A Request For Ethical and Rational Consistency To Various and Sundry Past Critics:

Whenever I would discuss my combox policy{1} in sundry times and in divers manners{2}at this humble website, I would get some critics who would take swipes at me claiming that by not having comments boxes here that for some reason, it denoted some kind of cowardice or fear of engaging in arguments with others. I have in mind particularly certain persons who engage in apologetics with this particular point: something I note briefly here so that the audience is not confusing to the reader.

Having noted that, I came across recently the following from canonist Dr. Ed Peters on why he does not enable comments on his blog. I will quote him at some length here and where applicable to a certain extent to Rerum Novarum both past as well as present. Without further ado:

Why comments aren’t enabled here

I have thought about enabling comboxes on my blog for some time. My reasons for declining at present are:

First, open comboxes are notorious occasions for grave sin (calumny, detraction, falsehood, even blasphemy). I won’t have it here, of course. But that leaves only monitored comboxes, and monitoring comboxes takes time—more time than I have and certainly more time than I wish to devote to, well, monitoring comboxes. Of course, if someone comes up with a way for me to get paid for monitoring comments, I’m open to reconsidering—my children are always screaming for more caviar and diamonds.

...

Now the kind of education offered here can take place quite well, I think, without entertaining questions (questions that are often ill-formed and/or inappropriate for many others in my audience), and without entertaining comments (comments that, if right, would add little to what I already said, and if wrong, would often require considerable time for me correct). It seems better for all concerned if I just post what I think... and leave it at that. Time will tell whether my analysis of various issues is, in the main, right or wrong.

Third—and mind, this comes from someone who often posts in others’ comboxes!—I find that combox discussions never really resolve anything; they are effectively interminable in that, no matter how thoroughly one might have answered a question or addressed an issue, there will always be one more bloke out there able to reword the matter in such a way as to suggest that it has not yet been adequately aired. And that is not counting the people who post as breand-new questions things that were expressly dealt with just a few posts higher up! Sheesh!

...

Anyway these are some of the reasons why I haven’t enabled comboxes on this site...

I am posting the above to ask critics (present and past) who have made or intend to make light of my lack of comments boxes at this humble website to either lob similar snide crap at Dr. Ed Peters or have the guts to do what a real Christian should do in these sorts of situations.

That is all for now.

Notes:

{1} Most recently reiterated anew HERE for those who are interested.

{2} This footnote will consist of a longer footnote from a previous post to this site in years gone by which encapsulates some of my references over the years to comments boxes and my policies with them. Without further ado...

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In order from earliest to most recent on the matter and excluding any postings that did not to some extend extend or amplify previous comments on this subject:

Unlike major media outlets the contents of this blog are not a result of intense focus group testing nor Zogby-like polling data mind you; Rerum Novarum does not function that way. (So those who wrote about adding comments boxes, nada as I do not have the time to police them and besides: most of those who inquired about the comments boxes are not the sorts I would long tolerate posting in comments boxes at my blog.) The reason I have the occasional "guest editorial" policy is to bridge the gap if you will in that regard. [Excerpt from Rerum Novarum (circa September 30, 2002)]

I also blog and interact with emailers if (i) it is a subject I have not blogged on before (ii) it is a subject that interests me (iii) the emailer is polite and (iv) the emailer asks challenging questions. If the emailer is not polite, then their piece becomes fodder for potential fisking in accordance with my mood at the time.

I also interact with stuff on discussion lists, blogs, and the message boxes at other blogs and all of that is potentially bloggable as well. (And usually I email the link to the person so they can read and respond to it if they want to.) [Excerpt from Rerum Novarum (circa August 24, 2003)]

On the Comments Box Subject Revisited (circa June 6, 2005)

Briefly on Comboxes Again With Jonathan Prejean (circa June 10, 2005)

The Comments Box Subject Revisited (circa January 26, 2007)
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The Video of Philo Castile's Fatal Shooting 

Those who wonder why I am not a rah rah cheerleader for law enforcement, I have my reasons. One is the widescale prevalence of civil asset forfeiture abuse. Another is situations like this where there is the kind of presumption of guilt a priori based on flimsy bs. In this case, a camera caught it but how often has there never been a camera there in these sorts of situations?

My latest contribution to the Jaded Politics project courtesy of the Musings From Exile website{1} can be read HERE.

Note:

{1} "I link to the Musings From Exile website version so I do not trigger a trackback to it on the main page; thereby ensuring that I keep Rerum Novarum separate from that project." [Excerpt from Rerum Novarum (circa April 8, 2017)]

Finishing Most Expensive House Race Ever, Ossoff Calls For Campaign Finance Reform

 My comment: Its sorta like Jenna Jamison deciding to preach against porn.

Points to Ponder:

"'Buy American' is as silly a concept as buying anything else just because of where its supposedly from. How about this: Buy Quality. If at times that means buying American then great but do not buy low quality shit of any kind, period!" [Shawn McElhinney (circa yesterday)]