Dear Negative Anonymous Posters . . .

Dear Negative Anonymous Posters,


Why do you gotta be a hater? I mean, I appreciate you checking out the blog. But maybe you could give some real feedback?


To my loyal readers out there, this might be a little confusing. Back in May of 2008 I reviewed a pizzeria that didn't have the best subs or wings. They weren't terrible, they weren't great either. I didn't even trash them in the review. Then I went to the movies. Then I went on with my life. Since then, I've had 2 (or I suspect the same) people write negative comments about that review armed only with negativity and immaturity.

Now when I say negative, I don't mean constructive criticism, or even a disagreement about the food. No, there was no intelligent conversation at all.

Fawzi: "ur an idoit"

Wow, thanks, I can use that. In what way were you referring to me being an idiot? Perhaps your Anonymous friend can answer that. At least you left some sort of a name. But Anonymous at least left some important info for me:

"listen i think your waisting your time with trying to bring down restaurants, maybe you should go into taking pictures intsead of eating so much, as well what grown man goes to the movies by himself, who would take advise from a dork like yourself, eating alone, then proclaim so much about the food. Lets be honest you probably devoured it in like 5 min because you obviously love food, see your problem was not that the food was bad that after eating such a large meal you were still hungry, don't take you insecurities out on innocent business owner and while your at it find a lady to take out to the movies maybe you will not be so angry with your food. Wow bud you have no life really im a chef and stubbled over your sight your making your self look like an ass if i were you i would find something more productive to do with your time hahahhahahahh"

I have some free time, so lets break this all down.



ANONYMOUS:
"i think your waisting your time with trying to bring down restaurants"
WK:
um, my goal isn't to bring down restaurants. Just critique in an open and honest way. I'm looking for the best wings out there, not some crazy coup d'etat of the restaurant industry.


ANONYMOUS:
"what grown man goes to the movies by himself"
WK:
One comfortable enough with themselves? One with self confidence?


ANONYMOUS:
"who would take advise from a dork like yourself, eating alone, then proclaim so much about the food"
WK:
My loyal readers? Yes I am a dork (this is a blog about chicken wings!!!) I'll be honest, I don't get the part about 'then proclaim so much about the food'? So by eating by myself do you think I'm not qualified to write about food? Ok then . . .


ANONYMOUS:
"you probably devoured it in like 5 min because you obviously love food, see your problem was not that the food was bad that after eating such a large meal you were still hungry"
WK:
Is that a fat joke? Seriously, that's the best you got? So, I ate a large meal, was still hungry, and attacked the restaurant because I was still hungry. Right. That makes a lot of sense.

ANONYMOUS:
"don't take you insecurities out on innocent business owner"
WK:
Innocent business owner? Again, I barely criticized this restaurant. But I evaluated them with my pseudo-scientific point system, and the pictures tell the rest. A good restaurant can proudly stand behind their food. If they can't, they need to re-evaluate their product. If you like the subs and wings, say so Anonymous. Why do you think the food is so great? Did I stumble upon a bad day? It's possible, it happens. But as a customer I don't think I got the best product I could have, and I would think an 'innocent business owner' would want to always give their best all the time. I would rather support a small business, that's why I review so many of them, but they have to serve a good product for me to tell others to go to an establishment.


ANONYMOUS:
"Wow bud you have no life "
WK:
Apparently I'm not the only one.


ANONYMOUS:
"really im a chef and stubbled over your sight"
WK:
Over my sight? Do you mean site? As in website? And you are a chef? Really? Really really? Then I would think you would appreciate improving food, not just settling for so-so cuisine.

ANONYMOUS:
"your making your self look like an ass if i were you i would find something more productive to do with your time hahahhahahahh"
WK:
I'm making myself look like an ass. Well, I guess its possible, I mean, I'm a guy who eats chicken wings and writes about it. And you . . . well, I don't know what you do in your spare time. I know almost nothing about you (other than your grammer sucks - it's you're or you are, not your). You weren't brave enough to e-mail me, or even leave a name. I don't post all my info because I have to worry about the kooks and crazies out there. But at least I have an e-mail address for someone to contact me by. What have you got?


THEN - Anonymous left another comment attached with a homophobic comment. I won't repeat the homophobic comment, because it's just vile. So far we have seen you are angry, misinformed, immature, a coward, and a bigot. But anyways, lets get back to your last comment:

ANONYMOUS:
"i know who you are from you picture @#!$%"
WK:
You are a genius! You know who I am because you have my picture! From a blog about me eating chicken wings! I guess that's why I am not afraid of hiding and making a critique, and you are a coward and hide in anonymity. Are you that upset about me saying "While "Joe" was friendly, I wasn't a fan of his subs or his wings. The sub was blah and the wings had no love in them. Maybe the pizza was different, but I doubt I will ever know." OR is this your way of threatening me? Should I be contacting the police and tracing you IP address?

This is what I think: Anonymous, you are somehow connected to the pizzeria. I wrote a mildly negative critique of either your restaurant or one you frequent. And you can't take it that someone said something bad about it. And you reacted with emotion. Instead of analysing what I said, thinking about it and coming up with an intelligent retort, you went with your gut which led us to your immature rant.

I can deal with someone constructively criticising me. People disagree with me over wings and sauces and restaurants and all sorts of things and that's ok. That is because it's done with the idea of having a dialogue. You need to grow up, be responsible enough to take credit for your actions and comments, and get over your bigoted ways.

-----------------------

So why did I give this person the time of day? Why publish his/her comments or even bother to respond to them when I have the power to not publish them? Why even allow anonymous users to comment?

I believe in freedom of speech. Ok, I did censor the homophobic comments, but I don't believe in spreading hate. I bothered because people who spread hate from the shadows need to have a little light shown on them once in a while. Homophobia and bigotry is never ok.

I put my image and my opinions out there for fun, for information and for trying to make a better wing world. I expect criticism. No one is above honest, intelligent criticism. I understand people will feel strong emotions over criticism - and there is nothing wrong with loyalty or even a little pride when you feel like something is under attack. But I didn't attack the establishment, and Anonymous looked like the ass in my humble opinion.

Calm down and have some wings. I know I will.





-Here is the review that incited the revolt.