Meta: On Comments
As regular readers know, I have a fairly open policy about comments here at Brendan Calling. Unlike a number of right-wing sites, who can’t bear disagreement, I welcome debate. There’s some constructive debate in comments, thanks to astute people like Steveeboy, Christina, Kate, Tim, Alex, and even ausblog. The fact is, I don’t want my site to be an echo-chamber, and as the “retractions” category illustrates, I’m not above admitting when I’ve erred either. Comments from my readers truly ARE food for thought, whether they agree with me or disagree.
However, there are a few things I won’t engage in, and comments at “Working Poverty” and “A Real Christian” provide classic examples.
Willful Obtuseness: I hate this game, in which I write on a given topic, and a commenter deliberately miscontrues my point, and engages in a debate thread that has nothing to do with my subject. In “A Real Christian”, I write about the hypocrisy of a minister who gives greater weight to word than deed. Anyone who has ever read the New Testament knows it is both grace and deeds that makes one a Christian. Matthew 6:14,15: “If you forgive men their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions”; Romans 2:6, “God will render to every man according to his deeds.” I’ve spelled this out clearly, yet my commenter plays a game of willfull obtuseness, as if I don’t know what I meant to writ about, arguing on and on about something I’m not saying. I won’t play that game. Even ausblog’s comments in abortion-related posts, in which he keeps asking me “what if YOU were aborted?” is less obnoxious.
Insult the Publisher: I don’t play this game either. If I don’t agree with you or write to tell you respectfully that you’re missing my point, don’t get up in my shit. This is MY blog, no one is forced to read it or comment on it, and in the same way that I won’t accept that kind of behavior in my house, I won’t accept it on my blog. Respectful disagreement is one thing, but insult and snot (especially from someone who has never met me in real life) is a sure way to get your IP address blocked, and barring that, your responses deleted as spam. Or being held up publicly for ridicule as a topic of a blog post.
Disruption: This is a pretty standard form of assholery on other blogs that fortunately hasn’t made much of an appearance here. This is a forewarning: don’t do it.
I could go on and on, but will curtail things right here. I like Brendan Calling to be a fun place to visit for my readers, and constructive discussion is always welcome. That does not give commenters the run of the joint, and if you disagree with me that strenuously, if you absolutely must conduct straw man arguments, well then set up your own blog.
Love,
Brendan
One Response to “Meta: On Comments”
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November 27th, 2006 at 11:06 pm
Wow……just wow.
I wish you luck in all of your endeavors and with your attitude, you will need it.
Always yours,
The Traveler