The Way Liberals Give Thanks

Echidne of the Snakes has a series of sarcastic posts about things to be grateful for.

Personally, I'm grateful I'm not so puckered as to think such posts are a reflection of life as it really is. I'm also grateful for the fact that, for some reason, Echidne de-banned me and has allowed me for the last month to comment on her blog. We'll see how long that lasts.

UPDATE: My comment on Echidne's "giving thanks" posts has created quite the stir over at her site. The comments are particularly insightful. Echidne and I have big differences in the way we treat communications and there's clearly a gap in our memories. Recall, for example, this post, in which I pointed out the similarity between the hate mail Amanda Marcotte received and the hate mail Michelle Malkin received. Echidne contested that such hate mail comes far more from the right than the left (without any studies to back this up). I've always considered communications--whether by e-mail, post & comment, telephone, or whatever--to be fair game for comments. Apparently, Echidne doesn't feel the same way I do and didn't appreciate me commenting about a post from her blog at my site.

But the fact is, we all comment a lot about other people's posts. It's a large part of what blogging is.

She also has a different memory of what led to my original banning at her site. She claims I was blogging under another name and that that was why she banned me. But the truth is (as I said in this post), I was banned because other regular commenters didn't like my comments.

I've said before that blogmasters can put whatever rules of engagement they like on their sites. Some allow virtually any comment. Some allow comments with restrictions. Some allow no comments at all. And some blogs allow comments but will randomly ban people for unknown--and unknowable infractions of unstated rules.

Personally, I don't mind anyone commenting at my site (or commenting on my posts at Dana's site). What I do mind is when people distort or outright lie about my positions in order to make their own arguments (yes, Jes, I know you are still reading). If your argument can't support itself without such strawmen, don't bother making it. Like Patterico, I don't feel obligated to give a forum to such things. Other than that, feel free to argue, debate, and comment as much as you like...even if other commenters don't like it.

UPDATE x2: This is in no way to say I find Echidne's site uninteresting. Some of the posts are fascinating and the comments are always a good way to look into the thought processes of your average feminist. Echidne tries to be polite to people, even people with whom she disagrees. Her commenters tend to be less tolerant of differing opinions. I have noticed over time, that dissenters seem to disappear with alarming rapidity. Do they all tire of sparring with liberals so quickly? I think not.

UPDATE x3: Welcome, lurker Echidne! Feel free to comment. I won't ban you for upsetting my other commenters.