Prompted by a rising tide of everything from petty name-calling to outright libel, nearly all of it from anonymous commenters, we’ve flushed our archive of comments posted prior to December 2, when we temporarily halted postings.

We’ve also adopted a registration system in the expectation that it will bring a greater degree of accountability to the commentary. With that, we hope, will be more civil and constructive behavior than we saw in the months leading up to the change.

In order to post a comment on this site, you’ll now need to be a Facebook user. A log-in prompt will appear when you first attempt to post; the same window contains a link for non-Facebook clients to follow in order to get started.

With the implementation of this system, we’ve turned off access to our archive of more than 33,000 comments dating from June 1, 2006 through December 2, 2010. Those comments will no longer be displayed. We’ve also dropped our “Back Alley,” the forum to which comments we considered thuggish and/or cowardly were steered beginning in June, 2008.

We make these changes with some reluctance. The more open approach to comments generated hundreds of informative and entertaining posts and threads. But as the popularity of redbankgreen has grown, each day brought new challenges to our efforts to keep out libelous statements and other violations of our policy. The nastiness simply begat more and more. Scrapping the comments archive while launching a new system enables us to start with a clean slate.

Facebook, we recognize, is not universally loved. But it both encourages readers to post using their real names while offering redbankgreen some moderation tools not previously available.

To see our comments policy, click here. If you have any questions about the policy, please email us at the address in the green bar at the bottom of this page, using your real name (or post a comment below this article). Be aware that we will not discuss our policy or its implementation with people who do not properly identify themselves to us.

If one of your posts gets removed, feel free to rephrase it and repost it in accordance with our policy. If your Facebook account gets blocked, you will be asked to prove your real identity in order to have commenting privileges restored.

With these changes, it’s our hope that readers who’ve previously been reluctant to comment will join with those redbankgreen readers who use this site as a “town square for an unsquare town,” where people who have something to say do so with integrity and respect for others.

John T. Ward
redbankgreenman

Maybe we’re just in a wintry mood, with the furnace burning through the heating budget way earlier in the season than expected.

Or maybe it’s lingering remnants of the frustration that led us to impose radio silence on our comments forum last week.

But none of the comments posted between last Monday and late Thursday jumped out at us as particularly noteworthy. So we’re not spotlighting any this week.

Still, there’s some news about comments. As many readers know, redbankgreen has temporarily shut down its commenting function. For those who missed the announcement, go here.

Commenting will be back, though.

We’re in the process of installing and beta-testing a replacement system, one that would require readers to have a Facebook registration in order to comment.

It’s not a perfect solution to the problems that gave rise to it.  Some readers don’t like being steered to sign up for a social media site they otherwise have no interest in just to post an occasional comment. Others object to the way Facebook handles privacy issues. Some argue in favor of maintaining anonymity, saying that if not for the marriage of concealed identities and the press, America would not have had the Federalist Papers, and that whistleblowing on wrongdoers will be curtailed. All valid concerns.

But Facebook Connect will lighten our moderation load, which had become too big a distraction for us to continue doing business as usual. Far more importantly, it nudges our commentariat in the direction of accountability.

We want this site to reflect the values that we believe we share with a majority of our readers, and accountability is among them. We’ve heard the argument that not all anonymous commenters are cowardly, and we  certainly agree; most of the comments posted on this site are anonymous or pseudonymous, and don’t cross the line into the realm of abuse. Frequently they’re informative and amusing.

But libel, innuendo and gratuitous attacks on individuals and organizations featured in stories on this site have been on a rapid rise, and they’re not coming from readers who openly identify themselves. Some of the people who post those comments have privately told us they do so because they feel encouraged by the presence of similar comments.

We hope that Facebook Connect it will dramatically cut down on the abuse and allow for the return of the “town square for an unsquare town” that redbankgreen was created to provide.

As in the past, anyone can approach redbankgreen with tips or ask us to publish an article that requires a source’s identity be protected. We give all such requests due consideration. That will not change. To those who want to get the word out without a media filter, keep in mind that there are millions of square miles of free Internet acreage out there just waiting for the next blog to set up an outpost in.

If you’d like to weigh in on any aspect of this issue while our new system is being installed, please visit the redbankgreen.com page on Facebook. You must be a Facebook user, of course, and have to click the “Like” button at the top of the page before you can comment.

Meantime, here’s a question we’re wrestling with: what do we do with the 33,646 comments in our archive? Keep them or trash them? Our bias is to start fresh, on the belief that every nasty, mean and untrue comment ever posted will have the half-life of radioactive ore for those they were aimed at, while the friendlier and neutral ones are soon forgotten.

We’d love to hear from you, if you’re willing to stand behind your words.

Our Comment of the Week was posted earlier today by ‘Mike.’

He weighed on on the recent relocation of the Red Bank Farmer’s Market from the parking lot of the Galleria at Red Bank to Chris’ Landing, just across the Navesink River, in the River Plaza section of Middletown.

Here’s Mike’s comment:

This past weekend the Galleria hosted Santa Claus. It was said to be a great event that drew many people. Santa returns this coming weekend.

