Over the past six weeks, we've enjoyed watching "Dancing with the Stars" on TV. Okay, they may not be the biggest and brightest stars, and the amount of actual ballroom dancing may be a little light, but the show is very entertaining and we've done our part to cheer on our favorites. As with so many things, though, there's a dark side.

The website for Dancing with the Stars contains lots of useful and interesting information, and it also includes message boards for fans of the show to post their comments. Some of those comments are thoughtful and insightful, and reflect an understanding of the show and of dancing in general. Unfortunately, some of the comments are idiotic, puerile, racist, or just downright stupid, and all too frequently degenerate into silly flame wars.

What's wrong with people? Why can't we have a calm and rational exchange of views in which we respect each other's positions? Why can't someone just say they didn't like Sara Evans' dancing without adding a silly and ugly comment about her weight? Emmitt Smith may not be Fred Astaire, but in my opinion he's doing a great job...but there are some people out there who find it necessary to use racial slurs to talk about him.

Where's the civility? Where's the common courtesy?

The anonymity of the web has a lot to do with it. If you can hide behind a screen name, you can act stupid without having to face the consequences of your stupidity. But on a larger scale, these useless comments reflect a simple lack of intelligence and courtesy, and I would suggest that the parents are to blame. My parents made sure that we all recognized the importance of being pleasant and respectful to everyone, whether we liked them or not. They came from families that recognized the value of the Golden Rule and of courteous behavior in maintaining a civil society, and they passed those values down to us. My mother would have smacked me silly if she'd caught me acting like some of the fools who make stupid, flaming anonymous posts on websites. For my part, I have tried to pass that lesson on to my children.

Old-fashioned? Maybe, if you listen to some people. But the old saying that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar is as true today as it ever was. If you want respect, you need to give respect. And today's parents need to teach that to their children.

Sadly, it appears to be too late for some. But at least they're easy to recognize. And ignore.

Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo