Washington Post

trolling

Limiting blog trolls

After blogging for over 5 years, I’ve been on the receiving end of some pretty harsh comments. I’ve found there are two types of negative blog commentator: productive criticism and blog trolls.

Blog trolls, like their mythical archetypes, lurk in the dark waiting for an unsuspecting blog author or other commentator. Blog trolls wait to unleash their irrational, ranting, and ugly comments on anyone who gets in their ideological way. I used to have a pretty liberal policy with comments on my blogs. I’d let about anything go in the name of free speech. However, I quickly learned that the blog trolls were keeping other people from commenting.

The Washington Post highlights the problem of blog troll (or their cousin the “news troll”) in an article explaining the rise and problem of the blog troll:

religion

Religion scholar: Nothing wrong with Nazi assignment

Here in Albany, the story about the school teacher who assigned a “think-like-a-Nazi” essay brought the region into a collective gasp. In turn, the school district issued an apology and put the teacher on leave. However, the story suddenly turned national as the USA Today and Washington Post picked up the story.

Just about everyone who read the story thought the assignment was a bad idea. However, Boston University religion scholar, Stephen Prothero thinks that no harm was done when the teacher gave the Nazi related assigned. He writes:

I think it’s Greenfield [New York City Councilman] who is lacking in common sense here. And it’s the superintendent who is being illogical.

I suppose it is possible that the teacher is a closet Nazi attempting to reconstruct the Third Reich in Albany. But isn’t it more likely that he or she is trying to teach students about the dangers of propaganda and the horrors of the Holocaust?

Consider the student who felt “horrible” about doing this assignment. Is that really a bad thing? How are high school students today supposed to feel about Nazism and the Holocaust?

Apparently, what they are supposed to feel (and think) is nothing, because the lesson high school teachers are going to take away from this fiasco is to avoid this topic at all costs, lest they risk losing their jobs.

When I was an assistant professor at Georgia State University in Atlanta, I used to teach Nazi theology. My students read sermons by Nazi theologians arguing that Jews were evil and were responsible for killing Jesus. They also read a book called “Theologians Under Hitler” by Robert P. Erickson, who tried to explain how and why Christian thinkers could come to believe that exterminating Jews was somehow Christ-like.

What do you think? Is Prothero on target here?

joe paterno, penn state

The Story Behind the Penn State, Nebraska Pre-Game Prayer

If it is one thing that came out of the Penn State-Nebraska game, it was not a loss for Penn State. It was a win-win for both teams. Why? Check out how the game started:

That man standing in the center is Ron Brown, an assistant coach with Nebraska. Notice in the picture that in a packed stadium, both teams, game officials, and coaches are present. What a display of unity, support, and class for college football. While many students rioted (or for some, protested) Joe Paterno’s departure, these college athletes stopped and made a statement. They prayed. For some, it may have been a moment of silence, but for others it was a start to the path of healing.

This shows all the world what is at the heart of people in college sports despite the actions of key leaders in the Penn State football program and university. There is still a sense of concern for the victims, the university, and students. They are all in it together. We are all in it together.

Back to the picture.

Who is Brown? And what did he say when this picture was taken? The Washington Post gives us some more info on Brown:

blog, News

What ‘Blood Libel’ Means

In a newly released video, Sarah Palin reacts to the shooting in Arizona and responds to critics by using the phrase “blood libel.” Watch the 7:43 minute video:

Palin states in the video: But, especially within hours of a tragedy unfolding, journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violence they purport to condemn.

As I noted in my last blog post, clearly the few comments or use of a graphic depicting targeting sights could not be the single cause of the shooter’s motivation. Charles Krauthammer of the Washington Post outlines the issue:

Culture

3 Reasons Why the Nashville Flood Went Unnoticed

Nashville: Known for country music and… flooding? It seems like few people are talking about it and few news organizations are covering it. Even though over 20 inches of rain flooded this growing city, 30 people died, the clean up will cost billions, and the city will take years to recover. Normally, that is cause for major media coverage (remember the floods in Iowa a few years back?) Certainly, the flooding of Nashville and surrounding areas are not on par with the devastation of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, but does that matter? Yes and no. No matter the disaster, people need help. No matter how great or small the loss of life, supplies and funds are needed.

It’s clear that this story has not been in the news that much. Did you know celebrities like Miley Cyrus and Nicole Kidman held a Nashville Flood Relief Telethon? Most did not see it or even hear about it. Did you know it could be one of the most expensive disasters in US history? With such a need for help in Nashville it is clear the message needs to get out. So, why haven’t we heard about the Nashville flood?

Here are three reasons why the Nashville flood went largely unnoticed by Americans and the media:

Limiting blog trolls

Religion scholar: Nothing wrong with Nazi assignment

The Story Behind the Penn State, Nebraska Pre-Game Prayer

What ‘Blood Libel’ Means

3 Reasons Why the Nashville Flood Went Unnoticed

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