I’ve decided to make my blog a gossip-free zone. I didn’t know that term existed when I came up with the idea, but I googled it and it does. I have no particular affiliation with any of the organizations or movements that used or coined this term, or their philosophies, or anything else. I know next to nothing about them. I just think that gossip is a destructive force that creates drama and pain and no useful action, and we can do better than to perpetuate it.

Anyone who believes similarly to me is welcome to use the graphic on their blog and link back to this page, if they want to.

I know some people may cringe at the wording of the following, but it conveys the message better than I can, it’s a poem I’ve seen floating around on anti-gossip websites:

My Name is Gossip (author unknown)

My name is Gossip.
I have no respect for justice.
I maim without killing.
I break hearts and ruin lives.
I am cunning, malicious and gather strength with age.
The more I am quoted, the more I am believed.
I flourish at every level of society.
My victims are helpless.
They cannot protect themselves against me because I have no name and no face.
To track me down is impossible. The harder you try, the more elusive I become.
I am nobody’s friend.
Once I tarnish a reputation, it is never the same.
I topple governments and wreck marriages.
I ruin careers and cause sleepless nights, heartaches and indigestion.
I spawn suspicion and generate grief.
I make headlines and headaches.
Remember, before you repeat a story, ask yourself:
Is it true? Is it fair? Is it necessary??
If not, do not repeat it,
KEEP QUIET!

You can put the graphic on your page by using this HTML (feel free to edit it to your tastes):

<p><div align="center"><a href="http://ballastexistenz.autistics.org/?page_id=398&quot; title="Gossip-Free Zone"><img src="http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/7030/gossipfreexd1.jpg&quot; height="76" width="150" alt="Gossip-Free Zone" /></a></div></p>