A rant about online rudeness and "hotbutton topics"

This isn't about anyone who has left comments on my blog, or anyone from the houseblogger.com or house blogroll community (so far you've all proven to be an absolutely wonderful bunch!!), but it is directed to and focused on the behavior of a couple of folks from another house-related online message board. And warning: There be strong language ahead.

Dear Mr. and Ms. "Can't Say Anything Nice:"

Just because you are closed minded power-mongering idiots clearly have some measure of discomfort with the day to day realities of some other members lives doesn't give you the right to be assholes openly hostile.

Just because someone posts "So, anyone doing anything for Passover?" doesn't mean that it's an "inappropriate off-topic religious discussion" any more than the long and fun threads about "What are you doing for Christmas" or "Show us your Christmas decorations!" threads were about religion - they were all simply about home, family, and community. So, Ms. Nutcase, just back off on your hostile messages slamming folks for not doing it "right" according to strict Orthodox Jewish law (and getting it wrong, since you're not even Jewish, to boot - and hey, I'm not a strict Orthodox Jew!). And Mr. Bigot, it's also not appropriate to write a long rant about how dare the original poster indicate any displeasure with the attacks because "if you're going to post about clearly hot-button topics, then you can't be so thin skinned when someone disagrees with you." So, was is some non-Jewish folks great and respectful questions about Passover and seders or the presentation I made to my granddaughter's class about Passover that was the "hotbutton topic"?!?

And, Mr. Bigot, if someone posts that they might lose their home because their legal immigrant but non-citizen husband has been arrested because he supposedly checked "citizen" on a job application several years ago (and didn't even get the job), the appropriate response is NOT to rant about how illegal immigrants and people who choose to not become citizens have no right to complain when their basic civil rights are violated, and to imply in every post you made that her husband was in fact here illegally, and that if he didn't choose to become a citizen then he deserves this treatment. The rest of the community was giving her support; you gave her nothing but shit, and now she's gone.

And finally -- oh, look, kids, it's Mr. Bigot again!! -- me and other LGBT folks in the community mentioning our partners in just the same way as other straightfolk mention their domestic partners or spouses doesn't mean that we're discussing yet another "hotbutton topic" of gay marriage. Oh, wait, you haven't attacked on that issue yet, though you've certainly mentioned it as one of the "if you talk about one of these things you'd better be prepared to have folks disagree with you" topics that we're not supposed to mention, so I'm guessing it's only a matter of time. Part of me wants to go to Mass or Canada or Spain or South Africa and get legally married there, or even just move forward the wedding we plan just for the blessings from God and our family and friends (ok, and for the dancing and party and chance to wear a pretty dress, too!), just so that I can announce it on the board the same way that other folks have announced their marriages, and then sit back and smile as I imagine your head exploding all over your new drywall.

Bottom line: People's everyday lives aren't subjects for debate or your hostile criticism. If you don't like the brand of tools I buy or how I'm going to run the wiring in my basement, then by all means disagree with me. But otherwise, if you simply don't like how others are living their everyday lives, then just keep your mouth shut.

End rant. Whew.