OK, I've never knowingly banned anyone (despite Brian Swiderski's fantasies), but I've decided that I'm going to delete posts of anyone who is so uncivil as to call me a liar. In the case of Anonymous Moron, he's such a repeat (almost machine-gun like) offender in that regard (not to mention all the other offensive comments with which he's desecrated my web site for months), that I'm going to start deleting each and every one of his posts, which is an effective banning.

I have a tremendous amount of patience, but it's not infinite. I've had enough.

Oh, and I should add. Brian is hereby on notice.

Rand,

I reserve the right to disagree with
you if it comes to it. Do I really
gotta to remain civil when I do?

Well, if you disagree by calling me a "lying Zionist neocon POS," then yes. I can't imagine you doing such a thing. I've never banned anyone for disagreeing with me (and in fact, until now, I've never banned anyone at all).

Anonymous Moron message deleted.

About damn time :-)

Yaaaaayyyyy!! There was much rejoicing in the land.

I am a firm believe in free speech, but I don't believe anyone has the right to come into anothers "house" and take a crap in the floor. This blog is Rands house, and anonymous is the one who has been soiling the floor.

It's about time, here here and hoozaa for Rand!

Great. Thanks.

Wierd thing just happened. What I wanted to say was: Great. Thanks(exclamation point).

I couldn't do it, as it kept coming back and saying there was an error due to "questionable content."

I only got around it by removing the exclamation point. But previous posters do have exclamation points.

YEAH, what Cecil said.

Many of us have tried to have a reasoned debate with A.M. But the guy is like the AIDS virus. Every time you try to pin him down, he changes his tactics or issue.

And I said before calling you names, in your own living room so to speak, was over the top Rand. All you did was what was necessary.

Probably a consequence of "thanks" and "!"--many spammers comments say "Great post, thanks !"

Now, if we can only get Rand to take bl0gsp0t off of his naughty-website list...

Why cant we all just get along?

(sorry I couldnt resist)

GO ELON

Robert

"Oh, and I should add. Brian is hereby on notice."

Do whatever you want, Rand. If you want a claque rather than a discussion, you can ask me to leave any time you please, but I'm not going to walk on eggshells to avoid offending your delicate sensibilities. So if you have to "put me on notice" to feel in control, have at it, tiger.

So if you have to "put me on notice" to feel in control, have at it, tiger.

He is in control. This is his ship.

Ever notice how often when a commenter is warned about behavior and the way in which they express their disagreement, that it immediately becomes a case of the blog owner wanting an echo chamber or some such nonsense? That if they can't do what they want, how they want, when they want (even if language or the way they do it is against the intent or even written rules of the site), that it is censorship or the suppression of true free speech because they are the lone voice of dissent? That any attempt to do so is just a vain attempt at control and power? Or some other bit of specious logical twist to direct things off point? What tripe.

Good for you Rand! This is your house, you pay for it, and if someone doesn't like it, they can build there own. Banning such comments raises the level of discourse, and improves things for all reasonable beings. Thank you.

LW

Okay, that should have been a "their" instead of "there" above. I really should have my coffee before posting...

Also, forgot to add that I rarely find you to have an echo chamber. In point of fact, there have been some good and very well informed debates in the comments here. So I have few worries that your site will become an echo chamber or "claque" as a result of reminding people of civility (and basic manners).

LW

A "claque" like Kos, DU, Huffpo, Firedoglake, MyDD, Atrio, Crooks and Liars....

There are a number of blogs I've quit reading because the trolls have been allowed to hijack them. I'm pleased that won't be allowed to happen here.

I guess it is an echo chamber, because McGehee said what was on my mind. AM definitely was not interested in a "discussion". BS does write something that is readable, even if I disagree with it entirely. However, his references to anyone who disagrees with him as Nazis and the military as contemptable for doing their duty is bound to wear extremely quickly.

About time. Thank you, Rand.
As others have noted, people can disagree without being uncivil. That does not make this an "echo chamber", it makes it a place where one can learn something. I don't think I ever learned anything from the obnoxiously rude.

Brian is hereby on notice.

That sounds like a line from the Colbert Report

Brian,
it's not that anyone here wanted Anon troll boy excised. It's that he repeatedly took shots at the host, not even on topic shots sometimes. I disagree with almost all you say, but I'd hate to see you leave. You do liven things up.

Just stay on topic, attack the ones who go after you, don't attack the host. I'll defend to the death your right to say what you think. I just don't think we should break down Rand's front door and set fire to him to do it.

Guess we'll have to watch Comedy Central to get the daily laugh now...sigh. One wonders if AM has a partner who'll post as PM? Ha! ;-)

Civil disagreement...

I, as one who disagrees with Rand on some things, give him Kudos for allowing civil disagreement.

I'll even admit to being civilly tweaked on occasion.

Brian,

On those occasions you favor us with something space-related, your stuff is consistently original and interesting.

Everything, in short, that your predictable, reductive lefty politics are not.

My advice; stick to what you're good at. Unlike most people I've known who share your ideological bent, you actually are good at something. Don't waste it.

Brian,

It is not that you disagree, it is how you disagree. Disagree civily and there will never be an issue.

Laughing Wolf: "that it is censorship or the suppression of true free speech"

I've never accused Rand of either. This is his blog, and he's welcome to make it as orthodox, pleasant, and unchallenging as he pleases, but it would be a rather ironic method of promoting "frontier spirit."

Bill Maron: "A "claque" like Kos, DU, Huffpo, Firedoglake, MyDD, Atrio, Crooks and Liars..."

Those would only be claques if I went there. If you went there, they would represent challenging discussion, so people who aren't interested in choir practice seek out harsh environments. I come here and various other places where the arguments won't be mere pedantry, where my underlying values and assumptions are not shared. That does not make me a troll, it means I'm honest and proud.

Steve: "Just stay on topic, attack the ones who go after you, don't attack the host."

Yes, I agree. I can get angry, but I'm not here to disrupt anything or hate anyone. I'll try harder to be civil, but it's not constructive putting people "on notice" like this is the DMV. Whoever Rand has a problem with, he can respond directly to them rather than posting an officious little memo declaring them to be on "double secret probation."

Civility begins with respect, and respect is about how you address someone rather than what you say. I'll stop there before I start getting angry again. Suffice it to say, I accept what most of you are saying.