This is hard for me....
I have read a recent blog that has gotten a lot of reviews, and it basically suggests Matchdoctor should crack down on blogs that stir controversy and incite argument.
On one hand, some of the stuff that gets posted on this blog makes me crazy enough to drink light beer.
On the other hand, I know I post things now and again that are received with less than enthusiasm.
What to do? What to do? 
I think most people get their last lesson in Civics or Social Studies when they leave middle school. That's a shame, because most adults become cozy in the presumption that their freedom is common, indestructible and something that can be apathetically exercised. We've become a nation (a free world of nations) that has become mentally fragile. We offend too easily. It is my humble opinion that we are putting freedom at risk when we allow other people to tell us what we cannot read or write. It's a slippery slope that ends with a tiny group of small-minded people telling the world what thought has value. The world is no longer round. The universe revolves around the Earth. We watch our neighbors burn at the stake for choosing medicine over the accepted God of our time.
While Matchdoctor has the right to moderate the blogs and decide upon the content in any way they wish, I think it's important that the tool remain open and unfiltered. We all have the option to post what's on our mind, and the readers have the right to review it any way they please. That is the word "right" used very loosely to describe the privilege we all enjoy at the pleasure of Matchdoctor moderators. It is a human RIGHT that people have fought and died to protect. It is a privilege many have abused. It is a notion that distinguishes free societies from those that would control their citizens.
People need to be made of stronger stuff than the mushy clay of an individual who is so offended and wounded by written words that they insist upon the abolition of those words to protect themselves. It's the kind of behavior that leads to book burning and state-run media. Just move Matchdoctor to Iran, if that's the kind of site you want to share. Ladies, cover your faces. Everyone else, blog about Willie Nelson lyrics and pictures of kittens dangling by their cute little claws. We can all learn to knit. It won't make the world a better place.
I never said Dracula or anyone else shouldn't be allowed to blog here. I hate the ramblings of a lot of people...using the word "HATE" here, folks....but I would never want them to be denied an outlet for their venom. Then someone might deny me an outlet for mine. I'm a critic, not a fascist.
Maybe Matchdoctor blogs isn't the right medium to say a lot of things, but what are the things that SHOULD BE said? Who decides what messages have value? What topics are off-limits? Who has the wisdom to assign value to independent human thought?
Other than me...?
Love,
Kyle~
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read more blogs!
Blogs by fightingirish04:
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| Give Me Bloggery, or Give Me Death!! (prefer the bloggery, thanks!) |
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RightWingRepublican
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Jun 30 @ 11:04AM
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I would rather read controversial blogs than listen to what someone ate for lunch or did at work that day.
There's has to be some sort of entertainment value in them or they just aren't fun to read.
Whether it be the topic or the blog itself, it has to be something people want to read.
I don't care that Aunt Polly sent you a fruit cake for Christmas. LOL
Does it truly matter if people are arguing on blog? Not really. Who cares.
If someone doesn't like the content, they are free to not read it.
Just annoys me that many people complain about it. Don't read it if you don't want to.
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chatillion
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Jun 30 @ 11:10AM
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Moderating a blog is the responsibility of each blog author. It's the request from Matchdoctor staff and not pulled from thin air as a whim of a blogger's opinion.
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Naraku
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Jun 30 @ 11:17AM
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When people blog, it gives us insight on who they are and what is important to them. What may mean the world to some, is a trivial thing to another. Some find hope and insight from anothers words, some dont and brutally attack them. People need to either stop reading blogs by some people, or stop making disparaging comments to offend or insult another. I believe the word is called respect. We all want respect from others, and yet we show such intolerance when their views are contrary to ours. We either need to stop the double standard way of thinking, or stop being so thin skinned when another shows us the same respect that we show them.
I am not attacking you, I agree with your blog
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fightingirish04
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Jun 30 @ 11:22AM
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See! But that's just it! Attack me if you want! Disagree with me, if you like! Shout it from the rafters and call me a doofus, if it makes you a happy camper! Attacking people with a written language and all these "hurt feelings" is simply illogical..! I cannot hurt you, heal you, bend you, break you, whip you, beat you or make you write bad checks with nouns and verbs! People are being shot, stabbed, raped and imprisoned on this planet while we piss and moan about how a few sentences made us feel..!! I want the world to grow a fuzzy pair and stop crying over spilled ink.
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ttomtarr
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Jun 30 @ 11:31AM
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We get to choose between real alternatives, not between reality and the ideal.
In my experience, a nice world where everyone is polite is in the realm of wishful fantasy, not real choices.
