Join the discussions – go on, have yourself a rev

ANT KATZ

Users like to read what their fellow-users have to say. That’s why SAJR Online always displays how many comments there are relating to any story we publish in the teaser. And it can become a self-perpetuating situation. For example, when a user takes a look at the Opinion section on the right hand side of the home page and sees one blog has 15 comments posted to it while another has two, guess which one they are likely to read first?

Our experience is that our users are always interested to read the comments – and never shy to have their own chirps too – even if it is anonymously.

Of course, all comments are moderated before being published. Last week alone 40-odd comments had to be deleted as they were considered unsuitable or illegal (usually as they contain hate speech).

The conversations sometimes get quite heated – but somehow tend to remain light-hearted. The biggest Chirp-Fest right now has been evoked by two controversial articles by Rabbi Gavin Michal entitled “Reform of the ultra-Orthodox” (see links below) which has reduced users to a love’em or hate’em back-and-forth between parties who seem so far removed, one wonders if they will ever meet.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW IMAGE…

Here are some of the more interesting tête-à-têtes currently being tussled over by our users:

• 3 comments – Israel asks SA to arrest R. Berland – Hawks
• 4 comments – “Eye for an eye” threat to SA Jews on Gaza
• 10 comments – Botched briss leads to investigation
• 15 comments – It takes a Village to raise a child – Dangers of Poor choices
• 15 comments – Reforms of ultra-Orthodox – a short history of Hareidim
• 31 comments – Reforms of ultra-Orthodox – Part II
• 23 comments – SABJE in hot seat over student’s ‘Palestinian’ scarf
• 35 comments – Jewish school uproar over dep-head boy’s Palestinian scarf
• 174 comments – Woolies rubbish rumours of going Gaza on Israel

SAJR Online adheres very strictly to its protocols, privacy policies and the like which can be found all neatly packaged in the LEGALS section. One of the most important to us, is the COMMENT GUIDELINES – which apply equally to all – and differently for all known users vs. anonymous users.

So, users, check what your fellow-users have to say – and feel free to egg them on or rattle their cages. Relax, sip your tea and chirp away!

But remember not to get too naughty, because you still have to pass through our moderators before your comments are published.