I've now been reading a few articles where users get responses deleted or get blacklisted. In some cases it for obvious personal attacks or filth (which I have no objections to), but in others it's because they argue a point that the author states is off-topic. What I wonder is whether there is a better way to handle these off topic replies, short of deleting them or black listing the writer. A way that handles these soon enough to stop the antagonism that arises.
Let me give an example,
Lets say that an author writes an article about Iraqi self government, but in doing so comments that 'the Americans have been benign'. The article writer then procedes to delete as off topic any replies debating the benign point because his article is about Iraqi self government.
I see this as wrong. Yes, the article writer is certainly justified in trying to keep the article on the topic they want to discuss, but are others not also justified in correcting what they see as misconceptions or at least letting the general public who read the article know that there is some disagreement? Where does the balance get struck? At the moment there is no balance, any author can make any political arguement seem like there are no dissenting views. Prolific posting from such an author can then turn the entire site into a one sided view with dissenting views being drowned. Surely JU is about debate? I'm not sure about you, but I was thought to debate the points I disagreed with and highlight them when I see them. This means that if someone makes a statement I disagree with I comment on it. What I certainly don't wish to see is my comment deleted because an article writer feels it's off topic, but to allow the original statement I disagreed with to remain.
So what can be done about this?
Well, one possible option is to add an off-topic choice. This would allow the article writer to click a button which marks a reply as off topic. The reply will therefore not be shown when someone reads the article. If that person wants to see all replies they can click another button to reveal off topic comments. This would allow the article writer to keep the discussion on topic, while allowing individuals to object to particular statements, without having the objections deleted for being off topic. It would also allow people to cool down when they see a response marked as off topic, instead of getting wound up and upset because what they saw as a valid reply was deleted.
A final addition, that i would like to see, is an indication of whether replies have been deleted or a user blacklisted. I really don't want to be reading one sided articles where the author fails to allow debate. A way of knowing which articles are like this, especially if they're displayed on the front page, would be useful.
paul.