So, in the ten months this blog has operated, this is my first post on behavior on the site. My general rule of thumb has been: let anyone say whatever they want. And that's been the case--there have been a wide-range of views here, many of them disagreeing with my positions, sometimes fiercely and even a bit personal. Terrific. Not a single person has been banned from the site for strongly putting out their positions.
Until today. I hope that's the last person I have to banish. But, I won't tolerate abusive language that crosses the line. What's the line? It's pretty tolerant here but where one person spews invective around at a variety of people and does so repeatedly over a period of time (every person can have their one moment, we're only human), that's crossing the line.
The reason I'm trying to set some standard now is that this site is growing every day in its readership. I want to encourage new people to post opinions, ask questions, get answers and engage in dialogue, without feeling like they have to first wade through trolls and others, who can't abide by some rock-bottom, basic civility within some very, very generous parameters for debate.
One small piece of advice for the 99 percent of people who stay within the broad boundaries and want to have vigorous give-and-take: stick to the substance of the thread (which includes strong, vibrant criticism), ignore the name-callers, don't get into answering them and they will go away.
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