Saturday, January 26, 2008

On Moderation

No, I don’t know anything about the sort of moderation that means avoiding extremes or keeping enthusiasms in check. You are at the wrong blog if you are looking for advice on that. This post is about the moderating of comments, wherein the blog owner decides which comments get published, with the option of rejecting for any (or no) reason any statement (s)he doesn’t want to appear on the site. Asperger Square 8 has always been a moderated blog.

I’m considering making a change in this. The impetus for this was the accidental loss of a comment yesterday.

It has never been my policy to reject a comment because it disagrees with my views. In fact, I have rejected a total of 4 comments (excluding spam) in the history of this blog. Three of them contained links to a site which regularly publishes threats and libelous statements; another made a violent threat within the comment itself.

Disagreement is welcome here. Yesterday, I realized, not for the first time, that I am probably giving some people the impression that it isn’t. I have also come to understand that there are people who won’t comment on moderated blogs. Some of them are people I respect and would like to have input from.

Yesterday, I received a comment from a person who was taken aback at my disdain for DAN! The person wanted to state that his/her child had benefited from treatments received at the Rimland Center in Virginia. I hit the “publish” button (I thought), but then I couldn’t find the comment. I must have hit “reject” accidentally. I have restated what I remember of the comment here. If the person who left it would like to clarify or add to this, I have no problem with that. My intent is to avoid not only censorship, but also the appearance of censorship. That doesn’t mean that this blog will provide a space for abusive language; there are plenty of spaces where that sort of thing is accepted.

In making the move from moderated to unmoderated blog, very little will change. Threats and personal attacks will be removed; links to hate speech will be removed, as will links to sites about “curing” or eliminating autism. I won’t always be the first to see them, but I can live with that. Let me know if you like this change or you don’t. If you think DAN! is great, feel free to mention it.
To the visitor from yesterday: You and I do not agree. I apologize for deleting your comment.

5 comments:

  1. This is my first time at your blog. Storyteller suggested I visit your blog, as she knows my 12year old grandson has Asperger's Syndrome.

    Now, to go and explore your site.

    Blessings,
    Mary

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well that's certainly clarified something for me. I wasn't terribly sure what 'moderated' meant on blogs, mainly because I didn't bother to check!

    I think I've only ever deleted one comment and that was after I checked with the commenter first [he'd got hold of the wrong end of the stick and his comment didn't show him in a very favourable light]

    Spam on the other hand....I have no mercy.
    Cheers

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have tried my blog both ways and find I sleep best when it is moderated. I have only gotten one nasty comment and it was indeed nasty and was not even about me. I have no tolerance for cruel and hurtful comments. I guess there is a difference between not agreeing with something and saying cruel and hurtful things. It sounds like you can tell the difference between the cruel, scary stuff and the disagreements that add to the blog.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have a comment about DAN!. I have taken my son (4) to see a DAN! doctor and also respect the work Dr. Kurt Woeller is doing (also DAN!). But what I want to say is that my son has biological issues that need to be addressed. He had systemic yeast that once treated, has given him the ability to sleep, speak, eat and I believe think better. If it weren't for the DAN! doctors (and numerous other parents on message boards discussing these issues as well) we would not be where we are at truly helping our son. So, from the standpoint of their ability to identify and help parents treat true biological issues, I do respect the DAN! doctors I have personally dealt with. That is my point of view anyways. Do I ever want to take away the essence that is my son? No way. He is far too unique and amazing for me to want to do that. What I want to do is help his body function as efficiently as possible and help him express all the beautiful things that are in him.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I my not agree with all that DAN is, but I will corroborate to the yeast and gut issues. For the past 4 years I have had a more settled stomach and bowels and no longer have toe nail fungus, athletes foot or jock itch. -Ever since I started on a strong pro-biotic blend. I find that the blend must at least contain biffidobacterium bigfidum.

    They also say that a happy gut is a happy heart.

    Sorry if that sounded gross, but I thought it was important. Life is much better.

    No, it is not a cure against autism, but it surely does treat one of the conditions that often afflict us: Yeast and digestive issues from an improperly balanced gut ecosystem.

    ReplyDelete

Squawk at me.
Need to add an image?
Use this code [img]IMAGE-URL-HERE[/img]