What kind of crap is this?

it iz as specific request of one of people

who does not want the issues further discussed.  I said I MAY -  it depends on the nature of the discussion.

It is not a question of whether I care for the content, but that a person who is not germane to the contest between the candidates is having personal issues again brought up.  

It has been discussed, thoroughly, one might even say ad nauseum.

One thing we are attempting to do is keep things from getting out of hand, as they did before.  

You are welcome to participate.  Were this a discussion of the actions of a candidate, that would be germane.  That one operative was out of bounds has been well established, and beaten to death.  Now it is time to move on.  Continual picking at scabs does not advance the goal of electing Democrats.

And again -  I offered it as a personal statement, it was NOT promoted to the front page.  If the issue comes up, before I would remove content I would consult with the other three members of the editorial team.  To date, none of the other members has objected as have you to my posting that expression.


This is my world and welcome to it

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by: teacherken @ Sat Apr 25, 2009 at 17:05:17 PM CDT

That's a little better, but it fails to address the core issue

It is a little better that you now say:

before I would remove content I would consult with the other three members of the editorial team.

It doesn't remove the problem, quite frankly, of a community blog reserving the power to edit away comments or diaries based solely on its content. At least including other people in the decision has the virtue of serving as a reality check, although how one reconciles the principle of free discussion, however, with removal of content based on subject still escapes me.

(BTW, your intiial diary clearly said you would consult others with respect to policy statements, although you went on to unilaterally announce what seemed like a policy statement, i.e., no diaries about this subject would be promoted to the front page, and reserving to yourself the right to edit out comments from diaries and comments that touch on the subject matter you deem off limits).

As for the remainder of your comment, the fact that you said "MAY" rather than "will," (which is what I presume was you comparative word) is irrelevant. The exact nature of my objection was that you MAY edit content.

As for the opinions you express in your comment, to wit:

* It has been discussed, thoroughly, one might even say ad nauseum.

* One thing we are attempting to do is keep things from getting out of hand, as they did before.  

* Were this a discussion of the actions of a candidate, that would be germane.  That one operative was out of bounds has been well established, and beaten to death.  Now it is time to move on.

* Continual picking at scabs does not advance the goal of electing Democrats.

you are certainly entitled to express those opinions in diaries and comments all you like. As the site's proprietor, you can promote diaries to the front page or not based on whatever criteria you choose.

What I do not believe you ought to be permitted to do, on a blog that purports to be a community blog, is edit away contrary opinions by others. If you want to do that, then clearly state that this is teacherken's blog, and all postings are subject to your approval.

And, quite frankly, I think you ought to say straight out whether you believe you have the right to edit out content based on content you do not think is productive, approrpiate or whatever, beyond the site's policy.

Also, as you well know, I am aware of the reasons behind your pronouncement. I'm sympathetic to the individuals involved. I simply object to it on principle.

The Virginia Democrat

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by: aznew @ Sat Apr 25, 2009 at 18:16:47 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

in reestablishing the blog

we established an editorial committee precisely because we acknowledged a need for some moderation.  That is one reason why we have multiple editors -  so if it becomes necessary to moderate - which can mean to remove - content, it not be dependent upon the judgment of one person.

If in the opinion of the editors plural continued discussion of a subject is harmful to the comity we seek to maintain, we may choose to remove it.

Again, note two words:  continued and may choose

The purpose of my diary, as inartfully as it was expressed, was to put out there that there are limits.  

In the issue at hand, it has been discussed quite a bit, to the point that one person affected has asked that it not be further discussed, as you well know.  

I regular get beseeched by partisans for or  against a particular candidate about the content of this or that post, this or that comment.  In general we give great flexibility, especially in the diaries section.  

But being part of a community does not give one license.  For better or worse, in the discussions about renewing BC the four of us have been entrusted with the responsibility for maintain the site, and that includes the comity.

You chose not even to continue as part of the larger discussion group.  That was your choice, and it does not prevent you from posting.  Nor does it prevent you from disagreeing with the decisions we as editors might make.  

