Many voices can do good work

Posted at 9:06 AM on March 24, 2006 by Bob Collins

It looks like Minvolved is giving up the ghost as a result of unspecified e-mail. Too bad. The blog has a point of view -- most political blogs are supposed to and it's always a good idea to read and listen to as many as possible.Mr. Sponge says his e-mails had nothing to do with ideology, for the record. But nonetheless a voice is silenced and it's a good time to remind ourselves of the value of sitting in the den, banging away at a computer, with something to say and a way to say it. And how important the person across the street doing the same thing is too.

Minvolved aside, sometimes, in our passion for politics, we forget that it's kinda important to maintain perspective a little bit. The political blogosophere in Minnesota is rough-and-tumble and a lot of times where good writing could take place...often you end up with one blog firing a salvo over at another blog until you wonder whether there's anyone else reading the darned things besides the people throwing spitballs. I'm not referring to any specific blog here, but a climate that can, unfortunately, encourage the gridlock rather than help people sort through issues, learn to talk to each other like adults, identify and work toward a common good.

That's not everyone's goal in politics,of course and some of the folks who created this environment, are the ones creating it in the blogosphere too.

The only thing people longing for a more intelligent process can do... is participate in a more intelligent processl. This is an independent medium where some Democrats, some Republicans, some Independents, some voters, some non-voters say some really interesting and insightful -- as opposed to inciteful -- things. Seek them out. Ignore the rest.

Awhile ago, a series of 10 guidelines for people who want to write blogs crossed my desk. These were issued by, I think, the Charlotte Observer, for their staff. I'll try to dig 'em up and post them because if you've thought of writing a political blog -- or are writing one now... they make for a great refresher.

Bottom line? Set out today to do good work. And let's all refocus and try to leave Minnesota better than we found it this morning, OK?

The whole point of the blogosphere is to provide more voices than MSM can. It's not really logical for any of us in that world to consider it a "good day" when a voice goes away.

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