How (Not) To Leave Comments

A certain member of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement has been leaving often-insulting comments on this blog under aliases including Avodas Avoda, Curious, Crazy Guy, Meshullam, Shmaryahu and Shmarya.

I rarely delete comments or ban commentators no matter how insulting they are. But I have banned this particular commenter because he left comments in my name and represented himself as me. I have also deleted the comments he left under my name.

So, here are the rules: Choose to leave comments under one name or alias only and do not impersonate any other commentator or public figure. Also, try to make your points using fact and logic, not insults.

If Avodas Avoda wants to continue to comment, I'll reinstate him – if he agrees to abide by the rules.

Comments

[Avodas Avoda]

Anyone reading could have told that it wasn't you posting in that the comments were absurd. I was demonstrating absurdity by being absurd. But, if you don't like that, feel free to censor all you want. I'll go tell Gil, though!

[Shmarya]

It's a very simple rule. Do you want me to "unban" you? If so, send me an e-mail with the IP address you were using until now, and I'll lift the ban – if you agree not to use multiple aliases.

[shmuel munkes]

so scotty - when you ban or unban people its OK - but if g'dolei hador do it, it's thuggery, flat-worldedness, conspiracy, madness, doublespeak, lies, spin, talibanism, or any of your neverending superlatives! methinks there's a wee bit of a double standard here

[Shmarya]

No, not really. Why?

1. I allow 99.9% of comments, including many comments that are unflattering to me.

2. I banned Avodas Avoda because he a) impersonated another commenter, b) used multiple aliases to avoid critcism from other commenters, and c) was dishonest. I did not ban him to censure his views.

3. My banning him did not harm his life, harm his family, hurt his income, exclude him from community institutions or the like.

4. I offered to reinstate him if he agreed to post under one alias *only*.

Try to think before you post.

[Neo-Conservaguy]

All too often the debates on this blog degenerate into personal insults - and often start out that way, too. I would support banning anyone that resorts to personal attacks when commenting upon these issues - that would seem to include AA as well as several other posting aliases. Anyone that posts such comments loses the right to complain about censorship if they are banned - at least until offering an apology.

[Incredulous]

I am amazed that you are concerned about being insulted. The whole point of this website is to insult and demean any and all positive contributions of Chabad and its followers. Methinks the lady doest protest too much.

[rebeljew]

Neo, you are too aggressive here. It is important to this blog to allow Chabadniks to express disagreement, outrage or whatever. If they have arguments, let them air them. If all they have are insults, let those fly too. It is very telling in the entire scheme of argument. To understand the blog style argument, you must first consult the Rebel's dictionary. http://rebeljew.blogspot.com/2005/06/rebels-dictionary.html

(See especially the entry on "lashon hara")