Comments and the new media
Cesar Carrillo
Issue date: 1/26/09 Section: Opinions
I'm a newshound, and I read all sorts of articles a day on everything that's going on in politics. I don't know when I first noticed the "comments" that people leave after reading news stories, but I always make sure to take a look at what people are saying just because it's often ridiculous.
So, it was announced last week that Caroline Kennedy would not be chosen to replace Hillary Clinton as junior Senator from New York, and in a MonstersandCritics blog entry someone called "La Maestra" (the female teacher) wrote, "Sounds like another case of male bonding to me...if you are female...stay home, cook the food, mind the kids and stay out of politics!"
Several comments down, a poster named "Sam" answered, "Yeah right La Maestra. Now, Caroline is relegated to staying home and cooking. Don't be silly. Don't blame this one on gender discrimination or sexual stereotyping."
The next interesting comment read, "Blind and stupid is no way to go through politics," an obvious crack at the Governor of New York, who is legally blind.
Then it got bizarre, as a woman named "Jenn" wrote a 987-word rant on the subject that started "Caroline Kennedy for the New York Senate, and maybe President 2016?" A man named Carlos called Kennedy a "[l]ovely lady with excellent breeding but little experience," and so it went on as people swamped around in the muck with each other for awhile debating whether or not Kennedy was rejected as part of a grand conspiracy or because Andrew Cuomo (Attorney General of New York) is more qualified or because she's inexperienced or mediocre.
If you've never had anything of yours published and then commented on on the Internet, you are missing out on one of the weirdest experiences out there. Last week I had my first article published, and it received two comments shortly after being published defending Lisa Madigan from charges that she's a mediocre Attorney General who couldn't find corruption in the state of Illinois if it were sitting on her silver spoon at breakfast.
So, it was announced last week that Caroline Kennedy would not be chosen to replace Hillary Clinton as junior Senator from New York, and in a MonstersandCritics blog entry someone called "La Maestra" (the female teacher) wrote, "Sounds like another case of male bonding to me...if you are female...stay home, cook the food, mind the kids and stay out of politics!"
Several comments down, a poster named "Sam" answered, "Yeah right La Maestra. Now, Caroline is relegated to staying home and cooking. Don't be silly. Don't blame this one on gender discrimination or sexual stereotyping."
The next interesting comment read, "Blind and stupid is no way to go through politics," an obvious crack at the Governor of New York, who is legally blind.
Then it got bizarre, as a woman named "Jenn" wrote a 987-word rant on the subject that started "Caroline Kennedy for the New York Senate, and maybe President 2016?" A man named Carlos called Kennedy a "[l]ovely lady with excellent breeding but little experience," and so it went on as people swamped around in the muck with each other for awhile debating whether or not Kennedy was rejected as part of a grand conspiracy or because Andrew Cuomo (Attorney General of New York) is more qualified or because she's inexperienced or mediocre.
If you've never had anything of yours published and then commented on on the Internet, you are missing out on one of the weirdest experiences out there. Last week I had my first article published, and it received two comments shortly after being published defending Lisa Madigan from charges that she's a mediocre Attorney General who couldn't find corruption in the state of Illinois if it were sitting on her silver spoon at breakfast.
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