With an automatic system, people will figure out quickly how to game it.

A slippery slope to say the least and a bad call on part of the KNS. That said, sometimes admins cave in when it's just easier to keep the masses happy.

Imagine the sense of accomplishment among the commenters over there.

A certain individual has been banned numerous times and he just keeps popping back up under the same name with slight modifications. The KNS has been warned by KCSD about threats this person has made to other bloggers and they still keep him on the payroll (his hints, not mine).

Cj and I certainly have different opinions on many subjects but we also agree on many things. CJ has never said anything that I would consider insulting or demeaning and I remember jack defending the free press ,and their obligation to talk about personal catastropes in the political realm; does this same right not exist for CJ. I would suggest that maybe a boycott of this site might be appropriate until such time that CJ is allowed to participate again. CJ brings intelligent discourse, not threats and offensive language to this scruffy little town. bruce

I've long suspected that most conservatives are afraid of the facts and rely on pack mentality for strength, but I never imagined such a literal manifestation.

Bruce is being typically disingenuous. It's not some nefarious KNS employee who has caused CJ's banning – it's Bruce's natural, ideological allies on the red meat right who have ganged up to file the number of "abuse" reports to trip the automatic switch to get him banned.

So under the guise of defending CJ, he's again bashing someone on his growing list of enemies.

This system worked just fine until CJ was banned. They got rid of Nine and every one was thrilled.

Paone has been banned at least four times, yet he reappears. How is that possible Jack?

Face it, it is a rigged game.

If CJ comes back so should Nine. Fair is fair. But the Sentinel isn't about what is fair. It is about advocacy journalism.

Nine, your victimhood is impressive, but I suggest you reread your post....everything is a conspiracy, everyone is out to get you and trample on your rights and your are being denied this and denied that adn people won't reply to you...ad nauseum. Ever wonder why?

But CJ, you left out an important piece of the story. Are you not a former Knoxville News Sentinel panelist? So your situation is different. What was that group you were in with Jack McElroy? If memory serves R. Neal and others attended.

Nine, you seem to misunderstand the "flavor" of these News-Sentinel panels.

Yes, CJ's been to one. I think you're right that R. Neal said he'd attended one (or more), too. I've been to one and Cafkia here at K-V attended with me that night, as well.

We all offered our critiques of the paper, good and bad, and the evening I attended, I'm pretty sure every single attendee (from among about 20) had a criticism of some kind about KNS.

You're mistaken if you think these KNS functions are pep rallies, or if you imagine people attending them subsequently land themselves on some sort of desired "short list" for anything at all.

Tamara, you are correct that both R. Neal and I have attended KNS seminars. In fact, we attended the same one. While we did not speak, we did make eye contact. From that fleeting meeting of the eyes, we decided to gang up on Nine and run him to the ground, like jackals on a rabbit.

Naturally, we enlisted the KNS editors and reporters to join in and pounce upon the hapless Nine. Granted, we didn't talk about it, or even make eye contact, but sometimes, there is a community of the spirit and an unspoken understanding of what needs to be done....and we've done it. We snubbed him, snapped him and banned him.

So yes, Nine is paranoid, but that doesn't mean people aren't out to get him. If you doubt it for a second, just ask him. lol

is here.

Is inability to comprehend why he is banned reason to ban a person? Has any person been banned?