I asked you in my email response to you, and I'll ask you again here for everyone else.

Why did you delete my blog when Mike Jenner admitted I had a legitimate complaint even after I cleaned it up the blog?

Here is what Jenner had to say:

“…there was nothing in the story to support labelling Sarasota as a "liberal town." Perhaps it's more liberal than Largo, but that's a matter of perspective that's not supported in the AP story.”

I wouldn't blame you, Jason, even if you felt you had to delete one of the threads I posted, either today, or someday in the future.  You have a very difficult job and I know that you are only making the kinds of decisions that are in the best interest of everybody involved. 

I agree that things have become uglier around here, and it started happening while you were on vacation.  I want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again.  If anybody is ever offended by anything I have to say, I'll delete the offending comment myself, if it's on a thread I've posted, or, if it's under something somebody else posted, I'll ask it to be removed.  I don't like to be insulted and I wouldn't want anybody else to feel insulted by anything I've said.  

Jason, this is the Internet.  It's the future of how society is going to be organized.  It's (sadly) going to displace the traditional media.  That's why I'm here.   I like to think I'm a responsible member of the community. 

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I, too, think GrpThink had a valid complaint.  If all it takes to shut down valid blog entries is to post invalid responses, then you encourage the posting of such entries.

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I grant you, this is not an easy place to moderate.  Take a look at how DailyKos does it, if you haven't already.  Atrios has another way, where a lot of absolute nonsense is tolerated in the name of free speech.  Of course, neither has to answer to a corporate overlord. :)

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GrpThink, this is what I wrote in my opening paragraph above:

"I just deleted two blogposts by Bakersfield.com community members, not because of the content of the original posts, but because the poisonous tone and content of the ensuing comment threads.  I copied the texts of the original posts and sent them to the original bloggers so that they may repost if they so choose."

I did send you an email before I deleted, as I did with the other post and blogger, and I just forwarded you a copy of what I sent.

If people don't feel they can express their opinions without cheap shots being hurled at them every time they make a comment, then the blog community will suffer immensely.  These insults are a form of bullying and if a person cannot excercise enough self-restraint and self-discipline to say things in a way that is not offensive, then others, unfortunately, have to step in, in order to prevent the community from being a breeding ground for hatred. 

Jason has the incredibly difficult task of upholding the spirit of free speech while identifying and weeding out hate speech.  We won't always agree on what content is truly worthy of deletion, but we must all support him as the gatekeeper.  Jason, when you went on vacation, I learned to really appreciate your role here.  It did not feel safe to freely express my opinions while you were away. 

I missd all the fun. Ugh! So I don't know what exactly I am commenting on.

Is this suppose to represent some Utopia? Or does it represent the "real world"?

This is the realty of the new media. Sometimes this place can look like the Jerry Springer Show and other times its like the Newshour on PBS.

Sorry Jason, I think people are people and they will never change.

I think that a good interim step would be to eliminate the "anonymous" feature, but it's one I use only once a day so it's easy for me to suggest that.

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BLT, the problem is "who decides?"  Here, ultimately, Jason decides what's personal and offensive.  At DailyKos, it's a collaborative effort.  At LGF, presumably it's a dictatorial prerogative.

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I don't want to see the hatemongers entirely expunged, because that would only leave us liberals. :)  Truly, though, this place is unique in my experience for a nonspecialized 'blog--a blog which has both "sides" represented.  I don't see that elsewhere--on the left because conservatives don't care to venture there (aside from trolls) and on the right because they kick liberals out.

I, too, think GrpThink had a valid complaint.  If all it takes to shut down valid blog entries is to post invalid responses, then you encourage the posting of such entries.

I'm not going to make a direct accusation, but it was the second blog of mine Jason has deleted which was critical of the Californian.

I also remember at least one other blog by someone that was deleted which was also critical of the Californian.

Folks always seem to assume that they are deleted because of the content of their posts, rather than the crude, rude, abrasive, and insulting manner of their delivery. 

Yes, bakersfieldbubble, people are people, and I hate to burst your bubble, but this simply  means that "people" should act, not as wild beasts, but in a humane manner. 

 Furthermore, as humans, they should be held accountable.  Without such measures of protection in place, choas ensues, and we further the cause of hate.  Ideally, we should not have to be policed, but topics involving religion and politics in particular can get very emotionally-charged, and because certain individuals seem to know no boundaries when it comes to showing others even a modicum of respect, such oversight, and such accountability needs to be present.   

It did not feel safe to freely express my opinions while you were away.

The feeling was mutual reading some of your posts in my blogs.

If you were truly insulted by any of my statements, GrpThink, and are not just using me as a diversion, then point out the particular remarks you found insulting, and I will either remove them myself (if it is under one of the threads I posted), or I will ask that it be removed if it was under something somebody else posted. 

