Scartooth Banned
TTAC’s posting policy is clear, and clearly stated (above the posting box): no flaming the website, its authors or fellow commentators. I’ve explained the policy many times; it’s not about promoting a particular point-of-view. It’s about maintaining sufficient civility to engender honest, informed and passionate debate. Scartooth’s comments may have been a bit short on the informed side of the equation, but they represented a perspective which he has a right to hold and share. A perspective that gives us insight into the opinions of an increasingly bewildered and vocal segment of the U.S. population. That said, when Scartooth stepped over the line with a couple of racial slurs (which we don’t allow as a matter of course), he was warned. When Scartooth dissed his fellow commentators (who dares trip trap across this bridge?), he was banned. I am not delighted with his departure. Nor am I happy about some of the responses to his comments– since deleted. But I will defend TTAC’s comments section with vigilance and discipline. Feel free to discuss our posting policy below, but know this: I’d sooner cut off comments altogether than allow outside contributions to descend into meaningless name-calling.
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Robert Agreed, i see what you mean. One vile attempt at humor is different. More than one becomes blatant racism, zero tolerance for that.
Cavendel : My interpretation of that statement is that Robert and his editors can make whatever comments they wish about anyone in a post (which to me includes less than positive comments about the opinions of the commentators, the commentators themselves, their personal appearance, their mothers, etc.), but that we as commentators (or in this case is the more appropriate term "commentors", or "posters") aren't afforded that same luxury. That is the clarification I am seeking.
I don't recall reading any of Scartooth's posts, but if the Saki comment qualifies as racist then some introspection is required. You can argue that anything you say about anyone could be misinterpreted as racist, and then we've descended into a moronic whitewashed existence.
DeanMTL Don't make this a debate about political correctness. There are boundaries to free speech, and scartooth's comments had a pervasive, unmistakable, xenophobic and yes, racist under-current. Besides, my first obligation is to the TTAC brand, not PC dictates or, for that matter, the first amendment of the U.S. constitution (no matter how much I love it).