New York – A Request To Our Readers – Posting Comments

    169

    New York – The goal of Vosizneias is to be a positive means of growth for Klal Yisroel. Our readership needs to engage the issues, discuss them respectfully, and hopefully the products of these discussions would be fruitful to help improve Klal Yisroel, even one or two people at a time, for the better.

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    VIN News realizes that at times our comment section does devolve into a mean-spirited forum, with name calling and behaviors that, quite frankly, are embarrassing. Many of the comments are well-reasoned and thought-provoking. In fact, many of the opinions that are so negative and filled with a mean-spiritedness, could very well be a catalyst for critically reviewing the positions we all hold – if they were expressed with a little bit more dignity.

    After much reflection, VIN News has decided that the rancor, name-calling and disrespectful statements are counter-productive to our goals. Vosizneias, therefore makes the following three requests:

    1] Let’s try to keep all aspects of normal decent communicaton – no disrespecting, and degrading anyone. We all know what we have to do.

    2] Let us keep the tone of the emotion level down. Cooler heads must prevail. We must distance ourselves from Kaas – anger – betachlis harichuk – with the essence of distancing. This is what chazal tell us. Let’s keep to it.

    3] Let’s try to act more bekavod-dik of people. Everyone is a tzelem Elokim. Let’s reflect that in every post.

    Let us also bear in mind that VIN News is read by over a dozen major newspapers. It is like having an open microphone in the back of shul. So please, a little kavod, a little respect, and a lot more maturity.

    COMMENTS POSTING RULES:

    1. Absolutely no personal and/or ad hominem attacks against any group or individual

    2. No gossip, slander or defamation

    3. No links to external sites—no links whatsoever, active or otherwise, will be published

    4. No words in CAPS

    5. No multiple posts of comments

    6. No profanity, vulgarity or any foul or inappropriate language

    7. No user names communicating any agenda, opinion or message (i.e. “Smash Chasidim”, “Let’s Liquidate Lakewood” or “Orthodox are Hypocrites”) in any form, regardless of quality of comment.

    VIN encourages and appreciates healthy comment and robust debate. Please argue sensibly. Please post thoughtfully. Please reply to comments intelligently. Do not use slanderous and/or emotional words, derogatory names and insults (i.e. “moron,” “idiot,” etc.)—any such comment will be deleted immediately.

    VIN is not responsible for any comments posted. All comments are moderated. All comments posted are solely the expressions of opinion by their posters, whether anonymous, named or using pseudonyms. Please contact VIN at [[email protected]] if you feel any comment is inappropriate.


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    169 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Thank you VIN o so true and b”h if we continue we wont here any bad news anymore achdus is key….. thanks again

    Thank you
    Thank you
    14 years ago

    Thank you, VIN, for taking control of the situation and promoting ahavas yisroel!!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Although i agree with most of your rules, some (No. 7) border on suppressing free speech and i respectfully object.

    Pupa ruv
    Pupa ruv
    14 years ago

    Thanks for giving us a platform to air our thoughts and bezras hashem we will adhere to the new rules thank you

    For Real
    For Real
    14 years ago

    Thank You.

    Everyone for the sake of our religion that we hold dear, for the sake of our brothers and sisters we treasure, for your own (!) sake.

    Please keep to the rules.

    Moshe Williburger
    Moshe Williburger
    14 years ago

    Congratulations!
    It’s about time.

    serious question
    serious question
    14 years ago

    serious question… I am a frum yid but I am 100% opposed to Israel’s existance. No I am not NK or Edah but I hold to similar hashkafah like Satmar and many Orthodox Litvish do. Am I allowed to express my views against the state or not? Do you just want achudus, achdus?