I'm not here to be insulted, and I'm not here to insult anybody else, even those who hold opinions that I strongly and often, passionately, disagree with. 

GrpThink, if we had an administrative function that would allow for the mass deletion of comments while leaving the original post, I would've used it in both instances here.  That's why I copied and emailed the original posts' text to both affected bloggers, as I publicly and privately stated already.  I'm assuming that the other post you're referring to was the one in which you reposted an offensive comment from one of your posts' threads because you assumed I was allowing it to stand because you hadn't heard from me (as I told you in an email after I deleted those comments and your post, I was in a meeting).

Bubble, you're missing the point.  "That's life, suck it up" or "That's how the real world works, too bad" are not good enough excuses.  This is not a partisan non-profit or a start-up tech company or a some other free-for-all blogging platform--this is a online community hosted as a service by a privately held local media company.  It doesn't have to do that.  Do you want it to get to a point where the powers-that-be decide it's not worth the trouble, or it's a failed experiment?

BLT, I appreciate your sentiments, but it's easy to say that one is willing to remove offensive comments after-the-fact (which, btw, you can do on your own, for your own comments, even if they're not on your blog), but it's another thing to think before you type in the first place, and police yourself.

RF, we talk about the things you mention often here--getting rid of anonymous comments, involving community members in consensual oversight tasks.  But software development is not a magic, overnight thing, and this isn't the only product our folks are working on.  But I appreciate your comments.

Folks always seem to assume that they are deleted because of the content of their posts, rather than the crude, rude, abrasive, and insulting manner of their delivery.

Once again you step in to something you know nothing about.

Perhaps Jason will repost my blog and you can see for youself that there was nothing crude, rude, abrasive or insulting about the delivery of the message.

This is a perfect example of how you contribute to the problem with your baseless accusations.

I cannot speak for this one post as I did not read it, but I am familiar with your mode of operation, and have been the victim of it in many cases, as many others have been.  I do know that if it was not grossly offensive, Jason would not have deleted it.  He is no reckless hack.  He agonizes over each of these decisions. 

I have to run.  Once again, Jason, I trust your decisions.  I fully support you, and your role in this blog community, and will continue to support you, even if you have to delete something I've posted one day. 

That's why I copied and emailed the original posts' text to both affected bloggers, as I publicly and privately stated already.

Jason, I checked my email and I did not receive the text of my blog.

Please resend.

I'm assuming that the other post you're referring to was the one in which you reposted an offensive comment from one of your posts' threads because you assumed I was allowing it to stand because you hadn't heard from me 

No, it was from a blog more than a week ago.

RF, I have a sinking suspicion that you're implying that I was "okay" with what was said in that other post.  Again, it's not about that.  It's about what happened after. 

And GrpThink, I hardly ever delete an entire post, and when I do, I take screenshots and save them.  I cannot find what you're referring to, re: a post of yours that was critical of TBC that I deleted.  Please email me more details--it was a post, not a comment on a post?  The only record I have from that time regarding you is some deleted profanity.

As well, please go back and reread my post in its entirety.  In both cases--and these were only emblematic of a rampant problem across our blogs--neither "side" was blameless.  Are folks saying that once someone acts out, then that's automatic license for you to dish out the same, since you didn't start it, or you're only defending yourself?

And Tom, GhostRiter, thank you.

The thing I find amusing is that after responding to insults with insults, Dusty  accused me and me alone of insulting people.

Also amusing that random couldn't  even get through this blogg without spouting insulting remarks. Like referring to Cons as hate mongers. Of course I'm sure that anybody that doesn't conform to his far left political views is a hate monger. In that case count me in.

GrpThink has selective memory, he can't remember the insults layed on me  from the lib side. But that is consistent with the LW Lib mantra.

Jason, shall I report the violation on Charlie above or do you want to do it?  That is what it's coming to, right?  He reports me, then I report him, then...

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I merely wanted to know which blog entries were deleted without having to go back through the list and try to figure out which one I remember as being there, but can't find now.

There are posters here who won't publicly post on my little blog but they privately email their views and inquire about my positions. I have been delighted with the depth of their thinking and our conversations have been illuminating and rewarding.

Jason wrote, "I mean, why do it?  And why do you come back?  What is this place to you?"

Well, as I wrote on an earlier date, when I decide to vanish, I vanish without a big announcement.  One day it'll dawn on people that someone is missing.  Notice that I didn't post since some time yesterday.  Glad I checked in.

"Are folks saying that once someone acts out, then that's automatic license for you to dish out the same, since you didn't start it, or you're only defending yourself?"

