It’s primary season. And in a close race, we have strong opinions and heated passions (even within camps).
This is a reminder that we have rules regarding civility on our site. We’ve had them for a long time.
If you can’t make your point without insulting someone … well, you’re not doing it right. I have to say that my experience in meeting BMG people is that they’re delightful, almost to a person. If you’re insulting someone, they’re probably actually delightful, and you’d regret it if you just knew them.
For those who can’t follow the rules, we do suspend or ban people. It’s a pain, and we don’t like to do it.
Primary season is the Silly Season. Don’t make it the Mean Season.
This has been a public service announcement.
ChiliPepr says
Does that only hold true for insulting people on our side? Can we insult the other side all we want?
Peter Porcupine says
I get tired of being polite sometimes! (it’s my law-and-order mentality about The Rules that holds me back)
johntmay says
if you can’t be kind, be vague……
Christopher says
…though I’m not a big fan of calling public officials nasty names either.
Charley on the MTA says
If someone is commenting here they come under the purview of our rules.
Jasiu says
I’ve learned that the signal-to-noise ratio goes into the crapper here during major primaries. It’s mostly “my candidate good; your candidate bad”, and, as you mention, that leads to some nastiness. It is even worse when it runs on for double-digit comments.
Charley on the MTA says
That’s the whole internet these days. My FB feed is unreadable.
Jasiu says
So is mine, but literally, since I’m not on FB. 🙂
I just find it dismaying here because some people who have shown their thoughtfulness and articulation previously become fierce partisans I’d love to see posts tempered by some honesty like, “X is my candidate, but I still respect Y because…”.
Christopher says
Johntmay just posted a diary that encourages us to do exactly what you call for.