I’ve made a decision. I am not going to shut down comments as I believe both dialogue and community are important parts of an online news site. However, I will be instituting new rules on Monday. Breaking them will result in banning.
I have banned one person already.
Thanks for your cooperation.
Celeste
Thank you, Celeste, from those of us who try to maintain decorum. In your new rules, may I suggest that one of your rules be that no one may comment if his name has three letters, begins with r, and ends with g. It’s been my experience that such a rule would allow for calm discussions of issues rather than a list of who is a MF $%)&(%$ and a lying &(*&^%. Just suggesting.
Nevermind that first comment. Without medications, the problem will take care of itself.
Celeste, if you have to suspend or expel a commenter, just post their name linked to this video. Yeah, I know it’s subtle. (I used to think that band was black.)
Use this version for your older commenters. (I’ve never heard that sung acapella before.) Groovy!
I posted this on another, older thread.
Why are personal attacks seen as beyond the pale, yet what are clearly genocidal hate driven remarks towards entire societies (“too bad the Crusaders didn’t finish the job”) not. I appreciated that you didn’t ignore what Woody said and spoke with an admirable sense of outrage. I really do. But at the end of the day, Woody didn’t apologize nor did your interjection have any effect on him. Why should I, as someone who comes from a part of the world where Islam is a complicated part of peoples identity, feel like I want to comment on a website which bemoans the fact that people from regions of the world where I hail from, who share a specific cultural lineage with me should have been killed off? He is speaking about my aunts, uncles, sisters, so Im sorry if this all feels very personal and emotional to me. I have no interest in participating here as long as the person who made that comment is not among those banned. Period. And why do we start from year zero when this was said just the other day. I like you Celeste but as long as this is your policy towards Woody, I will no longer participate in discussions here. I’m aware that you’ve been put in a difficult situation but surely what Woody said went so far beyond any humane threshold that more vigorous action is needed. Until I see that, I will not return.
Ahmed: I posted this on another, older thread.
Me, too! I can match every move, Ahmed.
“Sounded to me like he was harboring a hateful grudge. …the kind of fellow who wants to cast the first stone. Well, I’m with you folks. I’m a forgive-and-forgettin’ Christian….”
I’m a self-serving agnostic who has a hard time comprehending why mere words can evoke so much anger. Words can be countered with other words. History and its perpetual wars have shown me PERSONALLY that our world would be a better place without all the ardent zealotry and “hoo-de-hoo” that religions want to monopolize and gain control with. See for yourselves what Catholicism has sired with the pervert priests. See the beheadings and suicide bombers that Islam has brought forth. I’m well aware that the majority of all religions are peopled by gentle souls, people of faith, but the overview to me PERSONALLY is that the God concept is better left internal where it can do some good.
I find it illuminating that this short comment thread can within 6 entries sow the seeds of a standoff, another goddam war.
“Goddam it’s the Soggy Bottom Boys”!
Celeste, I hope you can see through reg and Ahmed trying to organize a boycott of commenters, through their remarks and likely in private emails, unless you adapt to their standards of exclusion. Despicable. But, how typical. Since they can’t win arguments or discuss issues rationally, they try to kill the opposing team. How would you like to have been going against them in school debates? They would have sent chairs flying.
True story. Once I was in a school debate and did a pretty thorough job against the other side. As soon as I had finished, one of the opposing team walked across the stage to me, I guessed to shake my hand, and then punched me in the stomach. As I remember, no points were awarded for that. A few years later, that guy was killed by a train. Karma has its ways.
Note, this does not apply to ALL liberals, but it surely does to certain ones who comment here.
8 Simple Rules Liberals Use For Arguments