They Say Usenet is a Sewer-Here is Why They are Right

I have been involved in blogging for a short time in my professional life and thought I would try the same in my personal life. It won't be nearly as pretty or well put together because I am going to discuss the seamier side of the Internet. This seamier side is known to the world as Usenet.

Those of you who are familiar with Usenet know that it is a series of articles devoted to various topics; some involve computers, others involve music, and still others involve people providing support for an issue. This support could be to quit smoking or to go on a diet. The good news is that there is no regulation or censorship. The bad news is that there is no verification of any statements that one would make in these groups/articles and that some people will believe anything they read as long it is to the determent of someone else.

Since June 2000, I have posted in a group in Usenet called soc.support.fat-acceptance. Prior to that, I had really not given Usenet much thought except as to its metamorphosis from the ARPANET used in the 1960's. As I scanned the groups, I came across this group regarding fat acceptance. I downloaded the articles and began reading. I was amazed at the insults and put-downs aimed at fat people.

"Slice Long and deep!"
"Fat People are not fit to live!"
"Fat People need to be rounded up and put in concentration camps!"

All this was peppered with various levels of ridicule. This guy going by the nym (phony name used by a troll posting from an anonymous server) of Marty was telling someone named Debby that he was going to report her to the Canadian disability people for faking a disability. Why? Because she dared to object to his rants. Of course I had to "say" something. I wrote that I thought his behavior was terrible and that his insults were not necessary.

That one statement turned me into a target with real-life harassment that is going on today.