Clearing the air on my Blog's ability to ban

It appears that I have created a bit controversy on another blog, because of my blog’s zero tolerance policy on trolls.

To refresh, it says on my Blog’s Comment policy:

Here’s the rules: (I used to have this long blathering post…. but I figured the short and sweet will work better)

  1. No trolling.
  2. No Spam
  3. No Stupidity
  4. Disagreements are fine, but don’t be stupid about it and use some intelligence to back your disagreement.
  5. This Blog as a zero tolerance policy towards ad-hominem attacks. You do it and your banned, period.

Update: (November 9. 2008 ) For what it is worth, I am a Christian and although this is a Political Blog; I do sometimes post stuff from a Christian slant. I am pro-Christian biased, I no apologies for this. I try and remain neutral on most issues, regarding Israel and such. Having said that, if you’re a Atheist and this offends you, go elsewhere. Leaving idiotic comments insulting my beliefs will do nothing more than get you ignored. Continuing this will get you banned from commenting here.

Enjoy…

-Paleo Pat

and also, I have a little blurb at the end of each post:

Attention!: This Blog has a set of rules that I do wish every commenter to abide by. Please, Review it, BEFORE commenting here. When it comes to rules here, I tend to be quite laid back. I do tolerate dissenting views. I do NOT tolerate trolling or abuse. You do it, you will be banned from even seeing the Blog, this Blog records the IP addresses of those who comment and I can ban you by that address. In short; just be cool and you’ll be okay. Thanks!

Well, it seems that that some troll, at another blog did not like the idea that I would dare to ban someone based upon their IP address, which a plug-in, for this blog’s software, allows me to do.

To date, I have banned exactly 11 IP addresses from this blog; believe me when I say it, they all; every damned last one of them, had it coming. They violated my rules, and I tossed thier sorry asses in the street. I have even banned three countries; those being the countries of Russia, Iran and China . I would ban the country of North Korea; but they do not have their own internet suffix. Why do I ban these countries? For one simple reason, none of these countries have true freedom of speech in them.

Reading this blog, and participating in the comment section is not a right, it is a privilege. If you break my rules or you are a country that quashes freedom of speech; you simple are not welcomed here. Trolling is not welcomed here and I have the proper tools to fight it; and I will if need be. For the record, I do not have moderation enabled here; I do not need it, if someone gets out of line, they get a warning, next time, they’re gone. That is usually how it is done at most blogs, crooks and liars does the same stuff. As does most other blogs too. Now some simple minded troll will say, “Well, you believe in freedom of speech, but you will censor me!” There’s a HUGE, BIG, GOB SMACKING Difference between freedom of speech, and abusive behavior. I do not mind the one, but the other, I will not tolerate. Some have come here and thought that they could play that little game of trying to bait me into an attack. They’ve also found themselves unable to access this blog too. I don’t tolerate it, because I do not have to.

Do I censor comments? If need be; Yes. One of the biggest things, that happens on blogs on both sides of the political fence is this. Some idiot will make a horribly inappropriate comment about a subject, like someone dying or something like this; and the other side will raise that up a flag pole and show that as an example of why that group of people are so horrible. I avoid all that, someone does something like that here. I’ll either pull the comment or snip it, and tell the person that the comment was not permitted here. (I will e-mail them, usually, if the e-mail address is faked; and yes, I usually can tell, I will snip the comment and explain why I did…) Thus avoiding the possibility of a conflict. Some people get the idea that because I do watch the comment section and moderate it at times, when it’s needed; that I am on some sort of power trip.  Nothing could be further from the truth. I hate moderation. But if one is going to be able to keep some sort of control, and civility on a blog, one has to have rules. Otherwise chaos will reign. Sorry, I don’t do chaos, if that’s your bag, there are many blogs on both sides of the political aisle that will be more than happy to accommodate you.

This is what those who are banned will see:

You have been Banned from viewing this Blog.

There are most likely two reasons for this.

1. You were abusive or a troll in the comments section
2. You are from a Forum that I do not want viewing my Blog
3. You are in the countries of Russia, Iran or People’s Republic of China

If you feel this was a mistake contact me at tpblogeditor at gmail dot com.

If you are from the Country of Russia, People’s Republic of China or the Islamic Republic of Iran, tell your leaders to embrace true freedom and not political oppression and I might let you back in.

-Pat
Owner
Political Byline dot com

Again, this is not about a “Power trip” or my ego or anything that stuff, that people; like me, are accused of. It is simply about standards. It is also about covering my backside from places that would try and accuse me of breaking the law or something like that.  Some libertarian-minded folks are anarchists, I am not. I am not Anti-law, or anti-order. I am simply someone believes that the less Government there is, the better. There is a BIG difference on that one.

Thanks for reading… 😀