The dangers of commenting

Weird, a little post written almost as an afterthought last night and I get eight comments, including some pissed with me for giving ice dance a hard time. Which is fine...I stand by my comments, but obviously I expect there is a healthy number of people out there who disagree with me. And hey, I'm not a complete idiot. I know many people have problems with curling.

However, one of the interesting comments came from Bruce, who rightly pointed out the growing disconnect happening between me and Newfoundland politics. I knew it was going to happen when I first moved up here and I suspect it's only going to continue over the coming years. It's not a bad thing, really. It's like I was banging my head against a wall for a couple of decades. Why do you do that? Because it feels so good when you stop. And really, having wanted to strangle every premier since Peckford with my bare hands at some point, it's probably a good thing to stop because there was always the risk I might actually try it at some point. Although I can't resist the urge to go back every now and then to hit my head a few more times, closet masochist that I am.

(This is the pause for a friend to come and point out that I am far from in the closet on that).

Anyway, Bruce suggested I tackle a few issues in Nunavut. You know, low key stuff like the environment, entrepreneurship, race relations and booze. Just as a change of pace to liven things up.

I do appreciate the suggestion but, um, no.

This isn't a spur of the moment decision. There is logic here. I have two very specific reasons why.

1. An interesting comment flashed across my Twitter feed the other day...and it basically said something like this: "I enjoy how living in the arctic for only a couple of years means you can now write the 'definite' book about the north."

Which is how I kind of feel about commenting on hot button issues of the north. I haven't been here five years yet and there are still a lot of things about Nunavut that I don't understand or that I can speak with intelligence on. And really, the world has enough opinionated assholes who don't know what they're talking about. I try very hard not to add to the mix, although I know I don't always succeed.

I just don't know about some of those issues...if Jim Bell wants to speak about them, hell, he has the right to. He's lived here for decades, has been immersed in local issues and can speak intelligently on them. I don't think at this point in my northern experience I can, so I'm very reluctant to do so.

2. It's also different discussing controversial issues up here. If you blog about something in Toronto, or even Newfoundland, then you can still do it and preserve a degree of anonymity. That's not really the case in Nunavut. You start heavily criticizing the way things are done in Nunavut, people will pay attention.

Which is fine, lovely and grand if you're a reporter. Or if you have a super understanding and supportive boss. Or if you're an MLA. However, if you're a government employee, or working for a company that does a lot of business with the government, well, then you might have some issues. I've written many times before that Nunavut bloggers have gotten in trouble with their bosses for things they've put on their blogs. I can think of at least four cases of that happening.

Is that right? Perhaps not. However, as I have no desire to become a martyr to this blog just to prove a point.

So, for now, the blog will stumble a little bit. This is the 1,600 post on the blog. This isn't the first dry spell I've had, nor will it be the last. But thanks for the suggestions. They are always welcome, even if I don't always heed the advice.

Last Five
1. Romeo and Juliet (live) - Dire Straits*
2. End of the innocence - Don Henley
3. Yesterday - The Beatles
4. Make it rain (live) - Tom Waits
5. Reason to believe (live) - Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band