James Protzman says he has toned down the rhetoric of BlueNC.
The former marketing consultant told Dome that the site intentionally adopted a harsh tone in its early days — alternating criticism with praise — as a way to gain attention in a crowded media market.
"Our early strategy was attack, attack, pat on the back," he said.
A few of Protzman's targets: George W. Bush, Blackwater, Art Pope, N&O columnist Rick Martinez, U.S. Rep. Walter Jones and Robin Hayes, right-wing commenters on Dome, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole and the UNC-Chapel Hill school of journalism.
Aside from markeitng, Protzman said he also blogs on issues that made him angry, spurring him to use strong language. He said that he is now trying to "dial back" on the curse words and offer more measured criticism of reporters and politicians.
"I regret every rant, "he said. "It's easy to be angry about a lot of things. Sometimes out here in the blogosphere, blowing off steam is the only way to stay sane, but it often creates problems and I'm aware of that."
Comments
Re: Protzman: I regret every rant
March 27, 2008 - 6:43am — FFC1304pipe down Isaac...SOMEBODY must EXPOSE the controlling party in NC for what they are, and WHAT they have done to our once great state. Just doing my part...
Re: Protzman: I regret every rant
March 27, 2008 - 6:31am — marshall_adame@...Provokng thought sometimes is achieved by what seems to be "angry" articulation. If it is by design, and achieves its aim of bringing attention to an issue, then it is "good planning,, not angry ranker.
I know you James. You are passionate about many issues effecting society and, at times, appear to be railing directly from the heart without consideration for form or decorum. There is a sophistication however, about your assemblage of words which pointedly steer a conversation.
You are a credit to your mission to shake up America and open our eyes to what is important and you always make us look to what we can do in our own lives to affect change for good. I am very proud to call you my friend James.
"When you're finished changeing, You're finished" Ben Franklin
Re: Protzman: I regret every rant
March 26, 2008 - 9:34pm — Isaac136Oh for crying out loud, FFC, you're always griping and ranting and railing. You make the early Anglico look like a danged Angel. You need to get some kind of a grip, man, on that cantankerousness or you're just going to blow a gasket one day in the middle of misspelling one of your posts.
Who is this "we" who knows about BlueNC -- you and that poor cat who has to listen to your shrieking and shaking your fist at the television or computer screen?
Just sit yer butt down and have a mug o' warm milk or something. Maybe watch that channel on tv that shows nothing but fish swimming back and forth. Geez!
Re: Protzman: I regret every rant
March 26, 2008 - 7:19pm — FFC1304We all know about BlueNC, and how they cannot handle truthful debate. Lieberals are just like that all the time, because they cannot defend
their positions very well.
And YES, there is MUCH to be ANGRY about in this corrupted state.
Thanks
March 26, 2008 - 2:57pm — AnglicoThanks for getting my quote exactly right.
When I look back at some of those old posts, I'm not very happy with myself. High-voltage anger may have gotten BlueNC out of the blocks and onto the radar screen, but it's not aligned with my bigger commitments and it was getting in the way. (John Hood at the John Locke Foundation nicknamed me "Angrico" once upon a time. I thought that was pretty clever.)
My other big regret is that there's so much to be angry about.
Re: Protzman: I regret every rant
March 26, 2008 - 2:43pm — Isaac136That's our Anglico. Feisty feller~
In fact, if Protzman were a dog, he'd be some kinda terrier, fer shur. Kinda antsy, lots of energy, mostly friendly, and truly repentant when he gets carried away and nips. (Also not a bad shedder.)