    kingsley the Chuchem
    kingsley the Chuchem
    14 years ago

    Kudos to mgt of VIN .. U are 100% correct! Issues should be discussed without “personal attacks”. However, Capital letters is not so bad as some people type in capitals by mistake. It is the job of your censors to make sure that these principles are adhered to.on a 24 hour basis.
    Issues can be debated , with adjectives, on a respectful basis.
    VIN will certainly lose a number of rebel rousers who enjoy the debasing of others especially chassidic people. Some writers are very angry people or apologtic shekotzim who use this forum for their anti-chassidic feelings. Or the do gooders

    who scream Apikores- u are a poshe yisroel.. Both of those comments should be banned as u suggest. Even the so called tzdikkim use antagonistic verbeage.
    Let’s see if VIN can live up to this responsibility which every reader should applaud!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    i agree a hundred percent finally we will be taking care of the problem it got a little out of hand lets remeber the nine days thank u vin

    Eli W
    Eli W
    14 years ago

    Great, I had many comments the were not published without explanation, at least this will give us a bit of a guide….

    And I 100% agree with this guidelines.

    lakewood yungerman
    lakewood yungerman
    14 years ago

    shkoich!!u the best jewish news site:)good move.hatzlachah!

    ari
    ari
    14 years ago

    I applaud your move

    Moshe
    Moshe
    14 years ago

    אוי, ענדליך ענדליך, עס האט שוין לאנג געדארפט קומען, די הערות דא זענען טיילמאל ארויס פון יעדן נארמאלקייט, מענטשן וועלן זיך אויף יעדן פאל אננעמען פאר די אנדערע זייט כאטש עס איז נישט קיין שום צווייפל אז עס קומט פון שנאה צו אנדערע. וואס איז נייעס איך בעט אייך, גענוג געווען, יישר כח גדול!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Thank You
    And let us remember that Chilul Hashem and Loshon horo on the web is Berabim and is unforgivable even on Yom Kippur.

    The Truth
    The Truth
    14 years ago

    Shkoyach VIN. Thanks for keeping us informed. Keep up the good work.

    eitza geber
    eitza geber
    14 years ago

    bravo!

    Kol Hakavod
    Kol Hakavod
    14 years ago

    Wow! I have gr8 respect for you & thank VIN for taking the courage to take a stance against this much needed long awaited (by me & I’m sure many others) setting some Rules & Morals to the way we post on this site.
    It was hurtful to read so much Hate Mongering that was going on between ourselves. I heard after a Jew was sentenced Guilty a few moths ago that the Judge said to the guys attorney referring to VIN Posts “What Do You Expect When People From His Own Community Trash Him Even Before They Know The Facts!”
    Yes VIN is that Popular! Many people from out of the Jewish Community read it.
    The time is right for some Ahavas Chinom now B4 T’Sha B’Av for all of us to do the right thing.
    Give People the benefit of the doubt.
    Loshon Hora Applies Even When The Facts Are True. Let alone when we don’t Know the facts First Hand. (& 2 Wrongs Don’t Make 1 Right)
    Thanks Again VIN

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I happy to see that VIN is taking this mater into there hands finaly. I just wish you could shut down the whole comment section and only report News.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Can I post a negative comment about frum politicians regarding their policies?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Excellent rules. Please add “no racist comments or terms” to your list. Thank you.

    Bravo
    Bravo
    14 years ago

    I applaud your essay and guidelines greatly. However, I always wondered why VIN didn’t censor and omit the offesive inappropriate comments. I hope everyone sticks to this new spirit.

    shteeka
    shteeka
    14 years ago

    very good point that this is an open microphone. sometimes I wonder how we allow the out side world to have a field seat in terms of info into the “heimisha hulech yeilech” which is unprecidented and perhaps ibrig. remember what chazal say “mili besela shtika betri” . there used to be what’s known the “black wall of silence” and it was unbreakable, now we hand it to them on a gold platter.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I think these rules are a great idea for VIN. People are getting fed up with all the ridiculous comments people post. Readers will begin to take your seriously when there are sensible conversations taking place.

