Dirty Laundry

There are 3 things I can't stand in this world:

1) Someone yelling at me.
2) Someone talking behind my back about me.
3) Someone falsely accusing me of something while using pitiful excuses for arguments.

This third point has been happening on an old post. I'm normally a very calm, shy and reserved person. However, when one of the three above instances happen, I tend to change into a completely different person. I don't go looking for confrontation, but if someone decides to slander me, well, I'll be sure to finish it.

By now (if you're from Pittsburgh), you know that an ESPN Radio commenter was recently busted for kiddie porn. I wrote an article about the situation, and mistakenly posted a picture of another man. Fact of the matter was, the guy in trouble was John Duffy, a Pittsburgh native in his 40s who works for ESPN Radio. I posted a picture of a man named John Duffy, a Pittsburgh native in his 40s who works for ESPN Radio. What I, and the rest of the world didn't know, was that there are two John Duffys in their 40s who work for ESPN Radio in Pittsburgh. As soon as I found my post to be incorrect, I removed the picture and apologized. The picture was up for just over 60 minutes.

Here is a timeline of events that took place, complete with links so you can do your own research:

- John Duffy is busted for kiddie porn.
- I write a quick article about the situation.
- I remove the incorrect picture ASAP, while offering my apology.
- The Trib takes notice of the similarities between the two men, and write a story about the uncanny situation.
- The innocent John Duffy comments on the original PSaMP post, tastefully asking that I help "clear the distinction" in a case with "far too many similarities" between the two men.
- I write a follow-up post with a second apology, and use the space to acknowledge my mistake and "clear the distinction."
- The U.S. Attorney's Office releases the picture of the guilty Duffy, a rare occurrence in kiddie porn cases, due to the fact that two guys in the same area could be confused for each other.
- Some time passes before an anonymous commenter feels the need to be the harbinger of right, slandering me up and down my apologetic post that I wrote in respect to the innocent Duffy.

Apparently, none of my actions were good enough for the anonymous commenter, who self-righteously claims that I am the sole reason for people mistaking John Duffy, in his 40s from ESPN Radio Pittsburgh with John Duffy, in his 40s from ESPN Radio Pittsburgh.

I only bring this to your attention because I can't stand the fact that some anonymous commenter feels the need to crucify me while the man I accidentally wronged talks to me in a respectful manner. I'm not one to hide my blemishes, and this is something that I was accused of. Its like if Mommy and Daddy have an argument in front of the kids. They aren't going to hide in some room so the kids can't hear them. No, they're going to let the kids know that disagreements happen, so the kids don't grow up thinking that people exist in a world without conflict. This is what I'm doing.

Plus, responding to these ignorant and misguided insults has taken more of my time and energy than I was willing to give.

The situation takes place over at the follow-up post...the one designed to offer my apologies to the innocent Duffy. The link is right here. Check out the comments, and decide for yourself. If you actually think that I, with my paltry visitor counter, am the sole reason that people think the innocent John Duffy is the guilty John Duffy, then let me know. Join in and tell me about it. Just know that if you bring weak excuses for arguments onto my site, I will respond...and not in my normally calm demeanor.

Here's a few excerpts from my defense. I'm sorry for the language, as I usually try to keep a certain ceiling on my toilet humor and dirty mouth:

- ...define salacious snark. Is it making an honest mistake because two guys share the exact same name, location, age and employer, and then posting multiple apologies for the confusion? Or is it anonymously posting bullshit insults because a) you're too lazy to put your own voice on a website of your own or b) you don't want other people to see your own weak voice.

- The Good Book says not to point out the splinter in your neighbor's eye without taking care of the log in your own. How about you go take care of the skeletons in your own closet before you judge me. Or are you perfect, and that's why you have such a problem with me.

I would have posted the conversation in its entirety, but its too long. And its ongoing (I think). Go to the link. If you truly feel that I am wrong, let me know. Give your opinions on this uncanny situation. I don't normally ask for comments, as I feel that readers should comment when they feel compelled to. However, this is a rare circumstance. If I'm right, let me know. If I'm wrong, let me know. Just don't slander me using weak arguments.

Yes. There Are Two John Duffys At ESPN Radio.