Guys, we have some hot emotional topics up to day. Gonna do my best to keep the trolls under control. If I miss a couple, don't make the job harder by engaging. Thanks folks. My first week here has been great.
Thanks for the meta-update. FWIW, Matt Y pretty much let the trolls run rampant -- and people often engaged them and berated them. It was just part of the culture of the blog, so to speak, and the way Matt wanted to do things. It might take a little while for folks here to learn how things should work now that it's your blog.
I'm not sure if Matt's position was one of principle, or more of apathy.
But it was better than Ambinder/Douthat's position of contempt, that's for sure.
I think certain users and/or keywords can be automatically sent for review rather than posted - might be worth a go when you're able to review them 'real-time' perhaps?
I don't doubt your efforts - it's more the tech/staff of Atlantic I have doubts in, given how appalling the software has been for a long time.
Some of us have been going on (obsessively to some) about Sailer and his ilk being too welcome here for a while now. Sounds like you're reaping that now - but thankfully not for long it seems.
I say let the trolls run, unless they post something outright vile or disgusting. Like Pesto said, the community eventually determines the best way to deal with them, and in their own way, they contribute something to the discussion.
We'll have to see how that translates to some of the more emotionally inflammatory topics that you sometimes like to discuss however. Regardless, congrats and welcome to the Atlantic. It's good to have your voice on a larger arena.
dannity writes: "I say let the trolls run, unless they post something outright vile or disgusting. Like Pesto said, the community eventually determines the best way to deal with them, and in their own way, they contribute something to the discussion."
Yup. I personally enjoy slapping the crap out of a Sailerite. I think doing it in public provides an object lesson for the rest of them.
It's really refreshing to see someone of color blogging on the Atlantic... for the past 9 months or so I've been reading Sullivan, Ambinder and Yglesias( I'll be reading him at his new blog), and your point of view is definitely needed up in here.
When you have free time check out our urban comic and blog at www.ohellnawlblog.com .
Here's a piece no one cared about. Meh, whatever, probably the most enjoyable article I did during my stint at TIME. Premiered a month before I got laid-off. The nail in the coffin? Ya think?
Here's me going after Al. I didn't so much have a problem with him, as I had a problem with media acting like this dude was the go-to guy for everything black.
This was my first real story at time. I was writing for the Business section, a real change of direction for me. At any rate, it's about Wal-Mart's attempts to colonize the inner-city. As much as I enjoyed this piece, I mostly enjoyed going out to Chicago, which is a beautiful, beautiful city.
This a piece I did about the cops just outside our nation capitol, in Prince George's County, a few years back. I wanted to offer a counter to the dumb, conventional wisdom that if you paint your police force black, you could eradicate police brutality. In fact, Prince George's--one of the richest, blackest counties in the country--also had one of the most brutal police force's in the country.
The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons, and an Unlikely Road to Manhood 
Thanks for the meta-update. FWIW, Matt Y pretty much let the trolls run rampant -- and people often engaged them and berated them. It was just part of the culture of the blog, so to speak, and the way Matt wanted to do things. It might take a little while for folks here to learn how things should work now that it's your blog.
I'm not sure if Matt's position was one of principle, or more of apathy.
But it was better than Ambinder/Douthat's position of contempt, that's for sure.
I think certain users and/or keywords can be automatically sent for review rather than posted - might be worth a go when you're able to review them 'real-time' perhaps?
Believe me James, we're furiously at work trying to find a better way. Will likely announce something a little better soon.
Ta-Nehisi,
I don't doubt your efforts - it's more the tech/staff of Atlantic I have doubts in, given how appalling the software has been for a long time.
Some of us have been going on (obsessively to some) about Sailer and his ilk being too welcome here for a while now. Sounds like you're reaping that now - but thankfully not for long it seems.
"I'm not sure if Matt's position was one of principle, or more of apathy."
Considering his frequent typos, I'm guessing the latter.
Reality Man, if I might be allowed to extend your comments, I'd say that Matt's position was one of principal.
I say let the trolls run, unless they post something outright vile or disgusting. Like Pesto said, the community eventually determines the best way to deal with them, and in their own way, they contribute something to the discussion.
We'll have to see how that translates to some of the more emotionally inflammatory topics that you sometimes like to discuss however. Regardless, congrats and welcome to the Atlantic. It's good to have your voice on a larger arena.
dannity writes: "I say let the trolls run, unless they post something outright vile or disgusting. Like Pesto said, the community eventually determines the best way to deal with them, and in their own way, they contribute something to the discussion."
Yup. I personally enjoy slapping the crap out of a Sailerite. I think doing it in public provides an object lesson for the rest of them.
Hi Ta-Nehisi,
It's really refreshing to see someone of color blogging on the Atlantic... for the past 9 months or so I've been reading Sullivan, Ambinder and Yglesias( I'll be reading him at his new blog), and your point of view is definitely needed up in here.
When you have free time check out our urban comic and blog at www.ohellnawlblog.com .