Joy and Rick Seward were at the city council meeting this past Tuesday too. Rick stood up and spoke but Joy wasn’t going to. But after cocky Chris Copstead gave his rude remarks, Joy was so upset she went up to the podium to speak also. She was shaking with emotion and made a strong statement about treating the public with respect and particularly chastised Chris for the tone of his words.
Then after listening to the city council pretend to deliberate and throw barbs and insults at those who spoke out, Joy was not feeling well. She asked her husband to take her home . It turns out that Joy was having a heart attack and she is in very serious condition right now at KMC.
Please keep her in your prayers.
Any blog has difficultly maintaining a level of decorum while still being interesting. We have registration here, which helps keep the noise level down as it requires a level of accountability in the form of a valid e-mail address.
As far as posts go, Bill, Mary, and I make every attempt here to be accurate and honest. We provide links to backup what we say. We do not gossip. If we’re in error, we strive to correct or admit to the error. We cannot, however, dictate the quality of the comments. You’ll find that true of most blogs. That leaves us in a quandary, but please understand that it is the nature of the medium. The only way to guarantee quality would be to forbid all comments, which isn’t in the plans.
If you have any suggestions, I’d enjoy hearing them.
Comment by Dan — June 21, 2008 @ 9:40 am
Diogenes,
Your perspective is that one person is lowering the level of this website. Whoever that person is, s/he might disagree with you and say that s/he’s raising the level. Please define the line that establishes the level we and writers should follow.
You believe more in depth editing would be prudent. What is “more in depth editing?” How much “more in depth editing” is too much or not enough? One writer’s style might be brash and confrontational while another writer’s style might be the opposite. I would prefer that commenters not bait other commenters with taunting remarks, but there is no requirement that a reader rise to the bait. Sometimes a comment is not worthy of a response. Sometimes the most effective response is to ignore the bait.
Ultimately each of us bears the responsibility for what we write. Dan and Mary and I will remove material we believe to be illegal or defamatory or if we believe there is some other compelling reason. It is up to each individual writer to edit his or her own writing to assure that its intended meaning, and only that intended meaning, comes across to the readers. That responsibility is nearly impossible to attain. What may sound innocent or stimulating or thought-provoking to the writer may be interpreted entirely differently by readers. Since we can’t read the writer’s mind, we can only react to our perception of what was written. The lesson for writers is to write as carefully and precisely as possible.
Removing or editing posts or comments inevitably will cause some people to question why. I would prefer posters and commenters do their own editing for ideas and content. Usually if we edit or remove a post or comment, we will contact the writer and explain why. The reason will sometimes but not always be posted for others to read.
Comment by Bill — June 21, 2008 @ 9:42 am
Oh come on! You all are smarter than that. While I’m sure the person I was referring to would disagree with me, it doesn’t change the facts. The commentary by this poster is very clear. And disruptive. On the one hand you state that you will edit and/or remove derogatory comments and then you go into a long disertation as to why you do not. This poster does not always make either stimulating or thought provoking comments. Just snide name calling. And I can’t imagine that any of you would need him/her to explain the meaning. I know all of you to be far more intelligent than that. I had hoped that this site would be above that. I am begining to think that it just depends on who the pejorative comments support. And that is really too bad, nay disappointing.
Comment by Diogenes — June 21, 2008 @ 10:50 am
I understand where Diogenes is coming from. I agree that we need to jump in when some bickering is going on that serves no constructive purpose. While that probably wouldn’t involve editing out comments, unless they were out of line, it would serve to remind people to pull their sights up to the subject at hand, not just the score in the argument.
I like what one commenter said, I’ve forgotten who, that we should be talking about ideas, not people in a personal way. We do, on this site, talk about our elected / appointed officials, but it shouldn’t be personal, it should be in the realm of their job behavior and performance.
