The Smackdown

I didn't want my first post of the new year to be like this, but I guess Oh-six ticking over to Oh-seven didn't mean there wouldn't be rubble to clean up.

I appreciate the support people have given me regarding the last post. One comment, however, in particular, needs addressing. In it, the author was very disparaging to the girl mentioned in the post.

I hope that his comments have not caused offence to the girl in question, although they probably have. I want to apologize, but that would do little good, because those words were not mine. I am still sorry if my words provoked such a reaction.

I will say that I think the comments were unfair and crossed a line in terms of what is appropriate in the context of this blog and the post.

There is an acceptable level of slanging that is usual in the fallout of a situation like this. There were times when I'd devise outlandish insults about ex-boyfriends/girlfriends to make my friends feel better. I'd joke that we would send Gonorrhea Death Squads comprising Thai Ladyboys to infect these ex's and make their lives miserable. I mean, "GIRLS ARE STUPID, THROW ROCKS AT THEM" is a pretty catchy, if misogynistic, call to arms.

There is, however, no real venom behind it.

The comment in question was meant to incite, and unfortunately, had no real relation to the post. The author may think that because he has some skeletal inside knowledge of the situation that qualifies his comments but I don't think it does. He misses the point of the post, which is mostly about my struggle to reconcile change with staying myself. Although I made my opinion clear, whether or not this girl is "beautiful and intelligent" is largely irrelevant.

I am happy to lay my own feelings bare here in this blog, but I do not have any such rights over the feelings of others. I will not disclose information that may compromise someone else's privacy. So please understand that when you comment you are making a comment based on limited information, filtered through my world-view.

I will leave the comment unmoderated as a reminder that actions have consequences and because I also believe in free speech. The girl in question has her right to reply, which she has absolutely no obligation to exercise.

Please. This is not the place to start beef. I don't want that here.

And to you-know-who-you-are: Dot point "No.5" in the comment is not about you. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry.