I really wish the local news rag would stop allowing reader comments on-line.

[hippywife]

I usually don't read them and here's a very good example of why. The stupid is very strong here.

Jenks eyes limit on tattoo parlors

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20100725_81_A17_Jenkst208785

[hippywife]

1. I mean really, folks...

do these comments not make you appreciate where YOU live?

[justabob]

2. it is universal, I think

every time I click on comments, no matter what the publication is, I find The Stupid.

[madamesilverspurs]

3. They are ubiquitous,

which is especially ironic since it's doubtful they'd even know the meaning of that word. One of the more frequent posters to our newspaper is committed to the belief that Obama is going to turn her into soylent green and that's what is behind his health care effort. And she's one of the smarter ones. Rumor has it that there's a secret basement someplace that provides their training; it's run by a mom with apple pie and whips. . .


-

[kayakjohnny]

4. Mine just did. Maybe a week or so ago.

The comments were always ludicrous and insensitive and nonsense. Just like you see on Youtube.

But very insensitive to tragedies and racial themes and whatever else.

I'm glad they're gone.

Sooner or later a lot of papers will do the same, I'm guessing.

They can't police that crap night and day to weed out the filth.

[hippywife]

6. One of the local TV stations stopped it. n/t

[Roon]

5. I ignore them eom

[hippywife]

7. I usually do.

But sometimes it's hard to look away. As it was, I only read about a half dozen of the ones in that article.

:hi:

[skygazer]

8. There is absolutely no point to them

Always just a bunch of judgmental and moronic people made brave by their anonymity bashing others who are often in the midst of grief. Case in point - guy got killed her a couple months ago when he was hit by a speeding car while riding his bike. Car jumped right onto the sidewalk and nailed him. So of course the comments went into great detail about what an idiot he was to be riding on the sidewalk, speculation that he wasn't wearing a helmet (he was), and concluded that he probably deserved it.

Hate that crap. And they're all like that.

As for the article you posted, it seems that only a small minority can even spell "tattoo" (even though it's clearly written in the headline and throughout the article) - also, I really adore the comment about how "sheik" tattoos are. :rofl:

[hippywife]

9. I definitely don't read them

on tragedy stories. No way!

The sheik comment caught my eye, too. :rofl:

[revolution breeze]

10. I loved the Letters to the Editor

When I lived on Whidbey Island, without fail, every three months or so someone would write a letter to the ediotr to complain about the jet noise. The writer always claimed they were not informed their house was subject to jet noise in the middle of the night and now the house had de-valued to the point they could not sell. The Naval Air Station has only been on the island since 1942. Then there are the people who move into an agricultural community and complain about the smells, or the people who buy homes near the Fairgrounds in New Orleans and complain about the traffic during Jazzfest.....

[Skip Intro]

11. The whole point is to allow members of the community to voice their opinions. Let them speak.

This is America. We do value freedom of expression. I don't want to shut anyone up.

[hippywife]

12. In many on-line outlets that allow public comment

the function has had to be shut down or heavily monitored because people have no sense about the cruel and stupid things they say...many of which they would NEVER say face to face to anyone. There have even been a few stories on NPR that I've heard about people making horrible comments when a public person has passed away. And it happens here all the time.

With the anonymity allowed them they have traded public courtesy for the ability to say the most awful things they never otherwise would have had the nerve to say because the people around them would have been so totally appauled that they would have ostracized them.

With freedom comes responsibility. Many people forget that.