Extremists please check your baggage at the door.
Maybe I just haven't been a DJ member for long enough, but lately I've found an absolute flood of personal attacks, misplaced opining, and general trouble making here. I find it disgusting, disheartening, and a sign of bad breeding.
Notice that I entered this as a blog rather than an op-ed news article.
When I joined DJ, it was to read, contribute and engage in discussion about news. There have been some excellent gems: e.g. monkey trafficking laws, the atrocities in human trafficking, iPhones in Canada, and the effect of fire-works on veterans in the US. There has also been a glut of poorly disguised blogs, imo, about the 'decline of US values', the ongoing mud-slinging between McCain and Obama, and other topics cobbled together from a variety of blog and otherwise questionable (in their viewpoint) sources.
Are we journalists or simply another forum to post opinion with just enough 'fact' to warrant it as 'news'?
Journalists express their views in the form of (hard-hitting) news that is based on reliable sources – the more the better. We do not allow our personal biases colour what we report to the point that it becomes opinion. Doing the latter, does not fulfill our primary mission, i.e., informing our readership of news-worthy events that other media may have missed. When we allow bias and strongly held belief (often with even deeper emotional attachment) to unduly influence our articles or the discussions that follow, we reduce our contribution to the level of bloggers and pundits.
Remember, we CJ's are getting paid to report news. If you want to be paid for little more than your opinion, may I suggest that you become a motivational speaker. Heaven knows the pay is better (no offense Chris).
If you feel strongly enough about a topic that you feel your opinion outweighs the basis for writing the story, why not write a brief article on the news and then follow it with a blog? That way you will have informed the readership and gotten your personal thoughts out.
I've thought, on occasion, that some readers become members of DJ for the simple purpose of inserting their opinion in any discussion that barely relates to it. Threads have been hijacked regularly of late, conservatives are labeled racists, liberals become socialists, and discussion of the original article gets lost in all the blather and tripe. Mainstream media has moderators to handle that level of mud that is slung; unfortunately we don't have that luxury here.
I continue to hold out hope that this is just a passing storm.
blog:545:7::0
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Sorry Sykos, we have all fought this battle. I personally do much better with Op-Eds: I find that when I do an Op-ed I get more into it. I research more, give more links and information. My black national anthem pieces are both news worth in my opinion. One is about the straight news event, the other a reflection of how it affects America and why people had that reaction. I think both had quite a bit of hard hitting information that is important.
Michelle Malkin, Arrianna Huffington, Anne Coulter, and others get paid for thier opinions, they are called syndicated columnists. It takes all kinds to make a news website move. Cgull, Can Tran, and KJ seem to take a whack at the recent news. Sue D. covers very political pieces, Mark L. Harvy is an opinion guy. All of these inspire readers and commentary. I have to say, since Mark, Mike and Susan have gotten onto DJ the number of hits have risen, and now with Can Tran adding where KJ and Cgull do not catch a news piece, again more hits.
For a long time I refused to vote on celebrity pieces because I felt they were overshadowing real news. after awhile things balanced out and I read and upvote them again. DJ has morphed time and time again. Sometimes I have liked what it has become, sometimes I haven't.
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Thx Sam :):)
I hope you know that I wasn't commenting on your input. In fact, I enjoy interacting with you a great deal =D.
I'm just so frustrated with the menfolk (by and large) that feel the need to d1ck-size in every forum that they find.
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What you say and see are true in a lot of instances. There are a few here that always attack and call those names that do not agree with them. There are some that do it part of the time.
I feel bad that you have been attacked and particularly in the last post. It was unfair to you and you did not deserve it. You are polite and a good writer. If someone wants to ask a legitimate question or make a legitimate statement they should be able to do so without being attacked and called names.
The only advice I can give is bypass those who are always name callers and first check out what the comments are in the posts of those who are sometime name callers. I do it and if the post has degenerated into the good old boys having fun calling everyone names then I avoid that post also.
If these certain writers are ignored then maybe they will get the hint and if not to heck with them. There are plenty of other good writers who are polite and do not have an agenda to call everyone names who disagree with them.
Mummie is very proud of you. :)
Excellent blog Sykos
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The problem lies often, I think, not in the opinion pieces themselves, but in the number of items that are presented as news but should be labeled as being opinion pieces. For far too long we have been influenced by the main stream media doing exactly this sort of thing and calling it "news," even back unto the days of Hearst and "yellow journalism."
It continues today.
Personally, I prefer to be honest and upfront about my pieces and label them as what they are, opinion, than try to put forth a news item that will contain my slant on it.
My degrees include political science rather than journalism, and my writings in college were not geared at teaching us to take an unobjective view in our papers, but to make our point.
Had my degree been in journalism, my articles should be, and rightly so, bias-free (as much as possible) and a prepresentation of the facts, not what I think about the facts.
That's my take on it.
We have a good mixture, here, in my estimation, other than a few who seem to think that they need to go for the jugular every time they disagree with an author. Therein lies the difference another difference between our format and that of, say, the local paper. We do comments, newspapers do letters to the editor. The number of letters generally published in print media tend to be a very, very small representation of the letters actually sent to some publications. Some things that are said here in "discussion" would be "file 13ed" elsewhere and never see the light of day.
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@■ Sykos Masters
Thx Sam :):)
I hope you know that I wasn't commenting on your input. In fact, I enjoy interacting with you a great deal =D.
I'm just so frustrated with the menfolk (by and large) that feel the need to d1ck-size in every forum that they find.
Well you may have not been commenting on me, but I am as guilty as anyone of all that you have listed. I don't take offense though, but I feel if I can identify I can give perspective. Let's be honest, I can get nasty. That came from being on here for a year, and getting attacked time and time again. Trying not to "lower" myself to that level. Then I realized, that I was just letting people walk all over me. That doesn't happen anymore.
As far as opinion peices, there has been one time that I have been contacted about a news piece I have done and asked to put Opinion infront of it. I absolutely refused because some ass was trying to use semantics and intimidate me by using the staff. Should it have been an opinion piece? Maybe, maybe not. I don't think so, because everything in that was factual as can be and quite provable.
We are citizen journalists, and we should always strive for our best. Reality is we aren't going to be as professional as some would want. *shrugs* as long as we try and continue to improve we will be better journalists. -
Sykos, I have found that while yes, there are extremists on all sides, right, left, atheist, Christian, Muslem, etc. etc., we all have our own place here on Digital Journal.
There have even been arguments amongst CJers (that have degenerated into complete melee's) about what is considered a reliable source.
What I find fascinating about this site is the absolute passion that CJers bring to it. Even when I completely, with all of my heart and soul, disagree with another CJer, I just love the passion with which they are writing about their chosen subject, and the passion with which I, at times, respond to them.
As Sam said, we have all fought this battle, on our own behalves (sp? grammar? WTF, is this even a word?) or on behalf of another CJer who we may see as being treated in an unfair manner or just being treated rudely. This is life here on Digital Journal. I think we all must accept this embryonic/symbiotic relationship we all seem to have with one another, and move on to the next post.
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@■ Jedediah Redman
No big mystery psychos. I would call your attention to what Barry Goldwater (another menfolk!) said in 1964--You're out to send ol' jed to the showers; and I can understand that.
Jed, as this is my blog, I feel I have the right to say:
Stay the F*CK off of it. Your diatribe is yet more evidence of crap. -
@■ Sykos Masters
Jed, as this is my blog, I feel I have the right to say:
Stay the F*CK off of it. Your diatribe is yet more evidence of crap.
Say away psychos.
ol' jed'll stay the f*ck off of it when the managers block him from posting here. -
@■ Samantha A. Torrence
Michelle Malkin, Arrianna Huffington, Anne Coulter, and others get paid for thier opinions, they are called syndicated columnists. It takes all kinds to make a news website move. Cgull, Can Tran, and KJ seem to take a whack at the recent news. Sue D. covers very political pieces, Mark L. Harvy is an opinion guy. All of these inspire readers and commentary. I have to say, since Mark, Mike and Susan have gotten onto DJ the number of hits have risen, and now with Can Tran adding where KJ and Cgull do not catch a news piece, again more hits.
Thanks Sam for seeing that I try to cover the recent news. I also do write a few opinion pieces here and there. I refuse to close my eyes and pretend that all is well and good when it's not.
Good blog Sykos. -
Hey we all have our little niche KJ, and you do awesome at your chosen venue. =) I like it when you do your op-eds too. Always very thought provoking.
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@KJ
Sorry had to go silently scream for a bit *eg*.
I enjoy your reporting quite a bit. Of course being a fellow Canadian and your true song doesn't hurt either :)
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@■ Samantha A. Torrence
Hey we all have our little niche KJ, and you do awesome at your chosen venue. =) I like it when you do your op-eds too. Always very thought provoking.
Thank you and right back at ya. :) -
@■ Sykos Masters
@KJ
Sorry had to go silently scream for a bit *eg*.
I enjoy your reporting quite a bit. Of course being a fellow Canadian and your true song doesn't hurt either :)
Some people aren't deserving of a silent scream my dear. Do you know the movie where that phrase really came into view? If so you know how important a silent scream is.
Those of us who write are passionate about our subjects. We tend to have skins that haven't completely thicken because of that raw passion. We have to remember there are others out there that think that they have the right to bully their pov's into our own.
At one point I thought written comments to those who are in the extreme right would matter. I learned quickly that they don't and instead it would just feed fire that would be best to not have a spark to work with.
Without a spark the flame quickly dies in some cases. Passion though does not.
Keep producing your work Sykos and ignore those who make you cringe. In the end you will discover your passion stays but the anger inside of you lessens. If you choice to expose truths understand those who do not view the truth without rose colour glasses tend to take issue with that.
Hope you have a wonderful weekend. I know I will, rest and arts will see to that!! -
I see not much has changed during my hiatus from DJ.....haha.
