The Spittle Flecked Badge of Courage

Evocative of someone or another's "Red Badge", The Spittle Flecked Badge of Courage will come to you if you dare to post comments on the Internet, or actually are so bold as to blog your thoughts yourself.
I myself, have received the SFBC many times on more than one forum. A couple of people go so far as to claim that "You get the most flak* when you're over the target". In some cases, this might be true, or it might just indicate that your comment was so mind numbingly stupid or wrong that everyone chooses to point it out, so it is not an infallible indicator of anything.

Still, having someone disparage your intelligence or your honesty or your parentage (or sometimes, all three simultaneously) by someone, simply because they disagree with you is a wonder to behold! For example, I do not believe that everyone who disagrees with me is automatically stupid or dishonest. As a seeker of truth, I welcome any constructive criticism that might point out any fact I mistakenly hold in error. (In fact, the very novelty of the situation is quite refreshing!)

For any honest commenter to come and bring a differing point of view along with the reasons they came to that conclusion can be a starting point for better understanding of any given event or situation. However, for the small minority of you who do comment, (and there are far more readers than commenters on most blogs), I want you to take heart if the first time you express your opinion on something or bring forth facts that contradict someone else's argument, someone completely misconstrues your motives and accuses you of all sorts of vile things. I believe it is part of a concerted effort (not a conspiracy) to quell dissent among conservative (that is to say "right thinking") individuals on the 'Net.

In other words, Damn the torpedoers, full steam ahead! Make your voice heard and your opinions known. It's still a free country, last time I looked! And when you receive your own Spittle Flecked Badge of Courage, wear it with honor and with pride in the fact that your opponents could not defeat your arguments, but had to resort to smearing you instead!



* WWII military term, German: Fliegerabwehrkanone, aircraft defense cannon.