“Why don’t you just delete all of his comments?”
A buddy of mine posed this question to me today. He was referring to the almost manic commenting from a commenter who calls himself PZGURU. My friend felt that this particular commenter was a bit “over the top.” The truth is he just doesn’t bother me all that much.
Perhaps I should explain how I view this blog. I sort of see myself as the bartender at WB’s Pub. From behind the stick I freely dole out news and social commentary about stuff around here. When people post a comment it’s like one of the patrons of the bar throwing in their two cents. That is why I have maintained a liberal policy on anonymous commenter’s. At my place you don’t have to give me your real name if you don’t want to. We don’t even check ID’s.
Every pub worth its beer nuts has a gadfly, you know, the guy who sits at the end of bar and is ready to pick an argument with just about everything and everybody. For the most part, a good bartender will tolerate this. To a certain degree folks like this add a little color to the joint and a customer is a customer after all. Every once and awhile however, that customer will over indulge and take things a little too far. At that point a good innkeeper will cut them off.
When I delete a comment it’s the same thing. If the commenter doesn’t think this is fair they are more than welcome to leave and patronize another joint down the street where the atmosphere might be more tolerant of their ranting. This is certainly not the only blog in this county.
No one is banned forever though. At this pub anyway, you are always welcome back…until the next time.
Nice way to look at it!
ReplyDeleteMaybe the reason the 'gadfly' is tolerated is because he too often represents the frustrations experienced by others. Once one 'gadfly' is dismissed, soon another, and another.
ReplyDeleteYour friend who wants a plain vanilla conversation might be in the wrong place. Maybe he'd do better at the washington press club, or baltimore center club where they only allow like minded people to speak.
Painfully unAmerican, but that's America - tolerating intolerance.
I must admit sometimes the gadfly bores me.
ReplyDeleteYou kick him out of the bar when he starts chasing your customers off and let him return when he wants to exhibit better humor.
HH
Hey man, at least you have a gadfly. If comments are the equivalent to two cents a piece, I still don't have enough to ride the bus with a student discount! What's your secret?
ReplyDeleteBut, Jack, I posted comments on your blog. You deleted them. And I did own my identity and write relevant comments to your content. So, perhaps the answer to your question is staring you in the face.
ReplyDeleteHaha. Welcome to blogging, dear. Been through the ringer myself. Just consider a bit of early-blogging hazing. ;-)
Jack will be hazed if he ever becomes relevant.
ReplyDeleteI think there's better standards than bar snacks against which to compare either blogs or pubs themselves. But if that's the bar you're striving to reach, so be it.
ReplyDeletePZG's comments, while occasionally as scorching as a stiff drink, do provide a good regulatory perspective counterbalance to this blog's point of view from within the development industry.
Wordbones - I have no need to further prove my side of things as I have already done so.
ReplyDeleteYou say my comments are manic. I say they are blunt and honest. The only people who should have any concern with that are people who trade in deceit and lies.
I don't hide the fact that I have a fair amount of contempt for people (like you)who believe/accept the government treating different people differently depending on who they "know" or how much money they stuff in politicians pockets. I see that as not only illegal and unconstitutional, but down right immoral.
And, for the record, there have been issues with which I have agreed with you, albeit few and far between. But, that's mostly because you're on the wrong side of the issues most of the time.
Pzg,
ReplyDeleteAs I’ve said before, what else would you expect from a “passive aggressive elitist propagandist?”
That was your best barb so far. It’s a keeper.
-wb
That was a fine piece of wordsmanship on my part. Definitely in my Top 5. I save my diciest diatribes for thee.
ReplyDeletepzg
ReplyDeleteI think you would be happier if you
vented your honesty and frustration and whatever on a counselor. Your anger is overwhelming.
HH
HH,
ReplyDeleteYour pompous assiousness is nauseating.
HH - what are you talking about? WB and I were enjoying a nice chat about some of our past debates.
ReplyDeleteIt's very improper for you to suggest that other people need to seek counseling and so on. You seem to do this to a lot of commenters as a way to try to discredit them - since you can not successfully argue your position on facts on substance. Maybe it's YOU that has the mental problems and are placing your issues on others (it's call transferrence). Dumas!