"Never read the comments . . . "

[gollygee]

We all know the comments of news articles out there (local news, yahoo, wherever) end up being racist nasty holes of filth.

I've started responding to them. It feels bad to see nasty filth without a word to the contrary. I've decided to be a word to the contrary.

Am I crazy? Does anyone else ever not just read the comments, but respond?

[Blue_In_AK]

1. I respond to comments all the time

and comment myself on the original article. I find the comments the most interesting part sometimes.

[Populist_Prole]

2. Local newspaper's online comments section are the absolute worst

The ( very ) few times I read them I am not only amazed, but deeply and disappointingly dismayed that their are people with such vile evil views among my metro area.

[lunatica]

3. when I feel like kicking arse I dive right in

But never if I don't feel like kicking some teeth in.

It's great practice in no holds barred aggressive debate. Quite cathartic. Then I come back to DU and act like a lady again. LOL!

[Dirty Socialist]

4. I sometimes respond

I wonder where those vandals come from.

[Cleita]

5. Waste of time if your purpose is to let them know they are wrong.

Those commentators are just trolls and sometimes paid trolls. However, if you want to correct errors and lies for others who may be reading those comments, then do it.

[Skidmore]

6. I respond sometimes, especially

when I see blatant lies or misrepresentations of information. I do so because Limbaugh and his ilk and the giant echo chamber they reverberate in is quite frequently the only information processed by some of these people. At least, if I say something, they can't say they have never been given a supported fact or idea representing another viewpoint.

[shenmue]

7. I do

I have to fight the urge not to punch through the screen. I want to think that at least in some tiny way, I've put a hitch in the get-along of some pimply idiot whose parents didn't raise him right.

[jillan]

8. I do. It's really hard to silence my fingers when I see comments about the broken eye socket & that

they are still spreading that blatant lie.

Now there is a picture going around of some other black teenager with a gun in his hand that they are saying is Michael.... cuz ya know - they all look the same.

I get infuriated!! And I can't control myself.

[RagAss]

9. Nah. Loser trolls who owe their lives to anonymity.

Some of the shit they write would get them killed where I'm from.

[gollygee]

10. I've seen stuff that's horrible that isn't anonymous

Like where it goes through people's facebook accounts and their name and picture are next to the comment and all their friends and family can see what they wrote.

[betsuni]

11. I really appreciate people who take the time to respond.

I feel guilty not doing it sometimes, but lately a Facebook account (or Yahoo or something) is required to log in at many places, and I don't have one, so that's my excuse... It's wonderful to see someone post a nice gift of facts, quotes and links after a slew of ignorant hateful right-wing talking points.

Another reason I don't like to comment is because of the incessant nitpicking. Not even political. Just anything. If I post a comment like "Has anyone else noticed that sausages often have cheese in them these days? It's too damn salty. The casing is salted, so is the meat, and then you add salty cheese? They'll throw just about anything in sausages these days: Pineapples, mangoes, kale, mushrooms, artichokes, habeneros and jalapenos. Where's the kitchen sink? Not everything has to have cheese and jalapenos in it. Just make a good plain sausage and let us worry about what to eat with it."

Replies will be: "Geez, don't get your panties in a twist, there are still ordinary sausages out there, open your eyes." "What are you, the Sausage Nazi? You make me sick." "You shouldn't be eating meat anyway. Are you aware of what goes on in those factories? People like you are what makes this country suck." "Why do you hate cheese? You're a hateful person and should be ashamed of your disgusting words." "What have you got against jalapenos? You probably want all the hot dried Mexican peppers deported so they won't contaminate your pure white Cream of Mushroom soup, right? Racist." "Just don't buy them. Idiot." Etc.