This is Not an Ego Trip (Updated)

I recently came across a blog - written by a friend of mine - who believes that liberal bloggers (is that even what I am?  I've been doing this for, like, two seconds) are basically kooks who have nothing to say and only desire to go on ego trips from the safety of their own homes.

I suppose I agree with the "kook" point, at least in my case, although he didn't refer to us as that directly.  And I won't be so bold to think he was writing solely about me - in fact, when he posted this particular entry, I didn't even have this blog up yet - but, nevertheless, I took offense to one issue he raised in particular.

He seemed to think that blogs, particularly liberal blogs, serve no real purpose other than to satisfy the egos of said bloggers.  Really?  I read Talking Points Memo, Ezra Klein, Matthew Yglesias, Open Left, Talk Left and Daily Kos multiple times daily.  Those are really popular liberal blogs that I'm pretty sure don't exist simply for ego-stroking.  They serve to inform, to communicate and to rally people together for a common purpose.  Hey, I even read conservative blogs, too - in fact, there are links to Andrew Sullivan and Daniel Larison on this site's blogroll, and, while you won't find a link here, I often find myself perusing Red State to see how the other half lives.

That, however, is besides the point.  The point is this: there's nothing private, or "safe," about posting your thoughts and feelings on the internet and putting them out there for billions of people to see.  You can go ahead and disagree - in fact, please do, as it's the only way one ever really learns anything - but don't ever bash people for letting their opinions be heard.  Everyone has a right to express themselves.  You notice I'm not saying that this friend of mine should stop blogging altogether.  I'm calling for him to stop insinuating that these blogs don't matter and that liberal bloggers should just keep their mouths shut.

They call us progressives for a reason.  Because without the whistleblowing of the left, nothing would ever get accomplished.  Criticize the content all you want; don't you dare criticize people's God-given right to speak, write or blog about issues that matter not just to me and you, but to every citizen of this country and the world.

UPDATE: The air has been cleared, and I was probably misinterpreting what he meant.  But my overall point remains the same - people need to be allowed to state their opinions - and disagree with others - in whatever forum possible.  That's the most important aspect of a democracy.

"I disagree heartily with everything you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." -Voltaire