This is my first 'metakos' diary ever, but I felt the need to write this because of a situation that I think is getting out of hand. We are all angry at the White House, frustrated by the lies, the war, the manipulation.
But I am sick and tired of loading up this blog and seeing diary after diary with "fuck" in the title or the user name.
I don't care what you write in your diaries, but I would be very glad if I never saw another diary title that used the word 'fuck.' It was funny the first time (or not), but now it is making this site look cheap.
So I ask everyone to take a deap breath and get back to writing creative, funny, and to the point diary titles without cheap gutter langauge. I'm not going to put up a list of words that should not be in titles. That's not the point and everyone knows it.
Just stop writing titles that say things like "Go Fuck Yourself Mr. President" and so forth.
Feel like wriiting a letter to the editor that says that? Feel like sending a letter to your senator that calls him or her a "fucking traitor"--good on you. I have no idea if these types of letters have an impact or not. But leave off with the diary titles.
The diaries are full of great writers, great thinkers, and passionate organizers and activists. But it would be a shame if the diaries became a political joke, a grassroots version of South Park.
As for those of you who put the word "fuck" in your username: I don't know what to tell you.
It's enough that we have a great weekly series called "WYFP." It has a great following and for a good reason, because it uses a formula to invite people to blow off steam. Thanks to everyone who runs that series.
I'm putting a poll up here, because if I am wrong, I will back down. But I think most people in the diaries would be much happier if we just agreed to not pepper our titles with 'fuck.'
And with that, I end my rant.
Enjoy your Sunday.
Update [2005-11-13 12:32:51 by Jeffrey Feldman]:
One idea from the comments is that use of words like 'fuck' is actually boring compared to the more creative invention of more specific new words crafted from the headlines.
I agree with this: we are better served by using the names of prominent Republicans as obscenities, and the like, to make our points. That's the kind of creativity that starts trends, drives our points into the media, and brings more and more people into the conversation.
And if you don't believe me--you can go Rumsfeld yourself....
Update [2005-11-13 13:24:52 by Jeffrey Feldman]:
Excellent point from kpardue in the comments:
It's not a question of censorship, but of how to use language to communicate, to inform, to persuade.
It seems that half the people here see this site as a private club and the other half see it as a public forum.
Which is it? Are we sitting around in someone's den, shooting the breeze, or are we here to change people's minds?
Very good point. Which is it?