More on Anonymity

Submitted by Contributor #12

Just to clarify my earlier comments--

I don't think the main or only focus of the site should be on the positive. There is value in turning over rocks and exposing what lies underneath to the light of day.

But one of the stated objectives of the blog is "to Promote the Historic and Beautiful Oil Region of Northwestern Pennsylvania as a Welcoming Place for All" and that is hardly achieved by an uninterrupted list of various acts of local bigotry.

Likewise, I get that the decision to take a public stand in these issues is not one made lightly. It's no fun to be on the receiving end of the vitriol of either side.

Unfortunately, I think that's part of the problem. I think there are plenty of people who fall somewhere in a moderate middle on many of these issues, people who are equally frustrated when A) they're told they have to disapprove of someone's entire life and personhood just because of that person's sexuality or B) they can't ever criticize a gay person for anything because that "proves" they're homophobic.

Lots of people who could be speaking for the middle, who could be building bridges, are chased off the playing field because of the extremes on either side who say, "You must be with Us 100% or you are an ally of our evil opponents."

These are complicated issues-- particularly in a small area like ours-- but people who might try to express complicated or nuanced points of view need thick skins, because they are liable to be hammered by both sides (though, in truth, it's not as simple as the us vs. them two-sided model that those folks would like us to buy into). They are the voices that are least likely to speak out, but they are the voices that, I believe, are most needed.

I'm aware that as a straight white male (religious but only, so far, born only once) there are experiences and points of view that I am never going to be in a position to understand. I'm always open to hearing about experiences beyond my own by people who know. I am not so interested in being harangued and called a variety of names-- not only is it not fun, but I don't learn anything from it.

And that is perhaps what I find most unsympathetic about the extreme position-holders. They aren't looking to understand anything, nor help anyone else understand. They just want to power their view into other peoples' heads, or, barring that, express their POV to like-minded people so everyone can pat each other on the back and say "You sure told them."

At the end of the day, with pretty much any issue, I would like to understand you better. I can't understand you better if we don't have some kind of dialogue. And it's hard to have a dialogue with you if I don't even know who you are.