From the Management – A Comment on Comments

Dear Readers and Writers,

Welcome to Civil Discourse 101.
It’s great that everyone is commenting. This is one of the main ideas behind Crossroads. Local news is not a one-way street; we want your thoughts, your information and your ideas. We are delighted to facilitate dialogue. In the process, please remember we need to be respectful to each other, and maintain a tone of civility and trust. It is essential to the whole process to communicate well, and know that all the other comments are held to the same standard.
So, we (the editorial we) will stand firm on the policy that you must sign your real name when you post. There will be no more toleration of any amusing nom de guerre, and you may only use one name. Multiple names using the same email address will be deleted. (Yes, both the webmaster and the publisher see your email address when you comment. This is not anonymous. If you think anything online is anonymous, you are mistaken.) If we think your comment merits investigation and we ask you for clarification, and your email address bounces, you will be deleted. Seeming to be a real person is not enough – you must be a real person. So, please keep your identity singular and public. While it it may be entertaining to sign yourself as Anita Schott or Eva Destruction, these comments will be pulled.

While we are discussing very large topics like hydraulic fracking, sexual assault, public unions and school booster clubs, you live in a very small town. Sign your John Hancock – everyone knows who you are anyway.

Keep your comments thoughtful and helpful (many of you do an outstanding job on that) and when you can, provide more information or other sources. Your point of view is valuable, and we’re happy to publish it – provided you are not using this platform to trash someone else’s point of view. Disagreements need to have some merit, and not just some automatic nay-saying.
The comments are screened by the filters continuously (which is why you are not treated to the constant barrage of spam and porn that we delete regularly) and by several real people every day. They are not screened by real people every hour of every day, so if something rude, inappropriate or pseudonymous is posted for more than a few hours, we ask your pardon, and know that it will be taken down asap.

We are delighted to have a bunch of smart, well-informed and articulate folks from the entire community adding in with details, or different perspectives. or more insights. If you want to indulge in a flame war, troll or otherwise get ugly, there are several local news outlets that will be happy to have you. Just not this one.

And if you sign in as John Hancock, we may ask for a driver’s license.

 

The Actors' Gang

1 Comment

  1. Thanks Judith and Crossroads Team! You remain an important part of Culver City.

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