Letters Torquinian - 7 March 2012
When I was a youngster politeness was everything. I remember being taught about the EBBOM; in the 80s it was all about the EBBOM. Thirty years on and it is something that would still be a valuable lesson to some.
There are excellent articles on This Is South Devon web portal and there are those not so good but all are written by people in the community who have something they consider important enough to say. Freedom of speech is still a valued societal possession and incentivised by this kind of online media, regardless of status.
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Letters Torquinian
But for a moment I want to focus on the comments sections of the portal and more precisely the commentators. You know the bane of those that write the articles not because of challenges to actuality of content but their abject lack of constructive debate. Look closely because at times This Is becomes a cesspool of unintelligent slandering…
Recently, a news story about a serious accident on the A380 near the Pen Inn was met within a few minutes by the comment: 'Yet another reason why we need a bypass. When that road is closed, you get grid lock."
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Then Sara Elliot's article about a knife amnesty received the comment: 'Look at these knives, most of them have nothing to do with street crime, just a lot of misfits getting rid of old junk they had hung on the walls of their bedsits.'
Then an article about gay and lesbian foster parents was intruded by the banal comment: '13 foster parents now needed in Syria. Anyone from Totnes interested.' (Fortunately, this comment was later removed presumably following a report).
These are three examples of why stricter moderation is now essential. Where is the natural concern for the safety and well-being of those caught in the accident; where the understanding of the fact that more weapons are out of service; where the moral fortitude to resist writing something in appalling taste?
This Is has become an opportunist window through which can be thrown the most tedious, unintelligent and sometimes malicious words.
Ladies and Gents it is time to bring in the heavies. What is currently rife within the portal should be attended to without hesitation. The bigots, the armchair politicians, the backseat drivers need to look within themselves and begin constructive commenting capable of initiating sensible adult debate otherwise they need to be thrown off at the next stop.
Engage Brain Before Opening Mouth
Comments
by MartinGrubber
Friday, March 09 2012, 5:26PM
“Troll alert
http://tinyurl.com/7624oej
What a pathetic monkey.
Oh and TT is following the troll. Oh dear says it all really.”
by code01803
Friday, March 09 2012, 2:17AM
“JensonM...same goes for this fool.
Oh sorry they are one of the same, how foolish of me.”
by code01803
Friday, March 09 2012, 2:16AM
“MartinGrubber.....if he does not like you he complains ....fool.”
by SmartyC
Friday, March 09 2012, 12:48AM
“Is that really the best you can come up with SD?
Surely even you can see it's time to give it up now...”
by SlobberDan
Thursday, March 08 2012, 10:38PM
“Toby goes to bo bo's at six o'clock so would anyone else posting on this topic please keep the noise down.”
by Chunder123
Thursday, March 08 2012, 8:46PM
“why bother reading any of this garbage. Serious stop reading the news. YOu will just fill your mind with unecessary garbage. If you enjoy a never ending story that repeats again and again then maybe read it but i don't see any point in it. I finally came to the conclusion i have no need to know about other peoples misfortunes. MAke ther most of what little time you have left. THis media garbage will be never ending. ITs all reruns anyway. only the names change. WHy give these grunts the satisfaction of publicising stories and making profit off the suffering of others.”
by MartinGrubber
Thursday, March 08 2012, 7:26PM
“"Breaking the rules"? LOL you should read the rules on stalking and trolling bud.
http://tinyurl.com/7pnv4nb
Yup clear case of stalking / trolling. What a sad case you are.”
by JensonM
Thursday, March 08 2012, 5:28PM
“Ah the beauty of the internet. You can say whatever you want and people will believe you.
TorquayToby say after me W.h.a.t.e.v.e.r.
now please use your time better and find a job so we do not have to fund the like of you
good day sir.”
by TorquayToby
Thursday, March 08 2012, 4:57PM
“CarltonClub, not at all. I'm merely responding to the cretinism of some commentators NOT the articles themselves. As far as I can tell Mr and Mrs Grubber-Slobber have as yet not even attempted to write a few paragraphs. There is a difference. Sorry you are less than impressed at the quality of This Is.
Get well soon.”
by CarltonClub
Thursday, March 08 2012, 4:46PM
“" The bigots, the armchair politicians, the backseat drivers need to look within themselves and begin constructive commenting capable of initiating sensible adult debate otherwise they need to be thrown off at the next stop."
@TorquayToby what you are berating is exactly how you responded to our pal SlobberDan - not quite thinking it through are we TT. The reality is if you remove the above quoted 'types' from this down market weekly newspaper there will be a few self opinionated south Hams based snide academics and you TT. A lonely existence and quite honestly boring. Lets face it the news is substandard, most opinion lackluster and the photo library is abysmal. I love visiting the south west by way of this site though as I continue to recuperate from an ailment. However once I'm up & about this be a distant memory.”