Diogenes, there are people who want to undermine what this blog is trying to do. They think they’re being subtle, but it’s pretty obvious. They add nothing of substance to a topic, they just wait to snipe at other commenters or hit them with accusatory questions. If there are comments you’re not comfortable with, just ignore them and add something to raise the level of conversation. Ignoring irritating bloggers seems pretty effective most of the time. And Bill, Dan and I will be try to re-direct conversations that are heading into the gutter. Thanks for the input.
Comment by mary — June 21, 2008 @ 10:54 am
As Mary said, ignore the repeated taunts and baiting; do not respond to them.
Those who persistently taunt and bait have a behavioral trait similar to a stalker or unwanted pursuer. Almost any response to them by an intended victim is seen as a positive reinforcement, because they seek personal recognition. It doesn’t have to be good recognition; any recognition validates their behavior.
If what we’re posting and allowing as comments on our website is causing any reader genuine emotional distress, the quickest and most effective remedy is probably to simply stop coming here. People may come here with expectations we cannot meet, and if that’s the case, we do not want to contribute to their distress. There are some local blogs and websites I refuse to read for exactly that reason, so I do practice what I’m encouraging other to try.
If we have predatory commenters whose principal purpose is obviously to be disruptive and make life unpleasant for others who come here, their ability to post comments will be revoked.
Comment by Bill — June 21, 2008 @ 11:57 am
Let me hasten to say, these comments have not been directed at me, at any time. I’m honestly coming from a purely objective vantage point. What distressed me was the fact that they seem ongoing. On a personal level, I do ignore them. They have nothing to do with me. But I believe the most graphic illustration I can give you would be, I do not want this blog to disintegrate into a Huckleberries. I have no doubt at all that you all agree on that point. And not everybody has been able to ignore this poster. We are all capable of making the odd, misunderstood statement. But this does not apply in this case. I have noted this over time and, as previously stated, I’m not here everyday. So clearly, to my mind, this is ongoing. It would be a pretty boring world if we all agreed on everything. But there is a right way and a wrong way. I love a fact filled back and forth. Name calling and snide remarks should have been left behind in the second grade.
Comment by Diogenes — June 21, 2008 @ 2:36 pm
Diogenes, like your name sake you appear to be seeking the perfect blogger. I suspect, aside from the one you see in the mirror, you may be frustrated in your search. Never fear, the folks running this blog have a rational point of view and the humility to listen well to others.
Two or three improvements for the future that would be nice are:
1 – a preview option.
2 – an edit option.
3 – a delete own post option.
4 – an ignore option.
Comment by Pariah — June 21, 2008 @ 2:54 pm
WordPress Ideas
Comment by Dan — June 21, 2008 @ 3:33 pm
Dan, would you please translate what all those technical categories mean? I don’t mean one by one, I mean are we supposed to look at them and suggest which ones we like? Is it possible to incorporate some of the things Pariah has suggested?
For all of our commenters: Until these options are available to everyone, Dan, Bill and I have the ability to do edit or delete anyone’s comments. So, if you misstate something or change your mind about posting it, or misspell…just email us (our emails are under “About OpenCdA” in the upper right hand corner of the front page) and ask us to fix whatever. I frequently fix simple misspellings, just to be nice, because they shouldn’t be distractions from the true message a person is writing. We all get going fast with our typing and often make easy mistakes.
Comment by mary — June 21, 2008 @ 3:45 pm
Even I don’t know what many of the categories are. Some of them are very technical, but please the nerds who program for WordPress. Still, if you want to suggest a feature, that link provides a way to do it.
Comment by Dan — June 21, 2008 @ 4:37 pm
Comment #57 makes my point, by example, perfectly. I find it interesting that this person recognized him/herself so clearly when I gave no pointed description. And, in so doing, provews my point as to his/her real intent.
Comment by Diogenes — June 21, 2008 @ 6:14 pm
sorry about that…proves my point.
Comment by Diogenes — June 21, 2008 @ 6:15 pm
“I’m not here everyday.”
Right. But opinions you have about others who are. You also make assumptions. Too funny.
Now back to the topic, Joy is out of ICU and doing better. Prayers answered.
Comment by Pariah — June 21, 2008 @ 8:52 pm