    Aryeh
    Aryeh
    14 years ago

    Yesher Koach! First, I want to ask mechila if I have offended anyone on the board, or created a chilul Hashem by my postings. Second, thanks to VIN for helping us to be more polite to each other. Finally, I hope that it will be with the merit of the achdut between the Chillonim and the Haredim, Chasidim and Litvish, and MO, that we will be zocher moschiach tzidkeinu b”bm!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    This is a move in the right direction. I think that aatention must be made to the headlining of posts as well. A number of them are written in a deragatory way. In addition care must be taken in deciding which source for a story is used. Often there are a multitude of sources available and the selection of the source can be ndicative of bias, often negative which can increase the amount of negagtivity that is engendered as well as the comments that result.

    Male Nurse
    Male Nurse
    14 years ago

    Its about time! I stopped posting and reading comments because it was just getting out of hand.

    In the material world, Moderation is the Key.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    first of all i want to thank VIN for their great service for all the readers, feeding them non-stop news and info.
    You are 100% correct about the comments, 1 Suggestion – add an option on each comment to report it if its offensive.

    keep your mouth clean
    keep your mouth clean
    14 years ago

    i just said yesterday that we have to keep our mouth clean. calling someone with nivul peh names doesnt help. its just ruining yourself. i guess vin read my comment and took it siriuosly. its about time.

    NJ Shmuel
    NJ Shmuel
    14 years ago

    The name calling stems from the ability for people to act like “cowards” where they can hide behind an anonymous post and even a bogus email address. Most of the people that do such things, I would venture to say, would not if they were forced to identify themselves. I appreciate what VIN has done. And, I guess I look to the comments sometimes to see how wacky people can be with their anonymity.

    Thank you VIN behind the scenes people. I know how hard it is to run a good web site. May Hashem bless you with good things.

    Shumuel from (Passaic) NJ — I’ll identify myself. I’m not scared and I won’t insult anyone.

    Mendel Zilberberg
    Mendel Zilberberg
    14 years ago

    I suggest that contributors be required to post with their names. If in fact you want to have a well thought out, productive and meaningful blog – rather than a “rant”.

    I suggest that if people have to be ready to be a accountable for what they say, many of your concerns will take care of themselves.

    For the advocates of free speech, I believe that free speech gives everyone the right to stand up publicly and communicate his or her thoughts. However there is no notion of free speech that affords people the right to do so anonymously or demand the right to do so on a moderated blog..

    Reality Check
    Reality Check
    14 years ago

    A blog that is collectively doing teshuva!
    Mi K’amcha Yisrael, Goy Echad Ba’aretz.

    Thank you, vosizneias for helping all of us to move in this direction!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I guess you cannot impose a ban on illiterate posts as well but how about a spell-check or two before hitting the “post comment” button.

    kingsley the chuchem
    kingsley the chuchem
    14 years ago

    To those who object to the anonymous name id- u are wrong because many people do not want others to know what their general views are on subjects and that is why most blogs are without real names. Secondly, anyone has a right to decide what they find “acceptable” on their forum and to establish their own guidelines.
    If u are their forum , they have a right to publish what they consider offensive because it is their turf not yours. The question of free speech applies to things VINS editors
    may say offensively not to the guidelines set for ALL comments submitted.

    Big Masmid
    Big Masmid
    14 years ago

    Thank You VIN b.t.w.Rule # 18 please dont use my name “big masmid” when you are posting, it’s misleading to people who actually know who “big masmid is.

    Reality Check
    Reality Check
    14 years ago

    I invest effort to post clearly, respectfully, and with reasonable grammar.
    I blog to have a voice, and to help others to understand some of the challenges that are faced by people in situations similar to mine.
    As a survivor of abuse and subsequent depression and anxiety disorders, I thank vos iz neias for allowing me to post without my real name.

