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| Image from Austin's Blog |
"Who is Austin?" you ask. Good question. But I know some of who he is. He's a teen that runs a blog. And some other blogs have taken issue with his Netiquette. And several other blogs have come to his rescue. So, not wanting to be left behind on a good thing, I'm jumping onto this bandwagon.
If you want a really good rundown on the situation, read InstaRage from HUNDREDPERCENTER.
Here's a brief rundown: Austin runs Austin's Blog: The Political Ponderings of a Teen. Austin's 13 years old. Old enough to be responsible for some things, certainly old enough to learn if he is made aware of a transgression. But young enough to be forgiven for most transgressions. To me, he's a kid. But that's only because I'm 33 years older than he. I didn't have a blog at 13. Of coure, there weren't blogs in 1971, but that's beside the point. He does have a blog. Or did. It seems his mother is shutting the blog down. I can't blame her, but perhaps she'll reconsider.
Anyway, it seems Austin used an image from Blogs For Bush and didn't provide proper credit. And InstaPundit (motto: "Mmmm. Puppies.") picked up on it. Now, for those that don't know, when Glenn Reynolds posts a link to a site, it gets lots and lots of hits. That InstaPundit avalanche of hits is known as an "Instalanche." And that's a lot of publicity for a blog.
Jordan Golson of Cheese and Crackers had some harsh words for Austin. Other blogs, including protein wisdom jumped in. Lots of others, too. Again, see the InstaRage column. Anyway, most have taken up for Austin. Lots of mean things were said. Lots of feeling got hurt. But, eventually cooler heads would prevail.
Jordan Golson has posted an apology. Matt Margolis at Blogs For Bush has posted an apology. So, those that jumped on them had, in my eyes, valid points. However, taking Jordan and Matt at their word, they wish the whole thing had been handled differently. But, they've apologized.
Will Austin continue to blog? I don't know. I guess it's up to his parents. But I hope so. And I hope everyone can put this behind them and move forward, all having learned from it.
But, the mean part of me thinks it was fun while it lasted.
Instead of encouraging a young person's interest in politics and beginning efforts at blogging, an adult attacks with profanity. I am 69 and I have made errors as I learned to blog and I got a nasty Email because I recommended some site in a comment section. I have not made the mistake again. If a reasonable adult had written a simple comment or Email pointing out the etiquette of blogging, it could have been a positive learning experience for this youngster.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the goal was to show Austen how truly cut
throat and downright nasty some involved in politics can be. I do not know the people involved, except Matt, since I blogged for Bush.
There is no book I am aware of that states the rules of etiquette for blogging. If there is such a thing, please point this out to me and Austin.
I too am a new blogger and some have been kind enough to show me the way when I have made mistakes, but I have not been taken to the woodshed over any of my mistakes, had I been, I probably would have retorted with a whole mess of whoop-ass. But I digress, actually no, Golson gave out legal advice, a crime if one is not a lawyer like me :). I would have had all kinds of fun at his expense. Though the ordeal is over, I will not link to or view Golson's site, he made me angry. We should be helping to shape the minds and give encouragment to teens like Austin. While I am a barely linked blogger in the blogosphere, I will find my fun elsewhere and stay away from Golson.
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