Comments policy

I will try to avoid moderating comments to this blog, but I reserve the right to do so if it becomes necessary.  More specifically, you can certainly post a comment disagreeing with something I have posted.  You can call me an idiot, if you feel that’s appropriate, but I don’t feel that profanity is appropriate.  I will take down comments that appear to be libelous, or contain racial, religious or ethnic slurs, or threats of violence, whether directed at me, at others posting comments, or other individuals.  I plan to allow anonymous postings initially, because I understand that some individuals feel uncomfortable, or fear retaliation, if posting under their own names.  However, I reserve the right to change this policy if the situation merits it.  I would not allow someone to come into my home and verbally abuse or threaten my guests, and likewise I don’t feel I should tolerate such behavior here, either.  My hope, however, is that commenters will exercise sufficient civility that I will not need to intervene.