Welcome Back Mud Pit
November 5, 2008 – 7:41 pmThe election is over. Every 4 years we tend to display our worst natures as one side fights the other to control the direction of our country. I certainly think that happened in the local blogosphere, and it was that spirit of viciousness that finally led me to remove Mud Pit from the aggregator.
However, I want it clear that Mud Pit had a standing offer to resume posting to the aggregator as soon as John Doe had been removed, which the owner took care of even before asking to be taken off the site. It was her choice, ultimately, that caused Mud Pit to be removed from the feed - not mine.
But looking over recent posts on that blog, as well as looking at the posts currently on the site, I decided that hbblogs could really benefit from having Mud Pit rejoin the aggregator. Although there are many conservatives in the Shenandoah Valley, here at Harrisonburg Blogs it seems that every poster lately is a fan of Obama.
Mud Pit brings a perspective, shared by many local residents, that was sorely lacking. And fortunately, the two current bloggers who contribute to it are able to present that view without resorting to childish name-calling. So today, I reached out to the blog’s owner, and personally asked her to rejoin the aggregator. I was very glad when she agreed.
I’ve also amended the terms of service. I don’t want to have to go through this again, and I don’t want anyone to feel that the terms are unclear or arbitrary.
From clause 11:
Courtesy - If someone says something that you disagree with, express your own view and tell them why they’re wrong. But attack views and issues - not character. Calling people names doesn’t win arguments - and it makes blogging less fun for everyone. This is a community site. Everyone disagrees sometimes, but keep your disagreements civil.
Please bear in mind that I do not go through every post to see if it violates the TOS. I simply respond to complaints made by other people. Every blogger using the site has access to me through my personal email address, and the support address mentioned in the TOS is available if anyone else ever needs to lodge a complaint. Personally though, I hope I never have to go through anything like this again. This whole episode was upsetting for everyone involved, and I’m glad to finally be putting it behind us. 
3 Responses to “Welcome Back Mud Pit”
Mason,
The 2 people over at mud pit display their “worst nature” 24/7. If they are the voice of many local conservatives than this county is even more messed up than I previously thought. I do not agree with you that they contribute to you site.
It’s one thing to have a site that offers a decenting or alternative opinion, but to claim that an angry, ultra-conservative, borderline fascist, borderline rascist site intent on provoking others is that voice, is dangerously wrong. It’s akin to rationalizing putting a KKK blog on your site.
Unless you’re going for the Jerry Springer feel, sites like mud pit just drag down the site and create more headaches for you. If you truly think that you are “finally putting it behind us,” then you’re in for a big surprise. This will be a repeated problem for you, mark my words. You’re dealing with people with control issues who have a pathological need to create these attention getting moments.
By The Common Man on Nov 5, 2008
TCM, Mud Pit’s authors do not strike me as either “borderline racist” or “borderline fascist”. They’re socially very conservative (as is much of Shenandoah Valley), and they’re understandably a bit upset right now. Their guy lost.
If you don’t like what they write, then don’t read it. If they start trying to tear down other bloggers and members of the community that they disagree with, then that’s when I might have to step in again.
But in my experience, the current authors have never done that. I haven’t read every single post certainly, but I’m not aware of an example of it if one exists.
Megan has told me she understands the terms of service, and by this point I suspect she knows them better than any other blogger on this site. She still wants to be syndicated on the site again, and I have every confidence that she and her co-author will stay within the bounds.
Give them a chance, ok?
By admin on Nov 6, 2008
“If they start trying to tear down other bloggers and members of the community that they disagree with…But in my experience, the current authors have never done that.”
Past postings by at least one of the current authors most definitely have “done that,” but as long as that’s not happening anymore, I’m also in favor of their inclusion in hbblogs. Hopefully better to err on the side of inclusion for the sake of not being one-sided; and then address specific incidents if necessary.
By linz on Nov 7, 2008