Why It’s Best to Turn Off Your IMs

I hate instant messaging. If you want to contact me, send an email. I was doubly reminded of why and how much I hate IMs when a computer crash reset my privacy settings so that anyone who wanted to send me an IM could. Apparently there are right-wingers who are so sad and pathetic and creepy-stalky that they added me to their buddy lists with the express purpose of sending me nasty tidings if and when they were to see me online. Generally I pride myself in being available to anyone, including critics, who wants to engage me in conversation. But I can’t be completely open. For example, I don’t have a comments section on my blog, as much as I’d want to, because I’ve learned the hard way that it only takes a couple of right-wing turds to ruin such forums for everybody. Here, for your edification, is a classic example of why it doesn’t pay to make yourself available in real time:

GBPckr8: WHAT THE JAHOOSAFUDGE
GBPckr8: YOUR THAT GUY WITH THE TALKIE SHOW THINGY
GBPckr8: YOU AFFENDED ME PEOPLE
GBPckr8: AND YOUR CARTOONS SUCK
GBPckr8: BIG FLOPPY DONKEY DICK TED
GBPckr8: i knew u were too antichrist to talk

As you were.