HometownSource Blogs

Not that it is a big deal or anything, but I am going to remain on here as ECM’s conservative blogger. In making that decision though, I feel some explanation is due for my rather erratic behavior over the past couple of weeks.

I didn’t step down because of time constraints. I stepped down after one of the more far-left bloggers here, Matt Perkins of the aptly titled “Ranting is all the Rave,” waved his magic rod over a random adjective and was able to determine I was, unquestionably, a “bigot.” From there, it was a quick trip to “dumb skank.” [Ed. - Matt has since apologized…sort of.]

That kind of character assassination is certainly not unique to Matt.

In fact, it is par for the course at bastions of higher thought like DailyKos, HuffPo, and DUh. It is a tactic often used by far-left writers as a way to deflect attention from their own ideological inconsistencies. Think of it as the far-left political discourse version of “Oh ya? Well, you’re a poopy-head!”

Return or no, I set off on a quest to explore the feasibility of creating a professional code of conduct for ECM bloggers in order to protect not only future victims of poopy talk, but also to protect the purveyors and ECM itself, on the notion that it is in the best interest of all to hold the site to a higher standard. After holding a conversation on the issue with an individual at the mothership, the determination was made that this is a free speech issue. While I don’t necessarily agree, I certainly understand and applaud the instinct to, when in doubt, allow more speech not less.

With that conclusion in hand I was faced with the choice of taking my ball and going home, or sticking around safe in the knowledge that hurling invectives is far more a reflection on the author than the victim. I choose the latter because this site is desperately in need of a conservative voice. [Ed. - I’m not saying the media is overwhelmingly liberal Howie, just that there aren’t any conservatives.]

So I am going to return and do my best to ignore the slurs. In doing so I will also do my best to adhere to the code of conduct I suggested - no epithets or slurs, and no posting in others’ comment sections. I hope others will hold themselves to a higher standard but personally don’t care if they do or don’t. It’s their reputation as a journalist on the line, not mine.

So, thanks for your patience and for the many, many e-mails and contact I received with words of encouragement. You made a difficult decision much easier.

And with that, we now resume our regularly scheduled programming…

UPDATE (June 17): In comments, Steve Morris attempts to take me to task on a perceived contradiction:

In your blog code of ethics, you suggested ECM bloggers not comment on their own posts.

In case you forgot, you wrote:

As a comment section is designed for readers, and ECM Blogs comment sections have been almost totally dominated by ECM authors (myself included), it is proposed that, going forward, comment sections be off limits to ECM Blogs authors.

Later you write more:

In doing so I will also do my best to adhere to the code of conduct I suggested “