Quickies: What I Will And What I Won’t

     “Anonymous,” that lovable rogue we all know so well, has commented on a recent post here to the effect that it’s “complete BS” and that I’m ignorant of history. As you might expect, I deleted his comment. He followed it with another to the effect that I’m a “FRAUD.” I deleted that one, too.

     “Anonymous,” if you’re still visiting my humble abode, I refer you to my comment-moderation policy, which appears in the box that enables comments:

     Comments are moderated. I am entirely arbitrary about what I allow to appear here. Toss me a bomb and I might just toss it back with interest. You have been warned.

     My Co-Contributors and I get absolutely nothing for what we write that appears here. I have no tolerance whatsoever for insults, whether to myself or to any of them.

     This is a site by and for intelligent, knowledgeable persons who show respect for one another’s intelligence and knowledge. However, any of us can be wrong. For my part, I look forward to being proved wrong, as it heralds an opportunity to learn something. But I draw the line at insults.

     Frankly, I’ve always been of two minds about permitting comments by “Anonymous,” as along with being a garrulous blowhard and a coward of neither insight nor erudition, he has the worst manners of anyone active on the Web. Occasions such as the one mentioned here cause me to reconsider allowing him to pester me. For the moment I’m resisting the urge to ban him completely, but things could change.

     Here is a non-exhaustive list of comments I will delete:

1. Insults to any Liberty’s Torch contributor or their loved ones.
2. Solicitations to criminal conduct.
3. Unsubstantiated accusations of criminal or contemptible conduct by anyone.
4. Denigrations of Christianity.
5. Denigrations of the United States of America, its Constitution, or its military.
6. Anti-Semitic rants.
7. Advertising.
8. Requests for contributions to any cause of any sort.
9. “Click-bait,” however decorated or disguised.
10. Inducements to any of the seven capital sins.

     Those who feel a need to submit such comments should keep that list handy. Use it as a labor-saving device. Rather than exhaust your precious fingers typing out a comment that will never see the light of day, consult the list, select the item that best categorizes your comment, and just send the number. You’ll get your juvenile catharsis; I’ll be spared unnecessary time and effort, and we’ll all be happy.

     Some prospective commenters will find this method of venting too terse for their tastes. In that light, I’ll make a small concession to specificity. Along with the category number:

1. Indicate which Contributor you wish to insult: “1, Fran.”
2. Indicate the category of crime: “2, arson.”
3. As with #2 above: “3, pedophilia.”
4. Indicate which branch of Christianity: “4, Seventh-Day Adventists.”
5. Indicate the general tenor of your denigration: “5, mindless baby-killing robots.”
6. Indicate whether your hatred is focused or generic, e.g.: “6, Israel” or “6, Norman Podhoretz.”
7. Indicate product category: “7, self-help.”
8. Indicate cause category: “8, homes for brain-damaged welders.”
9. Include name of website: “9, PrepubescentFilipinoGirlsInThongsAndStilettos.com”
10. Indicate which capital sin: “10, lust.” (Images not allowed.)

     Life, after all, is short. Don’t tempt me to dream about shortening yours.