0 comment Saturday, October 4, 2014 | admin
The recent trend towards more comments on this blog is a welcome thing; I generally like seeing more people join in the discussion. However it seems that the uptick in comments has brought with it some problems, among them, the inevitable spam, which is an annoyance to deal with, and then there is a tendency to get off-topic in some threads.
The off-topic posts are only a minor problem, but if possible let's keep to the subject being discussed; if there is a burning issue you want to discuss or a link you feel compelled to share, the forum would be a great place for that, since all who are registered can post topics and links. And yeah, I know the forum is something of a ghost town at the moment, but it looks like there has been a little increase in activity, so it need not stay deserted over there; it's you, readers and commenters, who will make or break the forum.
Another more difficult problem to deal with is the free speech issue. I've come down pretty firmly in favor of allowing ideas and points of view that others might exclude on the basis of political correctness. I am an enemy of PC in all its forms -- but how do we maintain a high level of discourse, which is what I am attempting to do, if we don't have standards, and if the standards aren't enforced?
I would really be sorry to see the discourse deteriorate here on this blog as has happened in many places; it doesn't take much to bring that about. So I am going to go through one of my draconian phases and start editing or censoring and banning if need be. Free speech is good but there is no absolute free speech anywhere, at least if some level of civilized discourse is to be maintained.
I ask rather little, really: just civility, no personal attacks towards me or other commenters, no obscene or blasphemous comments, no crude language generally. We should be able to put our ideas across or make our points without such language. And advocating violence or force is not something I tolerate here. It just isn't.
After a warning or two, (and I've been pretty lenient with people who are on 'our side' while I generally cut leftists and liberals no slack) I will ban those who disregard my basic rules. That's just the way it works here.
Rather than become too lax and tolerant and let the discussion be adversely affected, I will act when I need to, to keep things civil and mature here. I know most of you will honor my rules. Thanks.
The off-topic posts are only a minor problem, but if possible let's keep to the subject being discussed; if there is a burning issue you want to discuss or a link you feel compelled to share, the forum would be a great place for that, since all who are registered can post topics and links. And yeah, I know the forum is something of a ghost town at the moment, but it looks like there has been a little increase in activity, so it need not stay deserted over there; it's you, readers and commenters, who will make or break the forum.
Another more difficult problem to deal with is the free speech issue. I've come down pretty firmly in favor of allowing ideas and points of view that others might exclude on the basis of political correctness. I am an enemy of PC in all its forms -- but how do we maintain a high level of discourse, which is what I am attempting to do, if we don't have standards, and if the standards aren't enforced?
I would really be sorry to see the discourse deteriorate here on this blog as has happened in many places; it doesn't take much to bring that about. So I am going to go through one of my draconian phases and start editing or censoring and banning if need be. Free speech is good but there is no absolute free speech anywhere, at least if some level of civilized discourse is to be maintained.
I ask rather little, really: just civility, no personal attacks towards me or other commenters, no obscene or blasphemous comments, no crude language generally. We should be able to put our ideas across or make our points without such language. And advocating violence or force is not something I tolerate here. It just isn't.
After a warning or two, (and I've been pretty lenient with people who are on 'our side' while I generally cut leftists and liberals no slack) I will ban those who disregard my basic rules. That's just the way it works here.
Rather than become too lax and tolerant and let the discussion be adversely affected, I will act when I need to, to keep things civil and mature here. I know most of you will honor my rules. Thanks.
Labels: Blogging, Civility, Free Speech, Freedom Of Expression