On-line comments by the handicapped

Impolite kids and cowards hiding behind anonymity are today’s Number One threat to ideas and debates of intelligent on-line commenters.

Lots of folks used to contribute serious comments and blog entries to the Advocate’s web site. Their numbers have dwindled considerably because too many abrasive and uninformed people attack others from behind “user names.”

These days you can tune into almost any string of comments that follows on-line news reports or blog entries and observe what appears to be the intellectually disadvantaged at work, most of whom are impolite without provocation.

Comments sections have become showrooms for what these people think is wit, rather than a discussion about the news report or bloggers’ subjects. These snipers are trying to boost their self-esteem by bullying the more intelligent and more peaceable readers. They’ll never have to look their victims in the eye, and that’s the ultimate shield for cowards.

The level of their writing ability often indicates they are very young people - from grade school to teenagers. Prolific, too, are sophomore-level pseudo-intellectuals, some of them apparently up in years.

Normal people can survive and enjoy it if they will recognize these youngsters and bullies and know-it-alls for what they are. Remember the source of their courage and they won’t seem threatening.

You don’t have to respond, or defend yourself, from the little people bent on trying to get you embarrassed or angry. It isn’t personal and shouldn’t be perceived as such. Be gentle because likely your adversary is a seventh-grader or some hillbilly who’s slammed back four beers. Keep your balance and you’ll enjoy the humor in on-line comments by the handicapped.