I received this comment from Josh Sargent.

I’d be interested to see you post your opinion on the “Comments Controversy”….

Here is my email response.

Re: Your interest in my opinion on the comments controversy….

That’s fair…. I think I can add to the discussion.

I can’t promise when…..let me gather my thoughts, I think I’ve got two cents I can put in. Blog on!

First cent: I don’t see a blogger having or not having a comment section as a controversy. It is your blog, your choice.

Colby Cosh responded to Josh Sargent’s post on comments with this. And he furthered his opinion here.

Ok. Everyone up to speed? I see two different opinions, from two bloggers coming from two different places. Cosh has a similar background to mine. Big media/blogger. Sargent is a Minister/blogger. I think by nature one of them is more apt to be drawn into a comments conversation than the other.

I happen to disagree with both Colby and Josh in a few minor details.

Josh, I am going to state unequivocally that I will read a blog that doesn’t have a comments section. Who Links Who is a tool I use to find new bloggers, so I can pop over to their blog and read it. If there is something that I want to respond to I will, and if it is by email that’s fine. I’ll take that extra minute. Janes Blogosphere is another tool I use to reach out to my community of choice.
Dispatches from Outland does the same thing. He starts at the bottom of the list. Many new bloggers start out without comments, like I did. I wasn’t ready for the potential rough and tumble comments bring to the blog. When I started Bene Diction Blogs On in July, I added a comments section and a site policy. It is perhaps more for my own clarity than my readers.

In fairness to Josh Sargent, he isn’t Colby Cosh. Cosh is a bloody fine professional writer, one I consider a major player in Canada, and one who won’t go hungry earning a living with words. Sargent has to work harder for readers, and I’ve seen him out working comments sections hard lately. Two bloggers, two different styles and two opinions. Hardly a controversy. The comments section is open.:-)

Gee. Some response. Real intelligent stuff. His choice. With an attitude like that, I wouldn’t exactly put him in the ‘facilitation’ category. If he had a comments section I’d be sorely tempted to put something like:

God grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway, the good fortune to run into the ones I do, and the eyesight to tell the difference.

I’ll put my second cent in tomorrow.