Duke lacrosse: Losing the battle in comments and email

I'm on the record as hating blog comments. Nor do i like the idea of urging people to send email to opponents when passions run hot.

The Duke lacrosse case just reinforces my conviction on this. i agree completely with this comment from KC Johnson's blog:

Anonymous said...
KC -- I might consider closing the comments section down. Your blog is now the go-to site for the real truth on this disaster of a case and the Duke faculty's disgusting use of it to further its agenda. The comments section, however, has often become a mix of race-based IQ blather and some hateful vitriol. There certainly is a place for such discussions, but I submit that this is not that place, particularly with the whole world watching now.

10:24 AM

Many, many people are sincerely concerned about the travesty in Durham. But the case has also drawn bigots. They may be few in number but they taint everyone who oppose Nifong and the Gang of 88. Even worse, the time KC Johnson spends policing his comment threads is time he cannot devote to covering the case.

Same thing with emails. People may think they are helping the players when they send emails to Cash Michaels or the Gang of 88. In reality, all they do is help Cash write his columns and build sympathy for the professors.