Let me add my 2 cents to this.

I don't have a problem with someone writing an article on their own blog about anything they'd like (within reason).  What I do mind, however, are people who come onto my particular blog and write inane or ilinformed comments on the topics I write about.  I fully admit to being an elitist when it comes to debating. I've debated for a long time and well, know the topics I debate quite well. So I don't tend to be very patient with people who come on and post things that are simply incorrect.  I just don't have much time to deal with...well dumb people on my own blog. On my articles, in an ideal world, I'd have a checkbox that would only allow informed people to comment on it. I'm really not interested in the opinions of the ignorant on my articles.  I know that's terribly arrogant -- it is terribly arrogant. But that's hwo I feel. I don't care if people comment on my blogs or not. I don't get any particular affirmation if someone agrees or disagrees. I write my articles about what I choose to.

If someone wants to write a rant against it, they can do so on their own blog. If it's well written, I might even feature it on the home page.  I just don't want my blog filled with people vomiting out left-wing or right-wing talking points.

Now, on a seperate issue...

T-man and I have built net communities together for 15 years. They always go through the same process. Anyone who was at WinCustomize at the start knows what I speak of. The first 6 months of WC were hellish as different viewpoints tried to dictate how the site would run. Over the years, we've concluded that the best way to get a site started it with tough love. That is, run it with an iron grip at first. That encourages those who would try to turn our sites into some sort of net democracy or anarchy or whatever to leave. There were actually websites formed to counter WinCustomize.  Over time, through example and thorugh the promotion of trusted regulars, the site takes on its own way. WinCustomize is a very calm, mature, good community that is also the world's most popular site for downloading skins, themes, wallpapers, icons, etc. 

The same thing will happen here.  Those who think that we're a bunch of "fascist" bastards for curtailing free speech or running things in a way they disagree will either come to accept how we do things or they'll leave. Some will leave, some will stay.  Those who eventually run this site on a day to day basis may have totally different political views than myself. That isn't the criteria we use anywya.  The people who run WinCustomize on a day to day basis very different views of things than I do.  But they all have a few thing sin common: They respect the views of others, they treat others with respect, they are mature, they are reasonable, and they take the view that the members of the site should have a say in the direction of the site but the ultimate decision is with them and the site owners.

But getting there will always be a tough process. Am I harsher now in the beginning than I will be in 3 years here? Definitely. Just like on WC. I used to have a macro on WinCustomize: "If you don't like the way we do things, leave." and many left.  Regardless of political views.  But over time, what we were doing and the success we achieved became apparent.  I'm actually a lot nicer to quasi-adversaries here than I was on WC in the early days. In the early days of WC, someone gave us crap I'd just delete their account.

Why? Because all communities eventually learn this secret: The success of sites is not due to the quantity of regulars. It's due to the quality of its regulars. A site like this could become a top 5,000 site with only 6 high quality bloggers.  The users come for the bloggers and interaction. If the bloggers and interaction are of low quality, regardless of quantity, they'll leave.  Many a "community" siite has lurched into obscurity simply because the admins didn't want to impose any sort of orders and standards. 

Some of you old timers probably know what I'm talking about. There are very well known "community" sites that JoeUser.com has already surpassed in traffic and we still haven't officially announced JoeUser.com! Quality means the articles and comments users see are interesting and insightful. If every article ends up with a bunch of ilinformed zealots from the left or right jumping on it in the comments section, it is bad for the site.  I don't mind zealots having their own blogs here. I just mind it if they start to spread their junk onto other blogs that are more publicly seen.

Muggaz: You want to hear something that you might find interesting? One of the most significant disagreements during the early days of WinCustomize was with a long time user of the skinning community. We disagreed strongly a host of issues. His name: Bakerstreet. The same one who is here.  Time passes. Views and understandings change. Now we get along great. I can't even remember what we disagreed about so strongly back then. But it was a 2 year absence.

But the ultimate leaders in this community that is forming won't be based on ideology. Right now, I'd probably tend to say people like JebBlackstar would be the type of people we woudl promote (as well as Bakerstreet) despite Jeb having the opposite political leanings that I have.

I highly recommend that when I write something that you or someone else disagrees with to write about it on your blog. I'm not saying you need to write "Brad Wardell is a moron" but what we are hoping to see (to use the WMD discussion) would be instead of getting into a flame war in the commetns are to intead go on yoru blog, write an article about a given article someone else has written and explain why you disagree with them.

Believe it or not, the main reaon I was ticked off about the Prisoners thing was not because we disagree particularly strongly, but because it got brought up at all. When I write an article on subject X, I don't want comments to veer off into some off topic thing.  That was why the USS Clueless, one of the best blog sites on the net, took down their forums. 

Most of what you say is fine. I've only run into 2 things that your views were so problematic. I don't mind someone disagreeing with me as I think the articles on this site can attest to. Perhaps it is purely one of writing styles.

BTW, as I said at the time, I wasn't arguing that you were a child. I was, in fact, arguing the opposite -- I belive that teenagers have a full understanding of basic things like what war is. My proof for that is that you obviously think about these issues and you're only a few years from being a teen yourself. In other words, I give more credit to the awareness abilities of teens than some would.

Some of these "whiners" must really have a hard go of it in the
rest of their lives if they can't handle this.