Some recent comments prompt me to offer a long due clarification on a few issues.
My Online Diary
This blog is my online diary. It is my online journal. It is where I “download” myself. It is where I write my thoughts on issues I live through as a person. Thoughts I write about may reflect issues related to the public office I hold, or the person that I am, or the legal background from which I come or legislative work with which I am associated or just simple things that leave a mark in my life. This blog is about all those thoughts that make up the person in me, the thread that weaves me. It is my home on the internet.
No Obligation
Some advise me to stop this blog. Some feel that I write to promote myself. Some opine that I do not write anything useful. Some believe that the blog shows my immature character. Some perceive this blog to be a source of credible information. Some see this blog as a PR exercise. Some describe it as a campaign tool. Some accuse me of revealing official secrets. Some conceive the idea that this blog is run under instructions from a superlative authority. Some think I am trying to become President.
But they all keep visiting. They all keep coming back. That is the beautiful part.
I thank all from the depths of my heart for visiting and visiting repeatedly. My unique visitors are increasing and hits are growing in good numbers. That is fascinating.
Here is what I want to say to all those who take issue with this blog or its posts. There is no real obligation on your part to visit this blog. If you visit, there is no comprehensible purpose to read my posts. If you read my posts, there is no discernible reason to agree with me. If you disagree with my posts, there is no pressing requirement to send in a comment.
If this blog is a problem of any description, shape or size, you have every right to avoid it completely. You have every right to forget that it ever existed. You visit this blog at your own free will. There is no obligation.
Personal Liability
I am fully responsible for the accuracy of posts published by me on this blog. If any of my posts gives rise to a claim of defamation or civil liability or criminal liability, or any other blameworthy set of circumstances, I am ready and willing to suffer the consequences: whether legal, judicial or otherwise.
I cannot possibly be responsible for the accuracy of comments published on this blog. I have no means to verify the genuineness of any commenter; authenticity of the comment; or substance of any comment.
All I know is that a comment has been received from a person operating under a certain name and using a certain email address. I cannot verify if the name is genuine or the email address is authentic.
I cannot leave out the comments if they fit into my house rules simply because I cannot verify their origin or claim. After all this is a blog and without comments this blog would have no life. When I know that most commenters prefer to remain anonymous, I cannot put a condition of establishing one’s identity to comment on my blog. That will be too much to ask for and will probably kill the spirit of blogging altogether.
Courage to Publish
Having published over 2400 comments on this blog, of which most are negative and personal, I am learning to appreciate criticism and raise my tolerance bar. In the process, I am also becoming a more rational person. I am beginning to enjoy the feeling of being challenged without reservation. There does not pass a day on which I am not challenged, attacked or criticized, sometimes even very harshly. If none of it happens on a given day now, I do not feel that the day is normal at all.
On a serious note, those comments make me a better individual with a wider perspective. I get to “appreciate the remaining 359 degrees” of the 360 degree worldview. I am borrowing the expression from a friend here.
Therefore there is no use challenging me in your comments if I would have the courage to publish a certain comment with a personal attack. Like I said before, after having published over 2400 comments of which most are negative or personal, I think it is time my visitors concede that I do possess the courage to publish and the heart to accept comments of varying dispositions.
Ethical Considerations
I run this blog with full knowledge that I currently hold a public office and that I ought to bear responsibility for my words, deeds and every affair under my charge. I know that people expect high standards of good behavior and ethical outlook from officials who serve them.
That is why I use and expect others to use temperate language. I had earlier written my house rules in the form of a post. It is here on this link.
http://www.mnasheed.com/2007/05/hello_my_dear_guests.php
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