first of all, that you should suspend all comments before you suspend the whole website. I think 911blogger is a very valuable resource for a lot of different types of people interested in 9/11 truth can obtain news updates, inspiring blogs, and activist brainstorms.

I would rather not ban comments, as -- at times -- the comments lead to problem-solving (for example, "is this photo real or not?") and brainstorming ("let's all write a letter to xyz ...") etc.

Admittedly, at times the comments are just one big food fight.

But the site itself I think is very very valuable. Indeed, many of the best-known folks in the 9/11 truth movement check it daily for news. And newbies can "jump into the stream" of 9/11 info pretty quickly.

Not sure where this is coming from. If anything the comments have grown more civil over time. 911blogger is an invaluable resource. 911 truth is reaching critical mass. Pulling the plug at this stage would be insane. It's true that some people come here just to discuss 911 truth amongst familiar faces (or names, rather) and sometimes bicker needlessly, but that comes with the terrority.

The Eleventh Day of Every Month

..even though I admit I haven't a clue about what's happened for two weeks. Our local drama with a git in our group who tried to bollocks up our David Ray Griffin lecture tied up my energy of one week--recovering from the SUCCESSFUL event took another week. Gues I just want to reward the initiative to come out and state there is a problem that ignoring won't solve.

From my recent group experiences I'm going to come down hard against the "big tent-kumbyha" dream--if that means tolerating disfuntional crap, or rubbish. Doesn't work--at least if you want to be effective and accessable, something as 911activists we have to fight tooth and nail for. Also leaving it up to everyone" to just work it out" doesn't work either, unless there is an undisputed authority who has absolute say. At this site, that would be you, dz, in case you didn't know. ;-)

That said, having a clear FOCUS or GOAL of the site, combined with accepatble parameters that support the focus or goal, can help sorting the stuff that's not trolling, but isn't helping either. Another thing to factor is what service is the site giving above and beyond it's stated goals, but that supports them?

My thoughts are being informed by my recent experience with a disfunctional group process, that basically meant our DRG success was INSPITE OF not BECAUSE OF how our organization was structured--or rather non-structured. No, it's not the same for a website, but there are parralells:

-Everyone can't just "do there own--unfocused--thang"--it dilutes your goal and message when people are WAY off topic*cough*"chemtrails".(that's a jab at our local git)
-The purpose/fucus must be stated and clear, or people won't know why youre being a "nazi"
-The organization must be clear--who's responsible for what, communication proceedures, etc.
-What is and is not accepatable must be clear--and why
-And what will happen at the first knowledge of deliberate disruption, must be clear and come swiftly on provocation.

It will sound draconian to some, but you may want to take a page out of the Daily Kos' book- what is or is not acceptable to promote as valid evidence and/or research. You may also want to send people who support speculative(in the unfalsifiable sense) "theories" and who attempt to push them, a warning or three then the boot. Just some ideas. They may sound harsh, but after my recent experience, I am SO over worrying that someone will call my demand for clear communication and process a species of "Nazism".

For the record, MY impression of the purpose of 911Blogger is to share news, info and insights from 911activism so we can become more effective activists, with the goal of making the truth about US complicity accepatable enough to pursue hard legal consequences. A close second is networking and exchanging ideas with fellow 911activists you may not otherwise meet.

To this end, personally, if this was my site, at this point anyone repeatedly pushing info(not discussing, or questioning, but actively PUSHING) that is a screaming liability, I would boot. Fetzer would be so gone, and I would sleep like a baby about it. Go ahead--call me a hater of free speach--I can live with that. But that's what I would do, with MY goals and MY purpose--I'm not saying you should do this--I'm just sharing it as an example of how site managment would support a specific goal, focus that goal and keep it real.

Maybe the problems are more of a personal nature--I did come upon John Albanese doing a creduible job of acting like a troll for no rational reason I could see. I would hate to have it happen, but it could be you're just running out of energy and resources to continue running 911Blogger in it's current form. I'd take a step back and make a wish list of absolutely everything you/we NEED to make it work the way you intend(support you focus/goal). If after that it can't be done, then maybe it is time to bow out.

Well, don't know if any of that helped. I'm STILL knackered from our May 21st event, and as I say, I've been away from the site. Whatever happens, it was a good ride while it lasted.

Impeachment. Accountability. A better world.

As a forum moderator and mail person for 4 websites all I can say is, I know the feeling.

It's a full moon. Just hang in there.

Nurses have told me that they really do see a difference during the full moon, in behaviors of all kinds. Picture our work as like the work of the ER doctors . . . we have to manage the outrageousness as best we can. And know that you aren't alone. I expect that right now it's a combo of things like the full moon, presidential race heating up, the explosive or gradual demise of the Bush Admin, the rooms full of people wearing camo who are sitting at computer screens to "fight the war on terror" online (as shown on 60 Minutes a few months ago) who are using up our time, etc. They consider CTs as part of the war, afterall, so . . .

I'm personally fed up with babysitting people online who are on SSI or with nothing better to do that throw minutae around all day long and scream about it - leave the rest of us alone already! So we have to just recognize it, continue to just draw the line, set the limit, say no, recruit support, etc. Then turn away and do something meaningful. And if it isn't meanginful, then at least fun for ourselves.

The 9/11movement has accomplished quite a lot over the past 2 years. Much of the inroads of this accomplishment is the relentless promulgation of information --- an end-run around the mainstream media. I would say that 911Blogger has had, and continues to have, a large effect on information dissemination.

Blogging is not really the ideal medium to have in-depth discussion where you change people's minds on major issues. Too much or too little is read by opposing posters leading to horrible misunderstandings. Baggage from one thread is carried endlessly to others. It can sometimes feel like an extended road-trip with your extended family..... C'est la vie. It is the limitation of the forum as a medium of exchange. If you want to change people's opinions, full articles that address counter claims are much more preferable. 911Blogger offers a venue to post these which is fantastic! Also, good general information is posted by more and more people with each passing month.

A handful of people will argue endlessly using irrational reasoning ---- or what appears to be irrational reasoning. It can rile a person. But, again, the ego will always be there, the arguments will continue, and minds will continue their stubborn clinging to preconceptions. Just like your brother in-law on that long road trip.....

Your health is the first consideration --- scale back as necessary. I would consider GeorgeWashington's input --- if you consider scaling back 911blogger, cut the comments section. I personally would hate to see the comment sections disappear for a variety of reasons: info exchange, considering counter arguments to preconceptions, and collective brain-power....

By the way, if you want to see viscious, unreasoned, pathetic dialog ---- look no further than the Siegal websight ---- Peruse the comments there and compare ---- it quickly puts the little flame wars over the last few days into some perspective.

...but I say, "Fuck it. Close it up."
I mean, I for one would love not to have some uber-resource of up-to-the-minute, non-bullshit news. I mean, it takes up all my time! I check this shit multiple times a day! Just think what I could do with all that free time, which is otherwise sucked away by 'zoning out' on the most relevant, independent font of information ever to appear in the modern world.
I mean, I know 9/11 still has some marginal significance to our lives as Americans and humans, but I think it's far more important that all the readers of this site finally move on--and concentrate on the truly important things in life: local NBC news; "Mercenaries" for PS2; Perez Hilton; Harry Potter and the Post-Adolescent Blues; Barak O-bizz-ama; I even think the tryouts for the next spellbinding season of American Idol (I call it "AmerIdo") are starting up!
Fuck 911blogger! 911 is, like, so passe!

Close it down! Close it Down! Close it down! Close it down! ...