Erased Blog at WP -=> I got a response from Jim Brady

[jsamuel]

This post deals with the erasing of the blog entries at the WP and I think everyone needs to be reminded that what is proper at one website is not proper at another. If we don't watch ourselves, we will give ourselves a bad name.

DU, watch your netiquette when you leave DU!


My Reply to Jim Brady:

I didn’t see those comments (I didn’t look through the whole list), but I can tell you why people said stuff like that, if you want to know. Many online blogs have a completely open policy about cursing and insults as a freedom of speech issue. Most of these are non-profit or not really a company or anything, so no one really cares if someone calls someone else a name. Well, when someone from one of those blogs attempts to contribute to yours, they forget their “netiquette” has to change to a non-insulting blog style. You quite obviously cannot have information on your own website that calls your employees “whore” and that is understandable to everyone. Not that forgetting to change “netiquette” is a good reason to call anyone on your website names, but that is why it happens sometimes. I would suggest next time you have to do this (as it will probably happen again sometime in the future), try saying something like the following:



“We cannot have our employees insulted on our own website and some bloggers were forgetting proper etiquette for posting to a company oriented blog.”



I think you will get a much better reaction from people with a statement like that, but that of course is up to you.



Thanks for the response,

jsamuel




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Jim Brady
Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2006 6:33 PM
To: jsamuel
Subject: RE: Comments being turned off indefinitely on "Deborah Howell Responds"



jsamuel,



I hear what you're saying. I guess the point I was trying to make was that it is perfectly possible to question, refute or completely reject Deborah's piece without devolving into calling her a whore (or worse).... Not saying you did that, but many, many people did.



Thanks,

Jim Brady




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: jsamuel
Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2006 4:45 PM
To: editor
Subject: RE: Comments being turned off indefinitely on "Deborah Howell Responds"

I understand. However, you must realize that when one of your reporters makes a statement like - “he directed his Indian tribal clients to make millions of dollars in campaign contributions to members of Congress from both parties” - and doesn’t source it, it is going to cause some serious feedback that no one would want on ABC Family. There is a level of professionalism that was absent from the information the reporter gave and that same absence of professionalism was reflected right back in the blogs. I suggest you find a way to resolve the non-sourcing issue with this reporter and post it on the website as well. I am sure that the blog respondents will be much more professional when your reporter’s comments are.



Thank you,

jsamuel

[Canuckistanian]

1. Hey, this is a grown-up world

And there are going to be juvenile posters who resort to the worst epithets. That's life.

But to shut down the entire comments section on what is arguably one of the most influential publications in the country because of a perceived personal insult is ridiculous.

Howell should resign in favor of someone with a more realistic view of the world and, yes, a thicker skin.

[Me.]

2. Good Reminder

And I like the point you made about her professionalism. Sounds to me as if a nerve has been struck with them. Wonder if it hurt enough to be a lesson learned?

[LeftCoast]

3. I just did a global text search of the WaPo blog that Skinner saved

I could not find a single instance of the word "whore".

Hmmm....

[Eric J in MN]

4. Exactly. He seems to be describing comments

completely different from the one we've actually read.

[Eric J in MN]

5. jsamuel - since you're in contact with Jim Brady, can you

point out that none of the comments at:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/archive/2006/wapo/

seem to call her a whore.

[jsamuel]

6. I believe he said that they were removing them individually until they got

fed up with spending all their time removing them individually, so they shut it down altogether

[LeftCoast]

7. How absolutely dreadful for them!

They were forced to be among the unwashed masses. The horror. :)

[Nite Owl]

8. Why isn't she being shut down

lying isn't ok. She is supposed to be telling us the facts and she didn't.

[jsamuel]

9. Update: He replied again

jsamuel,

Fair points, thanks for passing them on...

Jim

[seabeyond]

10. i like this man. i like you. *gasp* adultlike behavior

oh the joy, tipping toe around, ol lol. good for you all. a wonderful step in communicating in respect. win win..... and win for all. coolest. thank you for sharing