Comments and Questions - We Get ‘Em!
by Pete WannAs you may have noticed, this site generates some passionate debate among our readers. We think that’s absolutely awesome, since that means there are people out there who are just as fired up about Fort Worth as we are!
Unfortunately, though, sometimes the debate can get a little out of hand and cross over from debate to what’s commonly called on the internet “flame wars.” (Thankfully we haven’t gotten to the point of some sites, but we prefer to take a proactive approach to hopefully prevent nastiness before it starts.)
We haven’t had a commenting policy to this point, since we’ve usually been able to handle things on a personal basis. As the site grows, though, it’s going to be increasingly hard to continue to do that, so what we’d like to do is craft a reasonable and fair comments policy with the help of you, dear readers.
Give us your thoughts on what would make our comments area a place that you’d like to come back to. Based on your feedback, we’ll come up with something that makes this an inviting place to participate and share our collective love of Fort Worth.
Tags: administrative, comments, sitepolicies, westandclear
4 Comments, Comments or Pings
Don Young
My only suggestion is that you get rid of those jerks who disagree with me. Seriously, I think you guys are doing a fine job as is, picking up the occasional red flag. Something about W&C inspires most people to watch their behavior or at least find creative ways to insult someone without resorting to the insult direct. Don’t mess with it too much.
Jun 30th, 2008
paul
I say hold on as long as possible without implementing a policy.
Like Don above, I think you guys do a good job of keeping it pretty civil. In the case where someone goes way over the top or comments in a way that is completely out of proportion than my preference would be to let their comment - and all that it entails - stand, in all its er huh ….. naked glory.
Another suggestion may be that W&C jump in at a certain point to suggest that the person with the “wild hair” post a blog on their own space and allow that person to post a link on W&C as their final comment in that thread (while not excluding them from other threads.)
It’s an interesting dilemma. I know I didn’t take any offense at Anthony Mariani’s response to my recent comment and felt no need to respond what-so-ever, mostly because It was good for a lot of laughs, but also because I didn’t want to litter up the site with an off-topic debate. Again, I can write my own response on my own blog if needed.
But ….. I also send a lot of people to W&C and if the first thing someone sees on the site is something akin to a “flame war” than they may quickly decide that they have something better to spend their time on which would be a shame. So far those situations seem to be rare.
Maybe it just depends on how wide an audience you’re going for.
Jun 30th, 2008
Chewy
I think the discussion here is pretty civil for the most part with the exception of a few things - anything Chesapeake or Politically related. There’s obvious slants on both sides of those hot topics but it seems that people can’t really have a civil discussion about either anymore. It’s not just this site but society in general which is a shame.
I have my opinions on both but I try to stay out of those conversations and will stop reading the comments when it becomes a flame war with no civil discussion going on anymore which with both of those topics becomes pretty quickly.
I will say that it would be nice if the original posters would pull back a little on the slanted comments. I understand this is not a news site and the “owners” have every right to post whatever they want but if y’all truly do want to keep some of the flames at bay then it would help if some of the comments were toned down in the original post. When the original post comes out swinging then it’s obvious someone will jump in and civility is out the window so it was kind of invited.
Cutting back on those initial comments would be my only suggestion right now if you’re truly interested in cutting back on the flames. Sometimes the original post does nothing but invite the pending comments.
Jun 30th, 2008
RidgeD
The political aspect of our life is not mutually exclusive of the remainder of it but rather central to it. I’m new to posting comments on blogs and have made mistakes. But tolerance for the faux pas is necessary to promote the greater good of free discussion on topics important to us all. I will make an effort to adhere to etiquette, and hope that those of us who want to continue to post comments on West and Clear will be allowed to do so.
Jul 1st, 2008
Reply to “Comments and Questions - We Get ‘Em!”