I Resemble that Remark

                I just read that at a religious education conference in Los Angeles yesterday, a prominent Vatican beat reporter referred to bloggers as “losers, drunks and fanatics, wholly deficient in centrist sensibilities.”  I have to say, I've never been so flattered in all my life.  I’d like to say that I resemble that remark, if I thought I could get away with it.

                You see, I've always considered myself pretty boring, and those that know me well have assured me of that on countless occasions.  I’m pretty comfortable in my own skin though, so I don’t mind being boring – no need to post comforting comments telling me that I’m not boring:  I’m OK with it, and I’m not on a fishing expedition for compliments.  That said, while I’ll leave the judgment to others as to whether I’m a loser (no comments please), and I don’t think I’m a drunk (please do comment if you think I am, as I must be in denial), I was kind of excited to be lumped into the category of fanatics who lack centrist sensibilities just for writing a blog.  Little did I know that I was such a radical.

                   Obviously, there are two possibilities for what’s going on here.  Either I completely lack any hint of self-awareness, or this reporter had a bad day and made a broad generalization about bloggers that doesn't hold true for all.  Heaven forfend!  As for the first possibility, while I may not be as boring as I think, I’m pretty sure that I’m not a fanatic because I don’t generate the visceral comments that the more fanatical among us bloggers invite.  For the same reason, I don’t think I’m wholly deficient in centrist sensibilities.  I’ll add that I try hard to express centrist views in my blog in an effort to avoid offending people and to avoid generating the visceral comments that the less centrist among us bloggers invite.   

  

                So, much to my chagrin, I think the reporter must have just had a bad day and made a broad generalization about bloggers that doesn't hold true for all.  I’m pretty sure he thinks so too since he has apologized for his comment.  That’s good enough for me, even though it means that I may not be even a little less boring than I thought I was.  As I mentioned, this reporter is prominent and I’ll add well-respected.  I read his columns regularly and appreciate his reporting.  We all have bad days, and it’s pretty easy to make broad generalizations that don’t hold true for everyone.  All is forgiven, even if it means that I don’t resemble that remark.