During the 80’s and early 90’s, I was active on a BBS net called ILink, we had about 500 BBS worldwide linked together. The conferences had a reputation for being high quality. Why? because they were moderated. Obnoxious folks and trolls (those looking to start arguments) could be removed. While that task was never enjoyable, it worked. The signal-to-noise ratio remained high because there was a protocol to remove noise when it became offensive.
I do that here too. The comments are moderated. I recently deleted a bunch of comments in a thread on immigrant rights because right wingers were getting nasty and making borderline racist comments. And I’ll do it again, if needed.
That thread had more comments than any previous post here. The same thing is happening on other blogs too. That the right-wing is foaming in rage this much against immigrant rights movement neatly demonstrates just how powerful the movement is becoming.
You produce a product, a website to be read.
If you were editing a magazine, you’d choose which “Letters to the Editor” to publish.
In other words, I strongly support aggressive suppression of useless comments.
Or of any comments which try to call Hitler a left-winger. I’m just sick of hearing that particular stupidity.
I do choose which comments to post, and generally let opposing views in if they are reasonably worded. Sometimes though a post like that is a trojan horse to get them in, and then they get ugly.
Right now, moderation is on for all comments.