Yesterday, reader Ashley asked in a comment:
Do you have a problem with negative comments? I haven’t noticed any, but you probably delete them.
I am lucky that most of the people who choose to comment here are polite and courteous, if not overly supportive. However, I do get the nasty comment here and there and I must admit that it stings.
That being said, I have NEVER deleted a comment (aside from spam).
Even the ones that have called me names, attacked me for my personal and/or religious beliefs, or were just plain unwarranted.
I do not want the visitors to this blog to feel like they’re being censored. Sure, I may get upset and I will most likely write a rebuttal, but that is the essence of opening up your heart and soul to the internet, no?
I cannot promise that my stance will not change once the baby is born. I may delete overly hurtful comments that are directed at my children (if I get any — knock on wood), only because I feel they should not be punished for their mother’s ramblings. But I am still undecided on this issue and we’ll see when the time comes. Who knows? I might just copy Dooce and create a “Monetizing the Hate” page.
How do other bloggers deal with negative comments? Do you delete them? Fight back? Ignore them?
