The comments on my blog have grown increasingly vile -- and are not in any way constructive, civil, fair-minded, or policy-oriented. I am turning them off. The primary violators of my policy know who they are. There are rampant ad hominem attacks on TWN now, comments about the personal lives and relations of other commenters.

This is unacceptable.

I'm off to Havana Cuba for a research trip for a few days and have no interest or time in playing hall monitor for folks who need to grow up.

I will consider turning the comments on if I receive apologies from those who have violated any sense of decency on this blog. I don't care about defensive rationales.

Comments closed. I hope I can turn them on in the future -- but that will not happen until I see a marked change in the behavior of nearly all of the lead posters.

I have emphasized over and over again that I am too busy to blog, do my New America Foundation work, and be a nanny for those who are not mature enough to be able to manage a civil discussion here.

Eventually, I will review the last few weeks of comments and remove every one of them that went over the line with extremely crass and demeaning language.

If you folks grow up, we can turn this on -- but it takes shared commitment and responsibility. I won't tolerate those who can't be civil -- on all sides of these debates.

Farewell to those who are offended.

-- Steve Clemons