Decorum: Internet Protocol Redefined, a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down

I am not very internet savvy. My girl, Coca CoLo, asked me if I wanted to contribute to her blog and I thought, hey it’s 2010 I should jump onto this information superhighway since it appears to be the road to the future! So, now I’m learning all kinds of cool new things. I’m new to the blogosphere and as I click around this strange world, I am shocked to find that it can be a seriously hostile environment.

While there is lots of information out there to exchange and plenty to learn, sometimes message boards and discussion threads can get a little out of control and abusive. People feel that they can actually attack someone personally just because they disagreed with or were annoyed by something posted on a blog? Is there no internet protocol? I have to wonder if some of these sharp-tongued folks would be so mean if there was accountability for the things they say. If commenting weren’t anonymous, if you had to call me a f*cking insipid b*tch to my face, would you?

Would you please shut up?

I can't be the only one who's thought that in a social situation--right? Here's my story.

Hi. My name is duchess, and I'm a vegan.

The reasons why don't concern you. No, really, they don't. It doesn't matter if I'm vegan because I'm an environmentalist, if I don't like to eat animals, if I'm just trying to be healthier, if I get sick when I eat meat or dairy, or if I just don't like the taste. It doesn't matter if I wear leather or if I don't, or whether I belong to animal protection groups or not. (As for which of those really do apply to me: I'm not telling. Some do and some don't, and that's all you need to know.)