A note to those who threaten me with the loss of their readership

A note to those who threaten me with the loss of their readership if I express opinions contrary to their own:

Goodbye!

If I worried about what each and every potential reader thought of me I wouldn’t write novels. I wouldn’t keep a blog. I wouldn’t express opinions out loud. Hell, I wouldn’t venture outside my house for fear of saying something that might accidentally offend someone.

I have news for you: Many of the writers/actors/politicians/sportspeople you admire hold at least one or two opinions you don’t. Do you seriously want to silence them all?

I have been known to disagree with some of my favourite writers and bloggers. Me, I use voodoo dolls when they say wrong things. But I’d never be so rude as to tell them where the pins go.

Stop reading me if you want. But don’t post comments that “threaten” you’ll stop reading me.

All such threats will be deleted. After all, you’re claiming you want to disappear from this community. I’m just lending you a hand.

18 comments

  2. marrije
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    well said! & what a silly things to threaten a persona’s with. ‘wot? you like mangosteens? take that back, or you won’t be invited to my birthday party’ or something.

  3. Jessica
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    Woot! Go Justine!

    Anyone who doesn’t read your books because they disagree with you about something is a stupidhead.

    Your books are awesome and so is your blog, so they miss out and it’s all for us, heehee!

  4. Malcolm Tredinnick
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    If you don’t stop posting stuff I agree with or at least having an intelligent opinion when I don’t, I’ll have to keep reading your blog. Maybe even your books. Please get your act together.

  6. Sara
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    I’ll never understand the need people have to broadcast these things on-line. I think everyone has a right not to read blogs/books for whatever silly reasons they come up with, but why *inform* the author? What does anyone have to gain from that kind of discourse?

  10. beth
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    Huh. I am racking my brains, trying to come up with anything you’ve posted that is even remotely offensive. You’ve given your opinion, sure, but nothing that’s been offensive at all, or even very controversial. I can only assume that anyone who flamed you was a jerk. Good riddance.

  11. Doug
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    Well, as a long time reader of yours, I say good for you. I have taught English for several years and I start new classes with: “If I haven’t pissed you off by the end of the week you obviously aren’t paying attention.”

  12. Ariel Zeitlin Cooke
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    Yes, don’t listen to any silly people trying to censor you, Justine. If you started second-guessing yourself, your writing would lose its vigor, its passion and its surprises. And then it would stop being my favorite blog on the Web and I would lose my favorite procrastination device.

  14. Serafina Zane
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    I like the implied belief that that one person is more important than any other people or number of other people. Because, you know, the world revolves around a few select people.

  17. Cheryl Rainfield
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    I agree–and I love your attitude. It’s important to write what is right for you–and to still be yourself, to hold your own opinions. I mean, it’s your life.

    I love that about your blog–your strong opinions, and the funny, powerful way you write, reaching so many of us.

    So I’ve nominated your blog for the Brilliante Weblog Premio Award. (I hope you don’t mind–it’s one of those blog awards.) You can visit my blog for more info if you feel like it.

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