When does it stop? What can we do?

Folks, put all your thoughts aside for a little while and THINK about what you are doing.  Since the invent of Facebook I have seen more arguing, name calling, threats, rumors and just plain out bad information then when I was in school!

There comes a time when you have to draw the line somewhere.  And lines have been crossed many times over, especially over the past few weeks with the recent Bigfoot DNA study.  What can we do to put a stop to the unnecessary bullying, name-calling, rumors, threats and outright lies and deceptions being put forth by blogs and Facebook groups?  That's an easy one.  QUIT SUPPORTING THEIR ACTIONS! 

WE can stop them by IGNORING them!  Why would you want to get information that has NOT been backed up with any facts anyway.  When you see an article written by the Washington Post or the New York Times, do you see a lot of name calling?  Do you see mindless insults in those publications?  Not usually.  But you can't say that about the newest Bigfoot blogs and Bigfoot Facebook groups out there right now.  As a matter of fact, they can't go a single day without some kind of name calling or bullying taking place.  Let's discuss a few examples...

Let's take this one for example.  "The Ketchum paper was REJECTED and FAILED PEER REVIEW."  Really? Where is this announcement?  In the "Evidence" blog?  Please, give me a break.  We need a REAL NEWS AUTHORITY to show us that information.  The "Evidence" blog has had many of problems with its new sources in the past and I'm sure that continues down to this day.  It is an UNRELIABLE source of information pertaining to the field of bigfoot research.

Then, let's not forget the mention the "Coalition" facebook page where pictures are put up of people so other's can come in and make fun of them.  Here's some great examples of REAL journalism...(sure whatever)...

"Upholding a ton of bullsh*# for four years just ain't easy..." a quote made about Melba Ketchum.
"The only conspiracy here is the Ketchumites trying desperately to cover their own as*es."
"It is not an attack on "personal character."

Really?  Not an attack on her personal character?  Well darn, I guess I must have been asleep in school that day.  If you don't think you are personally attacking her as a person, I certainly wouldn't be going around claiming I had college courses in writing, that's for sure!  Because obviously you also don't know the definition of hypocrisy.  Let me help you out with that.  Hypocrisy : a pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess.  You may ask, how can I make that statement?  This is how.  This is taken straight from their own Facebook group page...

"This group is open to all, and seeks to promote the spirit of rational thinking and evidence-based reality orientation in Bigfoot Studies. This is a group open to the possible/probable existence of Bigfoot, as well as skepticism and critical thought, so long as it is not hateful or slanderous. This group is anarchistic to the greatest degree possible, and non-believers and believing fanatics are equally welcome to participate. All are encouraged to be either constructive or funny, but we ask that personal insult be avoided as useless and pointless. Take a stand for the compatibility of Sasquatch and Reason. A Code of Ethics (writing still in progress) applies to members of this group. Those who cannot abide by it will be asked to leave or may be banned."  The underlined words are my emphasis.  Rational?  Where?  Evidence-based? Where?  Not hateful or slanderous?  Tell me another one.  All non-believers and believing fanatics are welcome?  Of course they are, that way you can do the things you claim you won't according to your own rules.  No personal insults because they are useless and pointless?  The statement is true, but no one follows them, especially the author of the group.

Now, I know what's next.  I must be a friend or supporter of Melba Ketchum.  I'm friends with her on Facebook, yes.  Supporter, not really.  I am not involved at all with any of the process with the DNA study. But, I am a human being and Melba Ketchum is a human being that does NOT deserve the personal attacks she is undergoing.  I have said from the beginning, the process needs to go through the peer review process, plain and simple.  Some would like you to think they have some kind of "inside knowledge" of the process.  THEY DON'T AND JUST WISH THEY DID.

So, when does it stop and what can we do?  It stops when we quit supporting them and their lies.  It has been admitted by some of the blog owners that every time you click on their blogs, they get PAID.  YES, THEY GET PAID!  One of them makes thousands of dollars a month!  So, it makes sense that they want to put up as much content as possible.  Why?  So you will CLICK, put another dollar in their bank account.  Why do they not moderate their comment sections?  Because, the drama makes you CLICK their blog so you can read the nasty, name-calling actions of others!  They know how to make money!  They want you to think there's nothing they can do about other people's comments.  NOT TRUE!  Every blog has a moderation ability and the comment section can even be turned off.  But, they don't want that.  Therefore, by allowing the name-calling and insulting comments to continue, they in part SUPPORT the comments and those commenting.  We stop them by not clicking on their blogs.  There are many other avenues in this technological world to get the information we seek.

This field of research needs to get back to the roots of it's beginning.  Cooperation with one another, the sharing of information without the fear of ridicule, common sense research.  Making GOOD friends along the way.  There is an old saying I used to repeat a lot and I'm going to bring it back.  When this stops being fun, it's time to leave!  If things continue down the path they are, many GOOD researchers will stop working with others and keep all their hard work to themselves.  Is that what we want?

Again, I leave you with the thought...when this stops being fun, it's time to leave!