I prefer civility to rudeness, but will choose the mixed bag over censorship.
Skipping rude people is an easy thing to do, far less effort than complaining about them.
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hellosue2009
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Jun 30 @ 11:36AM
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DRACULA_VwV
Jun 27 @ 4:12PM
You defend god, how can you defend god, when that motherfvcker never shows up to be attacked.
You defend your country, why aren't you over in the sands peeling fvcken caps back then.
You defend women, shit, they have all the defense they need, all they have to do is press charges on their attacker. And if they don't carry a concealed weapon, then the dumb cvnts deserve to be raped.
POPO, the days of chivalry are dead and gone. The women of this world are equal to man.
No disrespect towards you, brother. I'm just stating the obvious.
Is this the comment in question? Inciting raping of women because they don't carry a weapon? Are you guys for real???
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RightWingRepublican
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Jun 30 @ 11:45AM
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Holy crap. I didn't see that.
Wow, what a stupid and degrading comment.
Not sure how i missed it, i think i read that crappy blog.
Awful
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ttomtarr
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Jun 30 @ 11:57AM
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The blogger quoted is consistant.
Why do you read his blogs ?
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fightingirish04
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Jun 30 @ 11:58AM
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And as scary and foul and ridiculous as that comment may be, he has a right to post it and you have a right to be offended...and vent your offense! But if you say he can't post it, the lady beside you can say she's offended by people who write about Obama...or God...or French Poodles. You singled out a disgusting post because it should be offensive to most sane people, but who can tell me where the standard for offensive language starts? Is it profanity? Religion? Sex? War? Drugs? Rock and roll? Dancing? We have to allow for a society that spouts all views in order to preserve a right to spout ANY views. I called the guy a douche bag and suggested he go play elsewhere. That was my review of his worth. I wrote a whole blog on it. But I am a patriot, a combat veteran of the United States Marine Corps and I believe in rights for people who don't deserve them. I am sorry you were offended, but no one was raped or blood-sucked because of a blog. EVER... The End.
Kyle~
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musicianfriend
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Jun 30 @ 12:07PM
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Excellent blog!
I totally agree with you...
It seems that its usually the left that wants to shut others up...
Freedom is the basis of America...
Shutting up the opposition has always been a tactic used by dictators...and people who are trying to hide the truth as they know that they are doing something bad....and they just dont want you to know about it until its too late..
I prefer an open debate of all issues...
THe one beautiful thing is this...if they dont like the blog..they can ignore it...and go somewhere else.
I always wonder why there are those 'tattle tale' types at our age...they make me shake my head and laugh at that kind of juvenile thinking...
I do believe alot in America forgot to grow up and be adults...able to discuss the realities of our times..and try to debate with each other on a mature level...
Keep up the good work! Excellent blog!
Here Here to the Irish! Im Irish too!
Tessa
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hellosue2009
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Jun 30 @ 12:20PM
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Well the next time you read about a jerk who escalated from writing about hurting women to actually doing it... rethink your remarks. Rape is a violent crime, not at all like opposing political views or discussing favorite breeds of dogs. I happen to write a poem on a blog about someone I adore and got a remark that was a nasty poem about hurting women, from the same person. I ignore as much as possible but enough is enough.
Not all comments are freedom of speech - especially when they threaten.
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hellosue2009
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Jun 30 @ 12:48PM
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ps - it was NOT his blog, it was his comments on anothers blog - comments from out of nowhere - I know what NOT to read, thank you....
http://www.matchdoctor.com/blog_107774/jWhat_the_hell.html
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ttomtarr
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Jun 30 @ 1:05PM
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I agree that the comment was offensive in the exteme..
But it boils down to the core issue, the existence of evil in the world, one debated for millenia.
You cannot stop it or controll it.
But you can controll your reaction to it. You, to a degree, can control your exposure to it.
Life is a risk, you may encounter evil in your search for good.
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Josuha
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Jun 30 @ 1:06PM
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Is this the comment in question? Inciting raping of women because they don't carry a weapon? Are you guys for real???
In the context that I read this, Drac is saying women have equal rights and should be armed in this day and time as there is violence.
That men should not be respsoniable to protect women.
No..I don't agree with this.
But I don't see in his statement or context he or anyone else are advocating violence against anyone, especially women.
Of course, the way he said it could have been more...er..diplomatic.
But it's just his style.
Drac can be..er..'offensive' to some.
As a Christian, I could find some of his remarks 'offensive'.
However, being in the line of work I have been in, I have thick skin.
