Commenting On Donklephant Posts
By Justin Gardner | Related entries in BloggingThe blogosphere is a big place filled with many diverse opinions. The good thing about it is you can expose yourself to a lot of different beliefs and it helps make one more well rounded as a result. The bad thing about it is you also encounter some pretty caustic, narrow views that have no place in reasonable discourse.
Recently, I’ve had to ban some commenters because they added nothing to the conversation besides venom. I just banned another commenter tonight. These people are most certainly the exception, not the rule.
However, I wanted to state for the record that commenting on this site is a privilege, not a right. I never wanted to have to say this, but I suppose it’s inevitable on a political blog.
So to all who comment here, let me reiterate my personal commenting philosophy: make your points and make them well; leave foul language and attacks out of it.
Like I said before, most of you do a great job presenting arguments and observations, and therefore add a great deal to our conversations here. But to those of you who simply want to name call and throw insults around, please leave. The only outcome of posting a comment like that is you’ll look really bad and you’ll be banned from ever commenting on this site again.
Now back to our randomly scheduled commenting…
This entry was posted on Monday, September 12th, 2005 and is filed under Blogging. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
September 12th, 2005 at 7:46 am
I want to say thank you for the articles on here, and letting me participate in the threads. As you say there is no need to get nasty, most of us are reasonable. For myself, I like to hear alternative views, I don’t want one-sided stories, and Donklephant certainly provides a good debating platform.
September 12th, 2005 at 9:19 am
We’re glad to have you hear too. Thanks for all of your thoughtful comments. They’re much appreciated.
September 12th, 2005 at 9:53 am
This is a test – I hope it wasn’t me who was banned.
September 12th, 2005 at 11:01 am
This is a test as well…
hopefully my tones have been reasonable…
September 12th, 2005 at 1:48 pm
By the way, I think Justin’s absolutely right on this. Having run different blogs for a few years, I know the temptations and the types. A blog is a public space, like a restaurant or a bar. As the owner, you have an obligation to make sure it draws the kind of patrons who will not bring it into ill repute.
Actually, the worst temptation I have is to leave the comment-section invective and bile of the people who disagree with me, because it suggests everyone who disagrees with me is a vicious troll, lol. But you have to fight that.
If you DO want to see vicious trolls in action, you can find them easier than finding a junkie in a bus station, by the way. Check out comments sections of the good bloggers who don’t censor their stalkers. I read some on Ann Althouse recently that made me wonder whether she needs a restraining order, not a blog.
September 12th, 2005 at 3:15 pm
Hey Cal, are you talking about that post about The Daily Show? I commented on there and then some troll named “cinncinatius” came along, spewed some filth and then said “And everything Justin Gardner said is right.”
Obviously I felt the need to squash the troll so I commented immediately and told him/her to never come over here. I hope people saw that.
And by the way, it takes A LOT to get kicked off of her, but a few have passed that line. But don’t sweat it. If you come to this site, comment often and at least try to make a coherent point, you’re in no danger at all.
September 12th, 2005 at 3:30 pm
No, honestly, I wasn’t thinking of anything specific here. Just remembering my own temptations.