Communities live by standards.  Ours are still evolving.  But the wishes of an important member of the community not to have continued discussions of an issue personal to that member and not directly germane to the primary task before this community is one I think should be honored.  And I intend to do what is necessary to convince others that if necessary that might include removal of content.  

We are not there yet.  Hopefully those who regularly frequent this site will respect the request to refrain from revisiting the issues I mentioned.  If they want to argue, they have other venues than this site.

because continued discussion of that issue has the potential to destroy this site.    

This is my world and welcome to it

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by: teacherken @ Sat Apr 25, 2009 at 18:35:38 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Not to beat a dead horse

so this will be my last comment about it -- have the last word if you wish.

But the wishes of an important member of the community not to have continued discussions of an issue personal to that member and not directly germane to the primary task before this community is one I think should be honored.

If the conduct of a candidate for Governor and his supporters in running his campaign is not germane to the primary task before this community, I don't know what is.

The Virginia Democrat

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by: aznew @ Sat Apr 25, 2009 at 18:52:29 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

not the candidate

if it were, the reaction would be different. All candidates have staff and supporters who do things that should be condemned. That may well apply in this case.  But that point has been made and remade.  I fail to see what is gained by continuing to harp on it.  And it runs the risk of again blowing up the site, which I do not want to see.

I am perfectly willing to have vigorous discussion of almost anything in the diaries.  We had one on these issues.  The point that can be made which is relevant, that the campaign on whose behalf one person has acted inappropriately has not expressed any regret nor exercised any sanctions, has been made, and rather forcefully.  That was not censored.


This is my world and welcome to it

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by: teacherken @ Sat Apr 25, 2009 at 19:05:34 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I don't see a problem with this

Teacherken has made it clear that he is not planning to stop us from discussing the relative merits of candidates.  I'm satisfied with the parameters established.

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by: Catzmaw @ Sat Apr 25, 2009 at 19:53:33 PM CDT

I think that Ken's more recent

I think that Ken's more recent diary ("The Tenor of our Politics") here says it best.

"One person, one vote" died at the hands of SCOTUS, January 21, 2010

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by: KathyinBlacksburg @ Sun Apr 26, 2009 at 13:24:03 PM CDT

Cheese Louise, aznew

Give it a rest? Grow up?

I come to Blue Commonwealth to learn something about all candidates and their positions; most other sites are one-song type. Another reason is that I like to balance seeing the candidates through the eyes of their supporters, with what they want me to see, on their websites.

The "he started it!" "No, he did!" fight was tedious enough the first time around; reviving it now is simply infantile. And it definitely does not contribute to a better understanding of any of the candidates.

Has anything you've written in your diary been removed by "the powers that be"? Has your diary been put into a digital dustbin, never to see the light of day? If not, then you have not been censored and should quit your kvetching forthwith.

40yrs ago, I used to write a weekly half-hour program for a  youth radio station (back in Warsaw, Poland). I had to deal with real, honest-to-goodness censorship every week, even on most innocuous issues and word choices. I learnt to self-censor (which improved my focus no end, BTW; useful, in the long run). I know what censorship is and you've not been a victim of it; the fact that your diary showed up at all is proof of that.

As for being/not being "Front Paged"... It's a promotion, not a right. Earn it. Write something super about your preferred candidate. Or, when someone peddles their candidate's position on an issue, find out your candidate's position on it and show us that it's better.

Be constructive, not destructive. Is it too much to ask? of adults?

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by: libra @ Sun Apr 26, 2009 at 23:58:17 PM CDT

I want to be fair

aznew has never expected his partisan pieces to be frontpaged.  In most cases, he is crossposting from his own blog.

He is objecting to the possibility that something in the future would be removed or edited.  He has every right to raise that as an issue, but even though this is a community blog, one of the decisions we made after the problems the first go around was that we would have an editorial committee to maintain some comity.  We allow a lot more in diaries, but at this point the particular issues are old, and serve no purpose to keep repeating stale arguments.  That was my point.


This is my world and welcome to it

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by: teacherken @ Mon Apr 27, 2009 at 00:45:49 AM CDT

[ Parent ]