Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Learn to cool it. Then we can talk. Sensibly.
I'm not the problem. At least not alone. We're all the problem. Read the vitriol in the comments section of this blog. Some of you don't know how to carry on a civil and polite and coureteous discussion. Of issues. You blame me. Entirely. That is, some of you do. As if you aren't contributors to the problem. Well, start reflecting folks. We're all part of the problem. You, me, everyone. Some of you have let your anger get out of control. You've lost your manners. Your self-respect. I suggest we all calm down. And start carrying on meaningful dialogues. Let's talk things out. Sensibly. Let's learn a little more respect for each other. This could become a nice, civil debating society. But first, you've got to park your anger at the door. I'm not making you angry. You're making yourselves angry. You have to learn to control yourselves. Your anger. I controlled my anger long ago. And I don't really get angry any more. I just voice my opinions, my thoughts, in a reasonably nice way. At least I don't get angry. That's a move in the right direction, folks. You can do it, too. It's much easier listening to a calm and thoughtful person than it is to an angry and irrational one. Now, learn to cool it. Then we can talk. Sensibly. --Jim Broede
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12 comments:
You contiune use of using people from the Alz you stir the pot, do not make you innocent. Far from innocent. You are a stir the pot sit back and grin. If you had a web cam all could see that grin on your face. You came here and made a blog for one reason. That was to rule your world. Say as you please because you got a 2 week vacation from forums. You were pissed (your words) You got over it because you now have your own world to say as you please yet you can still get your stirring done by promoting your so called helpful blog here. No where can I find anything that would be a help to those caring for someone with Alz. Sad jim that you are so little of a man.
Everybody is entitled to an opinion, dear anonymous. And when I stumble across opinions that I don't buy -- well, I just don't buy 'em. I don't get mad or angry. I just tell myself that diverse points of view help the world go round. My personal opinions are take it or leave it propositions. I don't require people to do as I do.
And yes, occasionally I get pissed. But I also explained that I get over it. Fast. I don't like to stay pissed. Because I like to be happy. If somebody has wronged me, or slapped me, so to speak, I often turn the other cheek. Now and then, I slap back. That is, if I've been slapped multiple times. I guess I have certain limitations. Doesn't make sense to me to turn the other cheek forever. I'll have a talk with god about that. Maybe I'll bring it up in my next conversation with him, and I'll tell you what he advised. --Jim
It is a new day that God (capital G) has given me and I'm going to use the rest of how ever many new days I have to avoid evil and walk in the warmth of my heavenly father.
I hope others will join me as we have seen that evil certainly exists and thrives in dark hearts.
I'm going to look at the clicker and I hope when I look back in a few months from now it will be stuck in place. Better yet I hope someone from the Google blog system or the Alzheimer's message board will see to it that you have no platform.
Honestly I read your words and wonder if Hitler and other famous evil people used the same kind of word twisting and untruths to pull people in.
Anyway, I'm wiser I suppose for having see the underbelly of how bad it can be. There were bits and pieces on the forum but when you had your own soapbox to clinb up on and show yourself completely it has been gastly. I too pity you but until you see that God is not a buddy who has "give and take" with Jim Broede you will not find a way out of your darkness. From all you have said about your wife she is surely in Heaven. I would think just the thought of never being with her again would give you pause. I don't care what religion a person is but they cannot try to be God and find him.
I'm walking to the light and sunshine.
What will you reply? I'll never know because like Bonnie I have no plan to read one more word of you rantings of a mad man and on the forum you will stay in my "ignore" feature as you are in most people's.
That's it.
So, Jim, why don't you just take your own advice and ignore the responses you don't like? I guess you started off, stepping on the wrong toes, again. Now, this seems to consist of you trying to assign blame, defend, whatever. So, why don't you just try again??
If your intentions were true, just start over, writing your opinions, etc., WITHOUT mentioning others, as you did. It is one thing to voice your opinion, but it is quite another to elaborate on someone else's pain as you do so. Perhaps you could use a writing coach??
Unfortunately, you cannot introduce controversy and then expect people to "cool it". You cannot invite all comments, then expect to control them.
Maebee
We respect people who respect us Mr Broede, may God forgive you before you face him on the day of Judgement.
It is sad that the amount of 'hits' on your blog are directly proportional to the negativity generated.
If you truely are a man of peace, love, good vibes - start anew.
Deleate all of this and start anew.
Focus your topics on war, hunger and injustice. Things that deserve
to be discussed with such intense eneregy.
Use your talent for good.