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@■ Pamela Jean (GotTheScoop)
I see not much has changed during my hiatus from DJ.....haha.
lol Did you expect any less? We are all horrible little trolls! muwahahahahaha, poor Sykos.. =) -
@■ Samantha A. Torrence
lol Did you expect any less? We are all horrible little trolls! muwahahahahaha, poor Sykos.. =)
I have NO CLUE what Sykos has been up against, because as I said I have been steering clear of DJ for awhile now. It just started to drag me down mentally and emotionally. There are far too many people with agendas both personal and political that don't know how to have a debate, but instead use personal attacks and insults such as "obviously you can't read" or "how many times must I repeat myself before you get it" comments on DJ for my liking as of late, so I chose to just remove myself from the entire scene in hopes that new faces, voices and attitudes would evolve and arrive on the scene.
Based upon what I am seeing on this blog of Sykos, however, my "vacation" from DJ hasn't been long enough! LOL!
Guess I'll go back to my gardening - much healthier in so many ways.
Hey Sam - hope you're doing well. Getting closer to D day for you huh!? ((hugs)) -
Not close enough!! I am hot and miserable. lol
Pam, it ain't ever gonna change. There has been an increase in people who have made accounts just to get on once or twice and bitch at people. and of course I may be just a bit self centered with this, but I think I am one of the worst for bitching people out right now. As Picasso said, it's my demomtia. lol
I am doing a story on internet Narcissism since there are new laws about cyberbullying out there and what perpetuates it. You might like it when it is done. Anyway, don't be a stranger. We miss you! (hugs and air kiss)
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@■ KJ Mullins
Some people aren't deserving of a silent scream my dear. Do you know the movie where that phrase really came into view? If so you know how important a silent scream is.
I know of one movie where it appears and it's a shared history that prompted my scream. Certain actions (over which I have no control) throw me right back to those days :(
Those of us who write are passionate about our subjects. We tend to have skins that haven't completely thicken because of that raw passion. We have to remember there are others out there that think that they have the right to bully their pov's into our own.
At one point I thought written comments to those who are in the extreme right would matter. I learned quickly that they don't and instead it would just feed fire that would be best to not have a spark to work with.
Without a spark the flame quickly dies in some cases. Passion though does not.
Very sage words KJ. 90+ % of the time, I remember this ... it's that other 10% when there's choices to be made between my 'puter, a pillow, or a long walk.
Keep producing your work Sykos and ignore those who make you cringe. In the end you will discover your passion stays but the anger inside of you lessens. If you choice to expose truths understand those who do not view the truth without rose colour glasses tend to take issue with that.
Hope you have a wonderful weekend. I know I will, rest and arts will see to that!!
Thank you KJ =D I hope to be able to get some time in for painting and a good ol' fashioned belated spring cleaning. For some reason sweeping and tearing through boxes of crap always resets my balance point .... lol
I hope your w/e is relaxing and filled with good weather. You must share about the 'arts' next week!!! -
@■ Pamela Jean (GotTheScoop)
I see not much has changed during my hiatus from DJ.....haha.
Hiya Pamela!! It's a shame that you're here and gone again but I'm sure your plant-children appreciate the attention =D -
@■ Samantha A. Torrence
I am doing a story on internet Narcissism since there are new laws about cyberbullying out there and what perpetuates it. You might like it when it is done. Anyway, don't be a stranger. We miss you! (hugs and air kiss)
Ooooh ... I can't wait to read this Sam *licking lips*. -
@■ Sykos Masters
I hope your w/e is relaxing and filled with good weather. You must share about the 'arts' next week!!!
A friend of ours has a show playing in The Fringe. We're going to see it tomorrow. (they sold out today!) and then go to a friends for a BBQ afterwards! Tonight I am teaching the youngest how to make sauteed mushrooms. It will be an awesome weekend! -
@■ KJ Mullins
A friend of ours has a show playing in The Fringe. We're going to see it tomorrow. (they sold out today!) and then go to a friends for a BBQ afterwards! Tonight I am teaching the youngest how to make sauteed mushrooms. It will be an awesome weekend!
ahhhh ... the Fringe and sauteed 'shrooms (the legal kind ...lol). Sounds like heaven!!! -
@■ Sykos Masters
ahhhh ... the Fringe and sauteed 'shrooms (the legal kind ...lol). Sounds like heaven!!!
Sweets heaven is family and loved ones. One shouldn't have to look far to be able to experience the greatness of life. -
@■ KJ Mullins
Sweets heaven is family and loved ones. One shouldn't have to look far to be able to experience the greatness of life.
Very true KJ. I see a bit of heaven every time I look @ my partner or see the hilarious anitics that my 4 yo nephew produces. His latest obsession is to follow each 'very important' statement he makes with, "Seriously!!!" This wonder is already quite the character :D -
@■ Sykos Masters
Very true KJ. I see a bit of heaven every time I look @ my partner or see the hilarious anitics that my 4 yo nephew produces. His latest obsession is to follow each 'very important' statement he makes with, "Seriously!!!" This wonder is already quite the character :D
I remember when the youngest was that age. His favorite saying was "Cor-right!!" -
*giggle* .... Cor blimey!!!!
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