Someone pointed out to me (thank you very much) that there is a section of content on NOLA.com where comments are not enabled, the Society pages.
I am just guessing but I would assume that this is to prevent nasty comments about fancy Mardi Gras balls and debutantes, the daughters of our city's elites (as well as the little people that they dress us up as dwarfs at their parties).
So if your child is murdered on the streets or dies in one of the deadliest fires in recent history, you are subject to anonymous public ridicule and contempt by anyone with a computer, a bad attitude, and free time but if your daughter dress looks a little funny at her coming out party (or if you have the chutzpah to dress up little people as dwarfs for her amusement), you are protected from insults, slurs, and innuendos.
This is a blog to highlight and discuss offensive, irresponsible, and inappropriate comments on NOLA.com's Times Picayune website. The blog is not an exhaustive daily monitor of offensive content on NOLA.com but instead the few comments posted and discussed here are exemplary of thousands of similar comments posted on the website.
Gambit, which tweeted our little blog yesterday (http://twitter.com/The_Gambit/status/25326839073349632), thank you very much, also noted that the comments were dis-enabled in this amusing roast of the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs themed debutante party: http://www.bestofneworleans.com/blogofneworleans/archives/the-times-picayune/
ReplyDeleteFrom my review of the website, it appears that dis-enabled comments are de rigueur for all society stories, like black tie at a ball.
I made the same point a few months ago in my Gambit column about media bias against the Black community after a couple local reporters blamed murders that happened near parades on second line culture - they fail to make the same connection when shootings/murders happen during Mardi Gras:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bestofneworleans.com/blogofneworleans/archives/2010/09/09/mainstream-media-doesnt-care-about-black-people-a-kanyesque-teachable-moment-about-second-line-culture-bias
We need to hold the TP accountable. Either its open season on everyone or spend the resources to monitor the comments.
A very telling detail indeed. Thanks — this is a great project you've started here, Billy.
ReplyDeleteThanks to you both for chiming in. Deborah, I posted the relevant paragraph of your article. Thanks for sending it to me. And, I wonder, did you ever get a response from anyone at NOLA.com about the Society page closed comments policy?
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