Diary: In Defense of Respect

There have been a number articles and entries on OpEdNews.com lately about the web site itself. While most of them discuss the content, its format, and enhancements, none have touched upon the fear, anger, and resentment espoused by authors and/or commenters. Understandably, these emotions are what provide the fire that motivates one to take action.

And yet, in excess these can also blind a person to the essence or truth of an object or issue. Additionally, such excesses can cloud one's judgment, which under "normal" circumstances, is sound and respectful of others. After all, are we not all equal before each other or so I've read here many times over?

However, those that embrace these qualities, instead of harnessing them to inspire, can quickly become consumed by them. Take for instance some of these quotes attributed recently to a new member on OpEdNews.com:

"I can't help it if you [an OEN editor] have literally no deductive reasoning skills, but the rest of us have grown tired of the obvious "page sanitizing" that shills [here] engage in."

"What rational person, who is secure in their belief that the official 9/11 conspiracy theory is in fact the truth, would honestly post over 1200 comments specific to the 9/11 truth movement?"

"[The shill] doesn't need to be defended by you [an OEN editor], he needs to be outed so he'll resurface once again under a new identity."

"Do I have to spell it out for you [an OEN editor] with a TV Short using clay-mation animals. Get it together man, and try to see the forest thru the trees."

Certainly, there is passion in the words, but respect for the forum moderator is sadly lacking. Some may argue that respect is immaterial when the issue is grave. I disagree. Such an approach is the start of a slippery slope that uses the absoluteness of a person as a means to justify a subjective end.

There's such a thing as commitment. Commitment without control, though, is nothing more than chaos: "a state of things in which chance is supreme" - http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chaos . And with chance, one should always be careful of what they wish for because it might just come true.

Respect, or the act of giving particular attention or consideration, is reflective of a person who's willing, honest, and open-minded. Absence of it, and one should question critically the words of the disrespectful for their motives and expectations. Excess anger only leads to rage which is loss of self-control from violence of emotion.

And emotion is just another word for passion.