My iMac's documents have a number of hot letters never sent.

I've never regretted not posting.

We need more of this here, and everywhere online

I let them know.

It makes me feel better. I've burned many bridges that way, but I also don't regret any of that.

But the death of my sister turned on an excessive amount of rage and I lashed out on many that I regret. It did make me realize my imperfections and allows me to empathize with people who make the same mistakes when in a life altering situation.

That said, I know who my sincere friends are in life and can usually spout out the occasional nonsensical rant without them judging me for it. Sometimes a nod of the head is all it takes.

If you're talking about personal acquaintances with whom you have a real dispute, that's fine. Tell them off and the relationship will be ended. (You may be right, you may be wrong; I don't know. But you have the right to live with the consequences of severing relationships with friends and family.)

But if we're talking about people venting rage and anger at people they don't even know, and possibly have misunderstood, on the Internet—that's not fine. If you tell someone they deserve to die (because of a mere opinion!), you may feel better, but the person on the receiving end of that horrible statement feels very haunted for a long time. Believe me, I know: it's happened to me on DU.

Thinking only of how your words make you feel is pretty selfish, imo. As liberals, I feel we have an obligation to behave with moderate civility to others in our society, no matter how much we may disagree with them. And especially in the anonymous Internet context, where you have no idea whatsoever of who that person is, or what their feelings are.

I am, however, not afraid to call them out on their stupidity or agenda (if I feel they have one).

BTW, one can be an insensitive jerk and still be a liberal. Both aren't mutually exclusive.

It's all about results, I think.

Part of being effective is not wasting your time on closed-minded people, like, for example, the publisher of WND. I'm not implying that anyone here is THAT closed minded, but I would never try to persuade him that President Obama is a good man who was really born in Hawai'i.

when is the retraction due?

for·bear·ance
noun \fȯr-ˈber-ən(t)s, fər-\

: the quality of someone who is patient and able to deal with a difficult person or situation without becoming angry

Especially if I know what I'm saying is rude, dismissive, potentially inflammatory. Sometimes I find that just typing out my response to a specific thread or individual post, rereading it, and not sending it is sufficient. I've expressed myself and I'm content. It doesn't matter that no one else will see it.

We disagree, and have tangled more than once, Scuba. But you are on to something here.

I'll try to have a bit more forbearance.

- C.D. Proud Member of the Reality Based Community

We should all do that whenever we are angry, frustrated, or want to vent. Then, later, we can rewrite to make what we have to say more effective and less offensive.

Thanks.

At times it’s been remorse that I “shoulda said “something even more insulting.

...I'll write a scathing response and then not post it. Or I'll write a scathing alert and then not send it.

(If I decide to send a real alert I'll write something clear and polite. But that's different.)

from this. I know I've later deleted posts that were one-offs when I was riled about something. It's a challenge for those of us who sometimes allow enthusiasm and passion to take over when patience and clarity of writing are so much more effective. I have learned not to react at every hot-headed accusation that comes my way. Sometimes the most effect comeback is none at all. On the other hand I have no intension of becoming milquetoast so sometimes it's just a matter of balance.

I can't say I've never clicked send/post before when I shouldn't have, but I do find myself doing it much less. Consequently I've an ever growing collection of rants and ravings in my drafts folder. Thinking about it I have no regrets for not sending any of them.

In this way I know that if I do need the information it is at my fingertips yet I no longer have to store it in my head or heart. This has helped me greatly when dealing with relatives and an unsettled estate. My blood pressure thanks me as well!

Well, not ALL of the time. Every once in a while, one will slip out of my grasp and onto the site.

Still, it's a good strategy for being able to say what I really think, really get it off my chest, without needlessly offending people. Usually, when it slips by me, I was pissed enough to WANT to offend. I can be more politically correct; I do it all day long at work. Outside of work, I prefer to be more direct; more straightforward. It can be a curse.

Which is why all those stupid questions I've been getting along the lines of "well, when are you going to run?" are so stupid. I'd never run for office, because I'd constantly be telling people what I REALLY thought, and that doesn't win elections, lol.