Since I started this blog more than four years ago, I have allowed readers to post comments and have removed only a few of them, these being for the most part for libelous content or for use of the type of language I do not want associated with this blog.
I have allowed readers to make all kinds of comments on my teaching ability (or lack thereof), my ability as a reporter (or lack thereof), and have even printed a large number of personal attacks from people, always anonymous, who would not dare make such comments if they had to make them in person.
Over the last few weeks, I have had a reader (perhaps more than one) who has taken this freedom to a gutter level, making continuous personal comments about me, many of which have been allowed to remain on the blog for hours since I am not checking it every minute of every day.
Because of this gutless coward, and others like him, I have finally been forced to take a course of action I had hoped to never take...no more comments will be added to this blog until I have approved of them.
This does not mean that the comments that make it through will be restricted to those which agree with what I have written. People who disagree with me will have their comments printed as long as they refrain from using obscenities or making libelous comments.
I am sure the person or persons who have been making these remarks over the past few weeks and their ilk will begin crying "censorship." They can cry all they want. This has nothing to do with censorship. No one is preventing these people from following my rules, and if they are not comfortable with those rules, there is no one stopping them from starting their own blogs and ripping into me every day if that is what they want to do. They can even do something novel and actually put their names on what they write.
I have worked hard to make this blog a daily stop for hundreds of people, most of whom, even those who vehemently disagree with me, would never dream of stooping to the reptilian level of this small group of anonymous cowards. I do not intend to let these people continue to ride on my coattails any longer.
I apologize for the inconvenience this will cause for many readers, most of whom have done nothing to merit this kind of treatment, but, as with most of things in life, it is always a few inconsiderate people who create problems for the rest of us.
20 comments:
Ya gotta take a stand.
I've always allowed even the worst comments to stand as long as the person puts their name to it (or a URL). Funny thing is-- the jokers NEVER identify themselves. I suppose we can take a small comfort in knowing these people have to look themselves in the mirror each morning and know they are gutless swine.
A. Cline
rhetorica.net
I very rarely post to blogs but I sure wish I would have posted and criticized the people who couldn't keep the discussion civil. Too bad you had to do what you did.
Thanks for your blog.
Great position! Keep up the good work!
Typical. Ability as a "reporter"....? Excuxe me, I think I just wet myself from laughing so hard!
Don't give up, there is a lot of good people and we like to read your blog. Thanks
It's about time Randy. I have always wondered why you did not delete some of these comments that sre obviously personal attacks and have nothing to do with the topic.
Give a person an inch....
I have always tried to bend over backwards being fair to these few readers who for some reason or other have grudges against me, and in doing so I probably did a disservice to readers who had to wade through their continuous personal attacks on me just to get to comments that actually pertained to the topic. Oddly enough, I have probably had more comments since I enabled the comment moderation than I have in any one day during the past several weeks.
Agree with Professor Cline above. If you're too chicken to put your name on it, best remain hushed.
Randy, thanks as ever for the interesting mix of news and critique you provide. Please keep on keeping on.
I applaud you for your willingness to use your name. Afterall bloggers like yourself put yourselves out there as amateur reporters. Tell me why is "Howard Beale" such a hypoctrite over at Fired Up? He says whatever libelous nonsense he wishes and has no accountability at all. When Roy ran the site you could email him and have a real discussion. Once again , thanks for your openness.
Randy your blog has just lost a lot of credibility. Why don't I ask this question: why are these postings getting to you so much? Do you really get hurt and feel bad about yourself when somebody calls you an idiot or a bad reporter? This is a tough business, maybe you should have thicker skin to pretend to stay in it. One fascist coming right up!
I appreciate that because I look and see that there are comments and take the time to get in and read them and sometimes they are just stupid. I like comments that are on subjectm I don't care to read mean spirited comments by people who don't have the guts to write there own blog. Keep up the good work.
Who really cares about people putting heir name to their comments? Please....quit acting like this is some novel act and that it should be applauded. 90 percent of the people who post on here are annonymous. The others pretend not to be by putting their first name and acting like they have done something. Anyone can use any name they wish on here. Okay now I will leave my name to the comment....my name is .....er....uh....James Nolan. There ya go!
Randy: honestly?? What I posted before was too harsh for you and this blog? Seriously? That's ridiculous. It's time for somebody to take off his diapers. If comments like that, asking a genuine question with no profanity, are too much for you and this blog, you have absolutely no more credibility. Here's one avid now angry reader who won't be back.
I have no idea what comment you are talking about, but assuming it was one of the ones I was writing about, all I can say is good riddance.
Randy,
Good for you. There's just too much nastiness on line, and there's no reason you should have to put up with it on your blog.
For those who cry censorship - they aren't be shut up - you just aren't allowing them to snipe from the shadows. If they want to write comments, they are welcome to start their own blog and link to you.
I look at it like having a house. You don't let people post signs calling you names in your yard. You can't stop them from posting in their own yard, but to do so, they'll have to build a house.
Freedom of speech or not?
Busta
The constitution says we have free speech but it does not say everyone we talk to has to listen. Randy has the right to not put comments here that are out of context or hideous, which a lot of them have been lately. He is not the government and he does not have to let anything on his blog that he does not want.
The First Amendment does say we have freedom of speech, but Randy does not have to provide a forum for it. If you want to say exactly what you want, profanity, obscenity and libelous comments included, then start your own blog.
Understood, just hope the editing is used only when there is foul abusive language. Not as an excuse to cut people short you disagree with or when someone favorable is loosing an arguement.
That is exactly what he will do. The posts on here about his past were in fact true but he doesn't want people to know. I will guarantee you if people continue to post the inappropriate falsehoods about Nodler that they have or anyone else for that matter, he will continue to post them because he doesn't like them. What a joke this little old insignificant man is.
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