While it is arguable that they could have retained the farmers market for an additional few weeks, the Galleria also has an obligation to their tenants. And during the Christmas shopping season I am not sure it would be fair to the tenants to have the lot monopolized by the market.

I spoke to one of the vendors who explained that after going since Mother’s Day each Sunday, that when the temperature is less predictable and the farmers have less to offer (the lifeline of the event), that the Galleria ends the market at a good time. For many vendors, the market means a six or seven day work week.

As a frequent customer I would like to say thanks to the Galleria for hosting such a great event. And thanks to Chris for proving a venue for those who want to hold onto the market into the winter. This seems like a great outcome for everybody.

Have you read a comment that you think is deserving of the spotlight? Suggestions are welcome. You can nominate a comment in the comments area itself, or send us a private email if you prefer.

Our Comment of the Week this week is nice and simple: it’s just one resident communicating to another — and the rest of us, of course — while recalling a special moment.

And it’s all in the context of a story about a calendar created to preserve a bit of Red Bank history while raising a few bucks for a local charity.

That’s community, right?

Here’s the comment, posted by Kevin Donohue and addressed to David Prown, who created the calendar:

David:

When I picked mine up the other day there was an 80 year old pointing out the boys he knew from the picture you have in your window of the 1930′s St. Anthony’s Basketball Team.

I’m so tempted to look at each month’s picture now.

But I’m going to wait to look as each month changes ext year.

Thanks especially for having it benefit such a worthy charity this year.

Have you read a comment that you think is deserving of the spotlight? Suggestions are welcome. You can nominate a comment in the comments area itself, or send us a private email if you prefer.

Some weeks, the pickings are better than others, and this past week saw a good number of posts that might merit the Comment of the Week spotlight.

A couple of commenters, for example, made a strong case in calling on the borough of Red Bank to change the name of Drs. James Parker Boulevard back to West Bergen Place, seeing as how the borough government itself isn’t consistent in using the current name. Those appeared beneath our article about a detour on what even redbankgreen called “West Bergen Place” instead of Drs. James Parker Boulevard.

We also saw some smart and sometimes amusing comments beneath our stories on the sale of the Ashes liquor license, the controversy over Rumson rec‘s now-altered plan to drop Fair Haven kids from three sports, and a handful under our article on Cinnamon Snail owner/chef/driver Adam Sobel in his effort to obtain a permit to sell his gourmet offerings from a truck that would park somewhere in Red Bank. That story (VENDOR GETS COUNCIL TO PICK UP THE PACE) has generated more than 100 comments so far.

One of them gets this week’s call-out. It came from “george bistrob,” a restaurateur with a bricks-and-mortar establishment on Broad Street who one might think would be threatened by such a permit. But George praised Sobel for his “passion to get his dream,” and the way he’s gone about generating support:

GA I was 26 years old when I bought BISTRO. My father did not give me and my brother money we took everything we had and borrowed and bartered everything to get our dream up in Red bank. that was 15 years ago next month. If you want it to make it happen. Problem with the American DREAM is everyone thinks they are entitled to it. Its the other way around its hard work and dedication. me and my brother gave up alot to do what we like to do but hey we dont complain we love it.

It seems that Adam has a passion to get his dream done he is going through the right channels and seems to generating a buzz. More power to him. What more can you ask? He is not excluding anyone else he is merely paving the way for new business and new ways to do it. No one even said he would be the only one but the first one. Give it a trial run for one year and see what happens. Red Bank needs a new way of thinking the old ME ME ME took away from our city and never returned it. I for one and grouping business and residents for a move out of this mess and have already begun a committee to get things going.

I say let ADAM prove his case and give him a trial permit for a year. best of luck.

Have you read a comment that you think is deserving of the spotlight? Suggestions are welcome. You can nominate a comment in the comments area itself, or send us a private email if you prefer.

Today, BTW, we’re tightening up enforcement of our comments policy. More than in the past, posts that are off-topic may be moved to the Back Alley.

Also, posts with vulgar screen names will be Back-Alleyed, if not deleted.

For an explainer on how the Back Alley works, see the policy statement.

Kevin Donohue gets the Comment of the Week spotlight this week for posting a comment with his (apparently) real name and using the forum as a means of reaching out to another commenter.

An earlier comment by Donohue, under our Q&A with then-candidate Sharon Lee (who was subsequently re-elected to the Red Bank council) had drawn some criticism from another commenter who also uses his real name, Gary Morris.

Donohue replied with a measured, non-confrontational post that reached out to Morris in a constructive way. Here it is:

Gary:

Hi, I met you at Kim’s “budget” meeting.

By “KOD” I think you mean me, I’m “KD”, there’s no “O”.

I never voiced support of Ms. Lee so maybe “KOD” is someone else.

I’m not supporting anyone in particular, so there is no misguided support there, although I may be misguided in other areas.

I’m supporting the idea that it’s wrong to say any particular person violated the law via a conflict of interest, or is a “criminal” based on their personal dislike for that politician rather than based on evidence.

I find it especially wrong when people (yes I consider politicians to be people, maybe a minority view)are slandered by anonymous posters.

And as per my post above I’m trying to determine whether individual alleged conflicts are really conflicts or people just think they should be.

