Here's To Free Speech - Unless You Are Being Mean

There has been a lot of discussion in my internet neighborhood recently regarding websites like Get Of My Internets that are dedicated to focusing on:

In case you are not familiar with this type of website, it basically offers a forum where people can be judgmental, critical and nasty about "high profile" bloggers and what they write. These forums are a haven for internet gossip.

It seems some (most?) people believe "it's simply impolite to make judgmental comments about someone within their presence – especially without being invited to do so." And they never fail to use the "B" word ... BULLY!

There are also bloggers out there who have written open letters to their internet trolls stating (in part):

I get it. 

Trolls suck. 

I've certainly had my challenges with trolls (DoggyBloggy, snugs, the petty, vindictive asshole acquaintance who attempted to get me fired by sending my URL to my employer, etc.). I do believe bloggers are entitled to choose to delete attacking comments and to block offenders' URLs, without question. A blog is the personal space of the blogger - their internet house if you will. The author of the blog has some control over that space.

But to claim no one should ever say anything "bad" (bad as defined by the blogger, not by the people who are writing outside of that blogger's space) or disparaging about any blogger anywhere? To call that bullying?

Ridiculous I say ... absolutely ridiculous!

I don't shy away from controversy and confrontation, although I prefer to do it in public. In some people's opinions, I don't deal with it in the most mature way (i.e. calling people out in this space). 

I'm good with that.

I've written posts on this blog that have pissed people off (this one will likely be no exception) and I intend to continue doing that. My opinion is mine to share. You decide if it is of any value to you.

I don't believe in the "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all ... at least not to my face or where I, or my adoring readers, might find it" mentality.

I think Lancelle from Paris says it best in Mommy Bloggers Wish You Would Keep Your Comments To Yourselves (and I don't think this AGREE WITH ME OR YOU ARE A MEAN BULLY phenomena is specific to Mommy Bloggers - it seems to be wide spread):

What do you think? 

Should sites such as Get Of My Internets be shut down because they are encouraging "bullying"?

Or is it actually more respectful to the blogger - for readers who find them irritating, whiny, ignorant, whatever - to keep their nastiness of the blogger's space, using these forums instead?