.

    It often seems that many people think that it is politically incorrect to be anything but a liberal. Those you diss your blog may be subscribing to this theory.

    ~Jenny

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  21. "Judgmental" is an overused and misunderstood word. When you assume someone believes or thinks something which is not observable, then you might be judgmental. If you take a person's words at face value...say the person says, "Homosexual marriage should be legalized"...then it is perfectly reasonable and permissible to say "That idea is wrong", and give the reasons why. That is "judging" in the sense of discerning right or wrong; people are "judged" every day in our court system.

    It is not "judgmental" to say that the person's expressed idea or behavior is wrong; it's when we presume to know others' unseen and unexpressed motives and thoughts that we are being judgmental.

    In my experience, when a person says "You are being judgmental!" they themselves are the guilty party.

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  22. Lol, I must start coming back are reading comments after reading your blog, they sound like a riot. I do agree with the other posters, I think people are confused about what a blog is. I guess that is probably medias fault, with their editorials and blogs passing as news, and actual bloggers passing on real news. Anyways, I personally find it fun and enjoyable to read blog posts where people write about mundane things in engaging ways. It captures my imagination. (Can you tell I am sick of politics =).

    God Bless,

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  23. Just an added thought... remember what our moms always told us and is 100% true - you can't please everyone! If you wrote a blog that pleased the critics, others wouldn't like it. There is NO possible way you can state your beliefs and feelings without some others feeling unhappy, etc. even if you never meant to attack someone. Hands down, I know that simply stating that I believe abortion is wrong can upset a lot of people, even if I am only stating MY belief.

    I figure that if our perfect, 100% holy Lord upset people by stating the truth, there is no way we humans can get through life never annoying someone. And, certainly the saints weren't always the most popular people!

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  24. seriously Jenny? Politically correct to be anything but liberal? Aaahhh...that's a cheap shot and you know it. Support Cammie but don't go there.... :)

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  25. It seems as if everyone covered everything I wanted to say already. Ha ha!

    Just wanted to send virtual {hugs} anyway because I know how difficult it can be sometimes to disengage from those on the other side of the internet who think it's perfectly acceptable to act like a toolbag to those they assume they know everything about.

    So really... {HUGS}

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  26. I think you and your blog are so much fun! I would love to meet you someday :) If not here on earth, well, in the next for sure! :)

    Keep up the good work!

    Most sincerely,

    Andrea

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  27. I'm Canadian, and Libral, and I LOVE your blog!! I've learned so much about home schooling (I've been reading your other blog) recent trips across your country has inspired me to take a trip to the States and your faith is inspiring!! Keep on blogging

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I love comments and I read every single comment that comes in (and I try to respond when the little ones aren't distracting me to the point that it's impossible!). Please show kindness to each other and our family in the comment box. After all, we're all real people on the other side of the screen!