    Teshuva
    Teshuva
    14 years ago

    I applaud the request, from now on we expect all to respect each other, and not jump to conclusions of always finding guilt and faults at other people or at entire communities, this was the most provocative issue besides fro name calling.
    I deeply apologize if I ever offended someone by name calling or by any direct or indirect insult.
    should we be zoiche to the geula son.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Please all friends keep in mind:
    Sometimes a post/comment can be so sarcastic and teasing much more than calling names.
    Lets avoid being dan lekaf choiv, and throwing guilt at people reportedly “accused” on a crime or “alleged” crimes, lets give people the benefit of the doubt. This will make the VIN forum a much nicer site, with a calm and pleasant atmosphere.

    ernie kugel
    ernie kugel
    14 years ago

    Hats of 2 U VIN, keep up the good work. 🙂

    Menachem
    Menachem
    14 years ago

    This is outrageous! We have finally found an outlet where we can rightfully express our opinions, without being shunned, and now you are muzzling us!
    What is the problem that you have with free speech?!

    Plain Jew
    Plain Jew
    14 years ago

    We have to be aware that the ramifications of anything we put on the web is truly on the world wide web. And a web can definitely entangle. I wonder at the vitriol sometimes and the lack of giving people the benefit of the doubt. I think if we all gave just a small measure of withholding judgment against people and giving others the benefit of the doubt – kaf zchus – we would not even need guidelines.

    This measure is important and I hope that it does not come too late for people who suffered as a result. (ie the Rubashkin family from Iowa who suffered tremendously) by those who viciously and sometimes ignorantly attacked them, even from rabbinic podiums, etc.

    Kudos to VIN for setting a new standard in Jewish blogging.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Thank you vin this is the right time to do it

    eekvesedemeshihe
    eekvesedemeshihe
    14 years ago

    bravo to vin a groisen shekoiah

    Babishka
    Member
    Babishka
    14 years ago

    I think VIN should adopt the policy that is used by many other responsible blogs, and require all posters to be registered. Discontinue the “anonymous” posting. That way, if a poster continues to make obnoxious comments, that poster can be blocked. By further limiting registration by IP, will discourage the disgusting practice of “sock puppets” in which one poster pretends to be multiple people.

    On other blogs that require registration, the quality of conversation is much better.

    Yonason Wolff
    Yonason Wolff
    14 years ago

    Wonderful – VIN is to be commended.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Dear Editors: I am wondering if it is a wise policy to collect and post every article about a jew allegedly breaking the law or getting into a zoning dispute. Putting aside the recent NJ arrests, many of the stories are very local in nature and normally would not get much press. Any anti-semite or a not-yet frum yidden who is researching on the internet can easily stumble on this site and there in one place is negative story after negative story. It really gives the wrong impression about the jewish community
    I realize its a fine line to walk between providing the news and not wanting to white wash things, but please give some consideration to limiting what you publish.

    anonymous
    anonymous
    14 years ago

    Exellent rules particularly numbers 6 and 7. Some people let forth venom and sinas chinom, Yashar koach

    PMO
    PMO
    14 years ago

    Thank you for the reality check, and I will apologize to everyone for my occasional choice of words that cross the line of spirited debate.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Kol hakavod, VIN. May your worthy goals be accomplished in adopting this policy. What better time to launch this than right now, shortly before Tisha b’Av, when we can use all the zechuyos possible! Behatzlachah!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    While I agree that we should be more sensitive to others, I hope VIN will not be censoring the comments. I think the reason for the belligerent name calling is that many of us are not educated to be civil with others. Every group or sect believes that they are Superior to all others. We don’t respect people who disagree with us or are different than us. However; people need to take responsibility for them-self. It would be unjournalistic for VIN to get involved in cencership

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I agree with you but I disagree with your so blatantly posting negative adjectives to a group of people in your #7 . After all, you’re not about to list all the inapppropriate words not to be used. As you are entitled to censor what gets put in and what stays out, I believe that by omitting indecent comments those submitting them will get the message.
    Please make sure to also edit comments with grammar or spelling mistakes so severe as to be almost incomprehensible. Perhaps writers should first run their comments through a spellcheck system and then post them in this forum.
    Concerning someone’s quarrel with the use of capitalizations: I took an online series of college classes which clearly stated that capitalizations are not to be used (they equal “yelling”), neither are expressions such as LOL, abbreviations such as gr8 (great), profanity, or anything constituting disrespect towards the instructor or fellow students otherwise points will be deducted. No reason not to stick to that rule here.