Recently I wrote what seemed a positive piece on a veterans’ lobbying organization. I mentioned an interview one of its members did with a U.S. print outlet and quoted a small portion of the interview. I went on to opine that this organization would continue to work on behalf of veterans.
Though I have written outrageous (all be they true) items over the years, it seems the mundane cause more panic. The piece gushed about the organization, but the reaction was oddly defensive. On rare occasions a person I mention in an entry might think I should contact them for additional information. What they may not understand is they are not the focus of the entry, and I am happy to scarf info from other sources unless it is suspect. While accuracy is important, this is a blog, not one of my 2,000-word features. Regardless, the golden ring in the blog style is the issue du jour. Quotes are window dressing.
I am surprised how personalities and politics are working to overtake the blog domain and this blog dominatrix. Such needless interference degrades the blog; its crafting becomes joyless and it begins to lack creativity and originality. It becomes all that is missing from much of mainstream feature writing. The blog author becomes hesitant to dish to his or her readers, not out of fear, but to avoid unpleasant missives from small but vocal groups of the dissatisfied and self-absorbed.
I have been merciless in my quest for Marine Corp Commandant Jim “Not in My Corp” Conway and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary “Black Engineer of the Year Award” Roughead. I have dragged these guys naked up and down I-95. Nary a complaint. (Ok, it is probably because they don’t read my stuff, but let me have my fantasies.)
Thank you, Jim and Gar’.
What is the deal? What is a blog dominatrix any way? What are your thoughts?