SITE HOUSEKEEPING

SOME EDITORIAL HOUSEKEEPING

By Chris Daly

Two quick items, before I get back to a new post about politics and journalism.

1. An apology: I was hit with a tsunami of comments Friday afternoon as I was leaving for a weekend in an undisclosed location where I did not have my computer or Internet access. I am trying to clear the backlog ASAP, so there will be a lot more comments today. Sorry I dropped the ball.

2. A request: I am soliciting comments from readers on the question of how (and whether) to moderate comments. This is a new issue for me, and I am sorting it out.
Here’s the policy I am considering:
A. No anonymous or pseudonymous postings. I believe in candor, and I don’t think it’s too much to ask. After all, we do not live in an oppressive, all-seeing police state in which anonymous posts would be justified. To me, it seems that too often anonymous posting is just a way to hide behind a screen and shoot spitballs.
B. No personal invective, ad-hominem attacks, or mere name-calling. It turns out, there are a number of people who blog who hate people they perceive as liberals. There are also a number of people who blog who hate professors. (And perhaps there is some overlap between the two groups.) In any case, if you are bitter and angry, go somewhere else.

I would appreciate any thoughts on the subject of moderating comments before I make any changes. I am naturally loathe to get involved in “censorship,” but I think these are reasonable ground rules that do not take away anyone’s right to engage in a sustainable dialogue.

Thanks, Chris