I don’t think I’m a “democrat army of one”.

But if I am why don’t you join me as soldier no. 2 in saying that it shouldn’t be anything goes just because you disagree with a politicians stance or votes.

As for your lyrical explanation of your views specifically on Horgan & Lee, I have no interest in recommending to you or anyone else who they should vote for.

Want to call out a comment that you think is deserving of the spotlight? Suggestions are welcome. You can nominate a comment in the comments area itself, or send us a private email if you prefer.

What a pleasure it is to have so many choices for this week’s Comment of the Week.

Among other places, we found posts to admire beneath our articles on the possible Shrewsbury deer hunt, the feature on the return of Red Bank Pizza after two years’ absence, and the Rumson trash-pickup coverage.

So the one we’re calling out this week is just one of a handful that might have been spotlighted. Why do we like it? It quietly challenges an attitude that’s often expressed with loud indignation, if not much evidence, and does so with a bit historical perspective but no nastiness.

The comment was posted by “dave” beneath a story — just a trio of photos, really — headlined A NIGHT OF HERITAGE, and it says:

What the heck is white heritage anyway? As a kid we learned about chanukah, I appreciated that as a Jew. We celebrated Italian Heritage around Columbus. We learned of the Irish around St. Patty’s. We studied American history every day until I graduated high school. We learned of Europe in English class as we studied all the great authors from Shakespeare to Chaucer to the modern classics. Every day was an education in American history and the ancestors of the Caucasian races. We had assemblies and Italian American festivals.

Your alarmist concept that we are erasing American or “white” heritage is so misguided it is unbelievable. Our children spend most of their time on it. I never learned an ounce of true African history until College but believe me I knew my American colonial history and the European explores and English authors backwards and forwards.

There is nothing wrong with a multi cultural event. Looks like a great evening. Can’t wait to attend with my son in the coming years.

Want to call out a comment that you think is deserving of the spotlight? Nominations are welcome. You can nominate a comment in the comments area itself, or send us a private email if you prefer.

Posted by “Jenn” under our story, PARKING-SHORTAGE RULE TO BE SUSPENDED, it read:

Why is it so difficult for people to understand how a meter works?

1. Put quarter in meter.

2. Look at watch.

3. Come back in 30 minutes or less.

Problem solved.

Of course, that wasn’t the debate-ender the author perhaps had wished for, in part because she had Red Bank’s meter rates wrong, as pointed out by “md,” who replied:

Hey Jenn, It sounds so easy. Guess you haven’t parked on Monmouth Street lately? Put a quarter in, come back in 30 minutes, and you would have been 15 minutes late and already have a $38 ticket on your window.

And there was more to follow, as there always is on this issue, most of it fueled by the size of the overtime parking fine. But Jenn gets points for brevity in her call for common sense and responsibility.

Want to call out a comment that you think is deserving of the spotlight? Suggestions  are welcome. You can nominate a comment in the comments area itself, or send us a private email if you prefer.

Is sarcasm funny only if you agree with its point of view?

A couple of readers nominated a comment posted last week by ‘Mike’ as Comment of the Week. We admit we hesitated about giving it the nod, because — no, we’re not joking — we try to stay politically neutral, and we wondered if featuring it would make us appear to be taking sides.

But Mike’s comment is pretty funny, even if we’re not quite sure what it has to do with the subject of the story, which is about a guilty plea in a fraud case. And we like funny.

Here it is:

My sources say Mayor Menna has asked Borough attorney Ken Pringle to look into opting out of Transit Village. Pringle put a call into NJ Transit board member Ken Pringle. Apparently Pringle only conducts Red Bank business while in the borough and Transit business while in Newark. Consequently he has had a difficult time getting in touch with himself. However he has billed Red Bank each time he has returned his own call.

Want to call out a comment that you think is deserving of the spotlight? Suggestions  are welcome. You can nominate a comment in the comments area itself, or send us a private email if you prefer.

Our Comment of the Week comes from beneath the story “LEHNERT LAID TO REST,” about the funeral of the late Fair Haven Councilman John Lehnert.

The very publication of the article, which included three photographs from the funeral, miffed a couple of readers, while others saw it as as respectful.

But a reader who identified herself as Claudia stayed away from that debate. Instead, she took the opportunity provided by the comments to deliver an overdue thank-you to Lehnert, who served as a Fair Haven police officer for 14 years before retiring in 2006.

Here’s her comment:

Many years ago, my Suburban ran out of gas on the corner of Hance and River Road. I was late to pick up my kids from school and didn’t stop for much needed tank fill. Embarrassed by my negligence, but concerned over my car blocking the busy intersection, I called FH police. At the time, Officer Lehnert came to my rescue with a can of gas, a good dose of humor and a quiet calm that made me feel like an idiot for shedding useless tears. Regrettably, the hustle and bustle of my life kept me from writing my well-intentioned note of thanks. Here it is…thank you for your kindness, your professionalism and your sense of humor.

Want to call out a comment that you think is deserving of the spotlight? Nominations are welcome. You can nominate a comment in the comments area itself, or send us a private email if you prefer.