Don't Read the Comments

If you read blogs, and clearly you do, or at least you read this one (thanks for that), you may scroll down beyond the post and read the comments left by other readers.  My little blog is small and relatively unknown which means the comments are kind and sweet and mostly from my mom.  When your blog grows, so then, do the number of comments.  And then, for every ten lovely and uplifting comments, you receive one that can feel like something has clutched your insides and squeezed.  

Sometimes these comments are left by 'internet trolls' whose purpose in life is to stir up controversy and sit back and watch the mayhem.  These are pretty easy to spot and less hard on the head. Others are left by individuals who truly believe their hateful ideas.  It's comments like this one directed at autism advocate "Tanner's Dad" that get you:


@TannersDad if your child is autistic, that's because of YOUR faulty DNA, dad. Look in the mirror if you need someone ELSE to blame. #Loser.

I recently witnessed this twitter attack against @TannersDad from someone whom I won't name because I get the distinct feeling he would enjoy more attention. The above comment is one of the many hurtful things hurled at this autism dad. I think the argument began over Tanner's Dad's beliefs about vaccines or something like that but I don't really care what sparked the attack. I care that this kind of attitude exists in a world where I am raising Kate. I know that this man was hiding behind the internet when he attacked this father. For some reason, these things stand out and cloud the many good comments we receive every day.

The thing that I remind myself when I read awful comments like this is that there are a vast number of you that would line up behind me and Tanner's Dad to put this man in his place. That seems to help.

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