And it is a kind of a 'persona' of his that I take with a grain of salt.
I agree with the OP in that many take offense or simply wish to 'censure' someone because it makes them 'feel bad'.
As someone who has enforced the Constitution, I hate NAZI's, Communists, liberals, Neocons and other scum.
But, they have a right to say their drivel.
If we start censuring them, then who is next?
You perhaps?
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Fayvorite
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Jun 30 @ 1:31PM
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If someone vomits their crap in a blog that most find offensive - and no one posted how offensive they felt, guess what? He would quit posting. When someone is crying for attention, the debate and hate is what feeds them. The best way to not be offended is to not read ANYTHING they write if it offends you. It is so true, you can't change them only your own reaction.
However I feel both have the right to post what they feel they must and I agree with the author of this blog. Freedom of speech is one of the very few freedoms we have left and we really don't have all that.
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matisse731
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Jun 30 @ 2:07PM
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Ya get my kudo Mister. I agree with this so much. There are a few bloggers that are totally offencive to me. Guess what? I quit reading or commenting on their blogs. The more you fan the flames the bigger the fire gets. I don't read the crap and I don't get offended. Pretty simple. 
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Chris_in_california
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Jun 30 @ 2:13PM
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We offend too easily.
Your offend well I am offend that your offend,
So do read what I have to say if it offends you.
GET a Life and just maybe you will be to busy to be offend, if not to bad you needed to be offend.
Have Fun and Enjoy Life
Chris
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Chris_in_california
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Jun 30 @ 2:15PM
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We offend too easily.
Your offend well I am offend that your offend,
correction : So do not read what I have to say if it offends you.
GET a Life and just maybe you will be to busy to be offend, if not to bad you needed to be offend.
Have Fun and Enjoy Life
Chris
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Redwicket
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Jun 30 @ 2:18PM
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Here, Here Irish  Give me Freedom or give me Death!
If you don't like it, don't read it. That's what I do...
And Fayv I Agree with you yet again...Don't Give People (like the guy with the teeth but no brain) the ATTENTION that they Crave...Then it Will Stop!
I wonder Why oh Why do these people Complain about such blogs, but then give the blogger Just what they want...Maybe, Just Maybe They Like To Complain. 
I've been on here for a long time...not as long as others, but a long time. And I Almost gave up on this site because of the one comment rule...I come here to engage with the small slice of the world that is Matchdoctor. Some people like to engage with the Forums, some with email...But there are those of us that are hooked on communicating through the Blogs. Why should So Few (the ones who complain) have such a voice as to change what So Many of us Enjoy??? I thought that the first time around and I'm thinking that now...
Oh yeah...KUDOS Irish 
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HopelesslyHopeful
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Jun 30 @ 3:49PM
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blehg! You're right! You did blog your balls off! I see no indication of their existence here!
Who has the right? That would be the people who own the site, who made rules of conduct for the site; and, anyone who has signed up for the site, because they want to be on a site where there is some line that is drawn between what is and is not acceptable.
And, there is a big difference between expressing yourself and oppressing others. If weird little vampire people want to go around claiming to be vampires and acting weird, that is entirely up to them. And, if someone else has a problem with it, it is entirely the problem of that someone else. He should be able, according to the laws of America, to go about saying whatever he wants in support of vampire lifestyle, vampire rights, what a great night out he had being a vampire.
But, he does not have the right, or the privilege, to go so far as to insult other people's lifestyle choices! And that is what my blog was about! I do not attack him or his lifestyle, I do not spew hate about it, I do not insult his god, and when he does it about my choices, or anyone else's choices in lifestyle, deity, etc. he is going beyond his rights all the way to abuse.
Just like a man has the right to say what he likes in a woman on his profile or in his blogs, but, that does not give him the right to start blogging about how much he hates all the other women, making threats against them if they don't leave, and generally making them feel miserable just being here.
Just like a woman doesn't have the right to blog about how men are all worthless pieces of crap that deserve to be shot in the head, even if she believes it. She can blog about how she doesn't like men, how she is better off without them, so long as it's about HER, not attacking THEM
That vampire attacks people of other religions and walks of life. It is not about HIM, it is about THEM. He has no right to do that.
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jentoblues101
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Jun 30 @ 4:18PM
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Ok, ok, it's a good blog; you don't have to pull a Fender-Chick. Here's your kudo.
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BUSTED616
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Jul 1 @ 9:32AM
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i did not read your blog, sorry, just the title... and from the blogs i see here, [present compnay excluded] id choose death, hands down 
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