Thing #7 - Creating Community Through Commenting

This is something I do not do. Years ago there was a blog that started about boys and athletics - namely baseball.  I remember posting inquiries and comments on the website about baseball, college and various athletes.  My main interest was where they were going to college or the recruiting process parents went through when their athletes began getting recognized.  I read other posts and kept up with various conversations on the website.  But then, as many things do, the website took a nasty turn.  People began to post negative comments about boys that might be competing with their son in school or in select baseball and the negativity began to consume the website.  As you might have guessed, my son is an athlete.  One day I logged on to the site to read the latest and of course there was a blog about my son and his endeavors.  There were negative comments made about his talent and how they felt he was undeserving of his scholarship.  It was tough to read.  I wanted so badly to snap back and defend my son, but realized I did not want to lower myself to the level of that jealousy and negativity.  While I had commented on blogs and conversation threads in the past, I decided right then that I didn't want to be a part of a website that had gone from recognizing talent, giving informaton about teams, schools and scholarships, to being a website that became judgmental and "gossipy."  That's the last time I "commented" on anything in the small community of baseball here in the Dallas Fort Worth area.  If I can be completely honest and frank, the exerience left me "soured" on creating community through commenting.