Comments, Decorum, Sanity

I've been thinking a lot lately about the comment free-for-all taking place on blogs, and on news stories and columns in traditional media.

By total coincidence, the subject came up in separate conversations with writers in Milwaukee and Madison within 24 hours.

In the old days not so long ago, a reader who sent a letter to the editor to a newspaper supplied name, address and a phone number so the authorship could be verified.

And letters were routinely edited for style, libel or clarity, or trimmed when space was the issue.

These days, anyone with a laptop or a Blackberry can fire off an anonymous comment posted to a newspaper's site, and the same is true for blogs, though there are some controls with comment moderation if the blogger so chooses.

I was relieved, finally, when some weeks ago the Journal Sentinel cut off comments posted to one of the news stories about an horrific quadruple murder after anonymous comment writers had ugly things to say about one of the victims - - a young mother who was killed in front of her two young children.

I even posted a comment urging the paper to close off the comments, and there was a brief discussion about censorship - - but newspapers can and should, like all publications, exercise controls in their products.

People who don't approve can read or buy or watch something else. It's a free country.

Censorship by the government is a different and genuine issue, but in private businesses - - media or not - - it's legal, smart and routine.

For the most part, I put up everything that is sent to me. I think in the three-plus years I have been blogging, I have declined to post perhaps ten comments, usually because they are promoting some product, but occasionally because they are flat-out racist, homophobic or otherwise vicious, and with no merit.

But I think I am going to enforce a tougher ban.

If you want to sound off that someone is sleazy, or corrupt, or unethical, or a liar (when what you are really saying is, "I have a different opinion, so I disagree") my guess is that you won't see it here.

I could edit out these sentiments, but I'd rather not. I think the comment writers can and should.

Tough criticism, especially for the political world?

Of course. Keep that coming. You see plenty of comments on this blog from very conservative people who think I am a jerk and a hack, and that the President I support is a socialist, or worse.

But take a closer look at what you send my way if you want it posted here, or send it somewhere else.