Buddy doesn't understand the fuss

My best friend barks in his sleep.

Buddy’s dreamland consists of chasing rabbits of his youth. I never hear him bark while awake. The other night he started howling; I switched on the light and he was sound asleep.

Of all things, Buddy is at most peaceful. He doesn’t raise a fuss. Whimpers a little when he’s ready for a walk and then spends his outdoor time rolling around in the grass. 

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He enjoys close contact. Never known a huggable dog like this. It’s like he knows I’ve been through stuff. Him too.

Buddy is my calm. He sleeps on the office floor while I work, moving only when I move. We’ve become inseparable at home.

Alone with Buddy most of the time, I’m often bouncing ideas off him. Buddy is a great listener and rarely interrupts.

He’s the inspiration behind today’s blog.

I’ve had some Facebook conversations this week about proper behavior in the blog comments. They caught my attention enough that I felt it best to talk about it.

With Qualifying Week out of the way, political season kicks into high gear. That means stronger opinions on candidates and issues. We want that. I mean, that’s sort of what this thing is all about.

But the chat should be on topic without offensive remarks. It’s possible. Most readers do it every day.

Tunnel vision is never more apparent than in political comments. People choose a side and stick with it no matter what. I’m good with that, but not when it mixes the message. A chat about local issues turns sideways in a hurry when conversations turn personal.

Being blunt: Hauling in your opinions on Trump or Biden when the topic is Citrus County simply doesn’t belong here. I can’t be clearer than that. This is a Citrus County think tank. Our purpose is to discuss subjects we actually can solve ourselves. 

I don’t like bringing this up because the vast majority of readers are polite and courteous. It’s a source of pride at Just Wright Citrus that someone can comment on the blog without fear of being labeled. About a half-dozen readers over the last two years who could not accept that guideline have lost their JWC privileges.

One of my favorite readers is someone I disagree with about 99% of the time. She bravely offers her comment knowing that dozens will tell her she’s wrong. She fights back to push her point.

I admire that. What I don’t admire is when someone accuses her of being a MAGA clone or she says Citrus County is a bunch of libs who can’t handle the truth.

None of that belongs here. We’re not debating national politics at Just Wright Citrus. And we’re definitely not insulting one another. Plenty of other sites exist for that in Citrus County. 

A few other thoughts:

— Some people this week referred to a blog subject as a “cancer” in Citrus County. That is as far from acceptable as we can get. I mean...no. If you can't say it to your 8-year-old niece, please don't say it here.

— I’m going to be a little more liberal this summer on deleting comments that stray from the subject. One thing I’ve picked up from doing this is being able to tell a sincere comment from a disingenuous one. Calling out other readers is almost sure to fall into the latter category. Same with little off-topic potshots.

— I’m no Grinch; I’ll have a few blogs on the presidential race. And readers can go to town on their views. The same blog rules for polite conversation apply. We’ll see how that works.

— Lastly, folks, take a breath. People tell me this all the time. I get all revved up about something and want action NOW. The truth is, even this blog has a pace to it. I don’t post heavy material every day. When readers are getting particularly aggressive, I’ll purposely tone down so we can all relax a little.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll repeat: The blog only works with your comments. The community conversation moves the needle, not me. I’m so dang proud of what you have accomplished. 

Time to go. I hear Buddy chasing rabbits.

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