Posted by Reader, a resident of the Ventura neighborhood, on May 17, 2008 at 10:11 am
Walter,
[Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
I disagree with almost everything you write.
BUT, I think it the heavy-handed editing and deleting of posts by the PAW staff (or whoever has been granted this privilege) is completely out of line.
Especially, since there's no clearly defined policy and no explanations given.
This basically turns what should a free and open forum for community discussion to a "only post nice things or we will censor you" forum. And a lot posts end up reading like those declassified government documents where all the nouns are blacked out.
Posted by Jarred, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on May 17, 2008 at 11:14 am
Walter, you will be sorely missed if you go. I've always thought you were among the most knowledgeable and insightful contributors to the forum, and I love your pithy writing style.
Posted by pam, a resident of the Charleston Gardens neighborhood, on May 17, 2008 at 12:16 pm
i rarely agree with walter, but i must say that too often the editors of this forum, led by the paper's publisher, a mr. johnson, are in serious need of editorial 'soul'. what i mean by that is that their idea of debate encompasses passing judgment on witticisms and sarcasm that appear to far exceed, ironically, their ability to see the deep meaning in those sarcasms, or the legitimate use of hard hitting remarks to make a stark point. in a word, the editing in these forums often overreaches. forbid profanity, and crude personal attacks. let the clever witticisms and carefully constructed put downs with a point behind them stand. johnson needs to read h l mencken, and other hard hitting essayists, and loosen up a bit.
Posted by Anonymous, a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on May 17, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Walter,
If you would comment on the topic at hand rather than hand out a quick witted insult, maybe your comments would stick on the board. You are entitled to your opinion, just keep it germane.
Posted by dave, a resident of the Downtown North neighborhood, on May 17, 2008 at 8:22 pm
Walter. I thought many of your comments were supercilious and not germane to the topic. However, I did enjoy reading them because they did demonstrate a wit and a strong point of view.
Don't let your ego get so bruised you give up. Think of the stuff that gets dumped on the Council members without a recourse.
Posted by Peter, a resident of another community, on May 17, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Reader, as one who has been mysteriously "removed," you might think that I'd be up in arms. However, I wasn't, just a bit puzzled; after all, it's the Weekly's sandbox and if you want to play in it you have to play by their rules. I have no problem with that.
I have seen some comments before they were removed, and was glad they were. I'm a firm believer in freedom of expression but I'm also a believer in polite reasoned discourse on a forum of this type. Frankly, it's a bit tiresome to read the demeaning labels that some users insist on inserting time and again into their posts.
I believe it is possible to post with wit and imaginative language and still get one's point across. By the way, I'm not a polyanna.
Posted by Charles, a resident of the Downtown North neighborhood, on May 18, 2008 at 9:47 pm
Peter,
Thank you for your comment. I share your point of view completely.
I find it utterly ridiculous that Walter is leaving because he thinks his ideas have been censored. I've seen stuff that he's posted before it gets removed and it's almost always off-point, dripping with sarcasm or otherwise disrespectful of other posters. This forum is littered with his comments on all kinds of topics...he is the last person who should complain about getting a few of his posts edited or removed. We could all use a break from his sarcastic quips, so I'm happy to say Ta Ta.
Posted by Danny, a resident of the Crescent Park neighborhood, on May 19, 2008 at 9:28 am
Shame you're taking a hiatus Walter, as you're one of the few posters who's courageous enough to use your real name, even if your views seem a bit warped at times. Hope you won't stay gone for long. It's the divergent viewpoints and witty dialogue that keeps me coming back to this forum, and your absence will be very noticeable in that regard.
Posted by Midtown mom, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on May 19, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Oh, come on, Walter
I think I agree with you about 1 in a million, but don't just go away mad.
And yes, I agree with those stating that the editors here delete without consistent guidelines or rules. And yes, I also agree that you can sometimes be too nasty, & focus more on the put-down than open minded conversation.
Having said that, I would still much rather read your comments than tons of others here.
You speak honestly, with convection, & have the courage to sign your name.
I would ask that you reconsider your decision. Please!
Posted by Walter_E_Wallis, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on May 20, 2008 at 4:35 am
My sister's dog turned me down.
Said my viewpoint was too warped.
The Palo Alto Weekly has every right to decide what is retained on its site, and I have every right to sulk. I hold the readers of this site to the higher standard that some of my allusions merit, but "writing up" has to be nicer than writing down. There has been some serious debate on thi site, interspersed with just enough clunkers to make the judicious grieve.
Incidently, there was a rumor that Teddy Kennedy's problem was a twinge of conscience, but then since he survived that was not possible.
Posted by Papa Doodle, a resident of the Greater Miranda neighborhood, on May 20, 2008 at 10:19 am
[Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
This notice is both lame and unnecessary. Removal for profane content is understandable but the folks (read cowards) at PAonline are simply measuring free speech to their own political strains.
[Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
Go Walter! Let it all hang our and say what you like. I will read it.
Posted by I won't miss Walter, a resident of the South of Midtown neighborhood, on May 20, 2008 at 2:05 pm
I won't miss you Walter. If you had been a contemporary of Galileo you would have been a "flat earther" and would have been one of those sending him to prison.
Posted by Walter E. Wallis, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on May 20, 2008 at 3:56 pm
As I recall, it was the establishment that got Gallileo. Any one who considers me establishment has rectalexia. Only a few have ever argued my views here, most just attack me because they lack the wit to examine any ideas that break their programming. I believe the Flat Earth society was founded by an ancester of Gore, and the tradition was carried on in "The Village that Voted the Earth was Flat", a community vaguely familiar.
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