Friday, March 06, 2015

A Word to Our Readers

As most of you know, I write this blog to celebrate Ocracoke Island history, culture, and traditions. Every once in a while a reader decides to take one of our stories as a reason to promote a particular ideological viewpoint, sometimes in, what seems to me, a challenging manner.

I am a strong supporter of free expression, but this blog is not designed for that sort of discussion. There are plenty of Internet forums for that.

When posting comments please be civil, refrain from provocation, and limit your remarks to thoughts or questions about island history, culture, and tradition.

I can, and I will, delete selected comments that are off topic, provocative, and/or uncivil, especially if they are anonymous.

With that said, heartfelt thanks to our many readers & commenters who know and love Ocracoke, a unique and colorful island community with a creative and diverse population. We appreciate your readership...and your comments!

This month's Ocracoke Newsletter is research into the origin of the Ocracoke Island Wahab family. You can read the article here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news022115.htm.

13 comments:

  1. Anonymous6:46 AM

    Well said and I agree with you 100%. Amazing how some writers can get so far "off topic." Looking forward to my annual visit in May, especially after THIS winter!

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  2. Well said, Philip.
    Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but it is just that, their opinion.
    An informative and amusing blog should not be used as a soapbox.

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  3. It's really too bad that many others, particularly those in positions of responsibility, and even some who we would like to refer to as journalists, don't have the character and courage to take the same position and make the same decision. We've completely confused "free speech" with the narcissistic notion that anything we want to say and any way we want to say it is both important and acceptable. Kudos.

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  4. Jeff Podraza7:58 AM

    A big thanks to you Philip for the thought and time you put into sharing bits and pieces about a little island that happens to be a great piece of America. The day you retire from posting will be a loss -- at least to my morning coffee and aesthetic reading ritual. (Note, I'm still a little disappointed by your slacking off on the weekends.) In short, I hope nameless and faceless putzes don't dampen the spirit of your generous blog. Thanks again.

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  5. Anonymous8:35 AM

    Now, if the Woman-less Wedding was a fundraiser, how were funds raised? Did one buy tickets to see the shenanigans? Did one purchase T-shirts with I attended Ocracoke Island Woman-less Wedding 2011 emblazoned on the back? I am curious as to how successful a fund raiser this is, as I am on a fundraising committee and I would like to forward this idea for the board to consider.DD

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ocracoke Womanless Weddings were popular a half century ago. No t-shirts; just an admission price. Go for it...do it anyway you want...and have fun!

      Delete
  6. Anonymous10:38 AM

    Well written, calm response to some snotty posts. Honestly, I wrote one of those rude posts. Someone else's post got me started and I responded poorly. No excuse, just what I did. You are right, this is not the place for soapbox debates. I was wrong, thank you for a civil response, Philip. I will continue to enjoy hearing about island life and history.

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  7. Anonymous6:24 PM

    I really enjoy reading your blog every day. It is a treasure trove of interesting, informative and entertaining stories. Thank you for making the beginning of my day so wonderful. You are awesome and I appreciate the time you take to craft each entry.

    NJ Reader

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  8. Anonymous9:01 AM

    Special thanks go to those who commented on yesterday's blog for well-written statements using full sentences, appropriate punctuation, and capital letters.

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  9. Bill Walker10:07 AM

    Thanks for doing that Philip. We talked a couple of times about how baffling it is that people get off topic or try to use your blog to promote their own agenda. One other thing, shouldn't everyone be required to use a name rather than anonymous? Even a fictitious name would distinguish regular commenters from each other. As always I enjoy the blog, whether it is history, current events, humor, or whatever.
    Thanks for all you do.

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  10. Anonymous2:16 PM

    Well said Mr. Howard.
    It's nice to find a clean, interesting blog with no hostility. Ocracoke... I have to admit I would not want to live there BUT - BUT like I have always heard it's not for everyone. I LOVE visiting Ocracoke and would do anything to help protect it. For 40 years I have visited with you good folks. I keep a low profile. I have a great time there kayaking, picture taking, eating fresh seafood, bike riding, bringing my microscope to 'check out' the water just to see what's living in it. Nerdy, yes, but fun. Could I live there day after day, NO. I have been spoiled by the quick trip to Home Depot, or Walmart, or whatever. This makes my visits to Ocracoke even better because they are special event that I schedule. .
    Your site is great. Thank you for keeping it fun and interesting - and non confrontational.
    NS

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  11. Anonymous9:32 AM

    Many thanks for keeping us all "on topic!"
    This blog is what tides me over between our yearly visits to Ocracoke. It reminds me of walks along the beach - you never know what small treasures you'll find carried in and washed clean by the water. Now there might just be fewer bits that distract... Singing with the muppets on Sesame Street, "One of these things are not like the other, can you guess which one doesn't belong?" ;-)
    Bisse Bowman

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