"Netiquette"

Some time ago, a friend of mine who teaches English at a local Catholic school posted something on his MyFace profile page extolling the virtues of prayer in school, daring to suggest that possibly prayer might be a benefit to the students and staff in public schools as well.

Of course, by doing so, he invited a mealstrom of controversy. Soon after, some outraged individuals, apparently mortified by his heresy, riposted his post by pillorying him mercilessly with unartful and offensive "comments" that amounted to nothing more than ad hominem attacks. Within days he canceled his MyFace account.

It's too bad because, in addition to being an excellent educator, he is an intelligent, thoughtful, considerate person ("To be a person requires both honesty and courage" Lindemann 305) whose knowledge, wisdom, and experience were a blessing to many, including myself. His periodic posts reflected this, and they are missed.

If only these people had possessed a modicum of "netiquette" (293), perhaps he'd still be on-line sharing his pearls of wisdom. But then again, maybe there's something to the Biblical admonition against casting your pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6).