Media Analysis

New additions to the Mondoweiss comments policy

In a continuing effort to professionalize this site and give it greater impact, we have decided (again) to further police the comment section. We hope these changes will foster more civil discussion and debate, and reduce the number of toxic arguments. It is inevitable– given the volatility of the issue that is at the heart of this site– that the comment section is going to be contentious and draw angry voices. But the value of the section has been in providing information about the conflict today, especially to newcomers, and we want to preserve that value.

We are adding two new rules to our comments policy:

1. No Holocaust or Nakba denial

We’re not going to tolerate any discussion of the Jewish role in the rise of the Nazis. This is complex history that we just don’t have the time for– and unfortunately, the issue is used as a pretext for blaming Jews for the Nazi rise, a form of Holocaust denial we want no part of. Therefore we’re going to strike all comments on the issue.

Similarly, this policy includes Nakba denial as well, and efforts to blame the expulsion of Palestinians in 1948 on Palestinian actions.

2. This is not a site to discuss 9/11 theories

The other new rule is that this is not a site for discussing different versions of the 9/11 attacks. We have dragons to slay on this site, and this discussion turns into a huge distraction and a drag on the moderators, too. We’re trying to make our lives simpler and these questions are not central to the life of the site.

People are going to ask Where’s the line? When do references to Nazi Germany or the politics of the 9/11 attacks cross our red lines? The answer is like Potter Stewart’s famous line on pornography, We know it when we see it…

If we judge that you have broken one of these rules you will be banned. In view of the new rules and in the name of civil discussion, we’ve banned a few commenters. We won’t hesitate to ban others.

We thank all readers for coming to this site, and commenters for contributing to it in substantive ways.

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No Holocaust or Nakba denial

a plus

I think that these are two very good additions.

Am I banned? I have to say I fully accept these new rules, and they do make perfect sense. Though I have commented on 9/11 and have chimed in when pre-WWII talk came up, I will cease any such talk from here on out. It makes sense to focus on the present, and such talk is often diversionary, controversial, and an impediment to site’s goals (and at times, can be anti-Semitic).
~Mike

The new rules are both pragmatic and fair.

word.

Is it really a “once and your done” zero tolerance policy? Not that I am a “denier” or “jews helped give rise to the nazi’s” guy…. the latter is pretty wild man, that is some far out there sht……personally, i can see how denial or the nazi thing gets you banned straight away, but is it the same for 9/11 stuff? Not that I engage those chats either…… all in all, this seems very reasonable