That's pretty much how it works, when people feel it's up to them -- and nobody else -- to defend themselves.  To suggest that it's wrong to defend ourselves -- as some bloggers repeatedly suggest -- is like suggesting that we should have just sucked it up on 9/11 rather than invading Afghanistan and going after Bin Laden.

That ain't gonna happen.  Ever.

I'll make "liberal" use of the Report Violation feature if I have the genuine feeling that there is some hope of reining in mindless haters.  But if I don't sense that it's doing any good, expect the ole trusty verbal 2-by-4 to start finding use on certain people whose conduct is -- I hope -- so obviously out of line that they don't need naming.  One of them is right here under this blog post.

As for Charlie, GrpThink is correct.  He is the instigator in nearly every case.  We'll be commenting on something and he will, with no provocation, drop in a hateful line of filth that usually consists of pure personal attack and no topical content whatsoever.

If the conduct of these people isn't dealt with by more official means, I will deal with them myself using the trusty verbal 2-by-4 -- that is, when I feel like hanging around the blogs.

I second GrpThink's 5:51 post.

Use that Report Violation feature freely -- but not loosely.

Jason,

I think part of the problem is there's this tone, in your post here, that implies that we're like children who NEED to be disciplined or corraled.  In reality, we should all accept responsibilty for words on these blogs, just as we'd accept the responsibility for something said at Dagny's on a Saturday.  As an adult, it's slightly insulting when someone plays Big Brother and implies that other adults couldn't deal with *a word* or an idea.  If you (general you) become incensed or offended by someone using the word "balls", for example, then you are probably one who is easily offended.  If you (general you) can't stand to have someone debate you on an issue, then don't post this issue for debate.  What I see is a few people who post just to get a rise out of someone else.  I also see a few people who don't post for discussion so much as to, repetitively, ensure that we all know that they're Christian/republican/whatever.  I created my own website to journal about my personal growth and I see the bako blogs as a purely communal activity.  If I wanted total and complete agreement or unquestioned support on an issue- I'd put it in my personal blog.  KWIM? 

I realize that you have a difficult task ahead of you, but I have to question the wisdom of this post? 

You've told us all how bad we've been.  Now what?  You've taken the stand as a parent in the midst of sibling rivalry.  Now what?  You can't, as a good parent, play favorites or one child will feel slighted.  I applaud you for wanting the blogs to stay light and congenial...but, that's not life.  Life is ugly.  Life is not always nice.  So...the questions are: 

1.  Are the bako blogs supposed to reflect the actual dynamic of Bakersfield.com readers ...OR is it supposed to reflect a sanitized, censored community?

2.  Do you want to be the parent...or, do you want to be an adult amongst adults?  You really can't have it both ways.  A gentle reminder that someone should tone it down or refrain from outright slander is one thing... trying to guilt people into good behavior is another. 

I think I would've left the posts as they were and simply, as moderator, reminded people of the TOS.  Maybe you need a short sentence that just says: "Would you have said that to his face at Dagny's?"  :)

"I think I would've left the posts as they were and simply, as moderator, reminded people of the TOS. "

Nice idea, Poss, but the offenders here, I suspect, really think that their conduct is within the TOS.

 I think Allred means well, he just doesn't do well in a setting such as this.  The others, feh.

One problem is Random Factor's arrogance, and endless manipulation of threads and discussions (like this one). He seems to think he is like the Minister of PC Ideology or something.  You're not in charge of jack.  Got dat?   And you might review your Darwin once in a while: values and ethics are not intuitively true or innate: there's no equation proving "liberals are good." 

Jason's post like usual makes it seem like there are all these conservatives or moderates or independents battling against those po' victimized liberals: there ain't. The comrades run the joint.  

Every effort to eliminated the use of 'anonymous', should be the top priority.

It is only fuel for the fire..

As for me? I have a thick skin of superior quality.

When I chose or decide it is time. I Pack up my world class wordsmythery butt. And Head out camping.

Post and ignore if necessary.

Self confidence is the most important quality to a thick skin. It is like grease on the pole. Plant yourself at he top of the staff. And you are protected from the grumble bears that might attack you. And Pigs can't climb.

You are safe. You have taken the higher ground.

You are proud like a eagle. Wonderful art drawn to the melody of a fine tune.

You are a object for all to stare upon. Patiently waiting for you to present your thoughts.

Who cares? . Ever hear of a proxy, Daisy Mae Think? Apparently not.  1000s of 'em . You're no liberal anyways: more like wannabe J. Edgar Hoover.  

Anyway, Random Factor had one decent idea: group editorial policy.  While Sperber does a decent job (perhaps), there are sound reasons for group editorial policy (tho' not of Kos type). Let's say only people who can like configure a user account are allowed on the Editor board. Yeah! Problem solved.