You have shown glimpses of a softer, more sensitive side on the ALZ message board - very few but you did.
I know you have it in you.
I know you're still angry at some of the people from the ALZ message board. Why else would you name names and bring up details from private correspondes? You wanted to lure them over here.
Jim let it go.
You're hurting yourself as well as the others.
You all are being sucked into a whirlpool of hate and blame.
Let it go.
Jim let the peace start with you.
Ann Alias
An Open Letter to Jim Broede
You began this blog with stories of people you have crossed paths with in the Alzheimer’s Association message forum. For reasons known only to you those stories were fabricated and put out to the public to present us as we are not.
You described my book, Into the Mist, as exploitive of my family and my time spent trying to help other care givers as self-promotion. You attempted to hurt me in the most reprehensible way imaginable, by writing about my family member’s suicide and further describing details which were untrue and driven by some anger toward me which I do not and cannot understand.
My book was my way of giving back to those who had helped me better understand what was happening to my father when his life was tossed upside down by Alzheimer’s disease.
Through the early days of total chaos and the long journey through the stages my friends in the Mass. General online support room gave me strength and courage and I wanted to do the same for whomever found themselves walking the Alzheimer’s care giver path.
Over the course of several years I gathered together researchers, Geriatric Specialists, care givers, Alzheimer’s patients and a Psychologist to help me build a body of work that would have information and heart, wisdom and a bit of a map through the mist.
It was indeed self published. With three thousand dollars of my own money I did all I could to get it to press quickly. By doing so the book was available long before it would have been. As a result my part of each book sold is less than $2.00. Obviously I was not motivated by money.
For a brief moment in time I let your cutting words, insults and word twisting affect my view of the work I have done, my brother’s death and even question whether I would continue to be a part of the Alzheimer’s Association message board.
Thanks to my many friends who saw what was happening with your blog and who helped me understand that there was no need or purpose to be served by interacting with your writings I left it behind.
I am posting this today because as long as your blog exists there will be people who do not know me or my book or my life who may believe the things you have written.
In closing I say to you your words do not define me. Your accusations no longer bring me pain and I wish you peace and God’s grace.
I thank God all I have been given, for the time I had with my loved ones and for the genuine and amazing friends I have met along this path.
You will notice I have left this same open letter in the comments section each time you wrote about me, my book or my life. This was done to be certain that anyone reading your posts about me will also see read the truth.
I do not have the least bit of anger toward you, Deborah. It's all in your imagination. But I do sense you are/have been angry with me. I haven't written a single angry word about you. I've disagreed with you. We have somewhat different points of view about suicide, and how to deal with it. I accept you as you are. I have no problem with you being you. Especially your calm, cool and collected side. But you do get angry and a bit irrational at times. I used to get angry, too. But it's been a long, long time since I felt anger towards anyone. Years. I get pissed sometimes. Over people's actions. But I'd call it more annoyance pissed. Not anger pissed. And I get over it quickly. I'm very forgiving. And it sounds to me like you are moving in that direction, too. It sure makes life a lot easier, and happier. --Jim Broede
Ann Alias:
I want you to know that you talk sensibly. You seem to see all sides of an issue. You seem genuine and sincere. I think that over a period of time the two of us could carry on a civil conversation, and we might influence each other -- for the good. Unlike some of the anonymous posters, you show some respect for me, despite not necessarily liking me. That's all right. People don't have to like each other to show respect. You have a sense of commom courtesy. You don't allow yourself to become uncontrolled angry. You are setting a good example for others. You have some very nice saving graces. I think I do, too. --Jim Broede
Maebee commented, "You cannot invite all comments, then expect to control them."
Well, the truth be told, Maebee, I am taking steps to control the comments because some of 'em got out of hand. Mean-spirited and nasty and grossly inaccurate. So, since it's my blog, I've decided to delete some. The worst ones. The salacious ones. Some that use profanity. Although I have left some of the profane ones in, just so readers can see for themselves examples of the anger and hostility. It's both shameful and sad. These people castigate me. But they really should be castigating themselves for losing self-control. If they can't rein in themselves, I'm here to rein 'em in myself. Really, I'm doing them a favor. They need help, and I'm giving them help. --Jim Broede
One anonymous poster implied that I was evil. Well, I'm not any more evil than George Bush in getting us into an unwarranted and unjustified war in Iraq. Think of the sensless loss of all those lives. Americans and Iraqi. And for what? And George Bush has the gall to identify an "axis of evil." If you want to see evil on a grand scale, you'd better look beyond me. Right up to the American presidency. --Jim Broede
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