Are you kidding me? I'm appalled that there is a defense for the use of the word in such a manner.

I and I think any nonracist American would be careful never to say a phrase like "That boy's finger does not need to be on the button" about a black man but I might use it about a white man. In fact when I think of GW Bush or John McCain, I am temped to say "That boy's finger does not need to be on the button or anywhere near the button”. It is probably is an indication of racism in that surely Rep. Geoff Davis (R-KY) knows the rules of polite American society and the history behind why it is such a objectionable figure of speech when used to in regards to a back man. Let’s face it, there are things that it is OK to say to whites that are not OK to say to blacks. Also there are things that it is OK for blacks to say to one another that are objectionable for whites to say to blacks. BTW of the remaining scum that we have running for president I would be most conformable with Obama in regard to the button.

Actually, I'd argue that your comments section seems relatively free of the "Al-bot" types, let alone the racist/ultra-rightwingers.

I'd put Matt's section closer to Kevin Drum's.

As for Davis' comment, the only way that would be even remotely defensible is if Davis were, say, 80, and not just a couple years older than Obama. Then it becomes an age thing, like calling him "that kid."

But he's not and he didn't. Straight up racist.

I'd be happy to defend racist language, Ezra, but I've been completely unable to comprehend any of your recent posts. Sadly, you have persistently refused to clarify, on a post-by-post basis, whether or not you are a walrus expert. So how the heck am I supposed to assess your claims?

You're falling down on the sexism too, if the male birth control post is any guide.

I think it just shows that the only good thing about the Prospect's execrable commenting system is that some of the most prolific trolls do not bother with it.

"I think it just shows that the only good thing about the Prospect's execrable commenting system is that some of the most prolific trolls do not bother with it."

The Atlantic's comment system is equally horrible, however. So the appeal of Yglesias's blog to trolls can't be readily explained by ease of use.

This language war is just beginning in regard to Obama. The most obvious thing that the GOP can do to get (notice I didn't say 'win') McCain the presidency is to divide and conquer - like they always do.

I won't say more of this now because there is no outrage against decency too obviously over the line for them to employ - and the media will certainly reinforce their messages. The hints and overts are all there already (Osama, terrorist, Marxist, eliteist, arugula-lover, Islamist, etc.)

The next six months are not going to a period in which pride in our political system can be sustained without willfully ignoring the public debate.

The Atlantic's comment system is equally horrible, however.

Nah, it doesn't have the Captcha Of Doom.

I assume that Belle's talking about Ezra's comments at his old place, with Captain Toke and the gang.

"In fact when I think of GW Bush or John McCain, I am temped to say "That boy's finger does not need to be on the button or anywhere near the button”."

Calling McCain a “boy” would as be bad as well, as it would demonstrate a psychotic break from reality. Calling McCain a “boy” is almost as transparently inaccurate as suggesting he hates war.

The Atlantic's comment system is slow, leading many people to double-, triple-, or even quadruple-post (thought the experienced trolls do not suffer from this malady); but at least it has a 'preview' function and it doesn't periodically lose your comment due to a poorly implemented captcha system.

"I think it just shows that the only good thing about the Prospect's execrable commenting system is that some of the most prolific trolls do not bother with it."

Exactly right.
It’s like when they compare the percentage of the population of America that votes to a country where they vote on Saturday. Ezra should be proud to get the honorable mention considering the systematic disadvantages his commenters face.

Waring's post strikes me as inexplicable. Your site is one of the few in which I can stand to read the comment threads anymore. I rarely see threads derailed by trolls here. I used to enjoy Yglesias' comment threads too, before the move to the Atlantic absorbed a lot of bigots and people with extremely weird axes to grind.

If you want to see a real trollsville, try reading Broadsheet's letters sometime (or really, anything on Salon except Greenwald).

i am with chilly: crooked timber's post is inexplicable. the comments on Ezra's blog, on the whole, are models of civility and thoughtfulness compared to the comments on many liberal/left blogs. and it is not just bigots and trolls who drag those other comment threads down; it is lefties who argue ad hominen and who cannot fathom that anyone could understand an issue differently from the way they understand. those kinds of posts depress me the most. one can never hope to persuade if one cannot even try to understand the position of the person to be persuaded. of course, it is more fun to snark and attack.

i give ezra a lot of the credit for the relative civility of his commentators. he is measured, thoughtful, and stresses issues over attacks. still, some of it is luck. i like kevin drum's blog a lot and his blog displays a temperament as ezra's, yet his comment section is full of bile and nonsense, much of which purports to be adavancing our side. fight, yes. argue, yes. show you're a jerk, not really.

OK, since I a had a few posts lost in a recent comment threads, I can see that point... and I screwed up formating a post or two because I couldn't see a preview of a really long... so OK, The Atlantic is better.

However, I think Yglesias's problem is more from drive-bys since he is in close proximity to Sullivan, Douthat , and McCardle... it seems he is more likely to get trolls from them who want to see what the librul is up to.

One 'captcha' is all about timing. Literally. If you take the actual time to thoughtfully craft a response to a post the box times out. And if you haven't thought ahead and copied your comment you are hosed. So I routinely copy everything, if it posts the first time then great, otherwise it is paste and post. It is a little ironic that this particular version of 'captcha' rewards impulsive posting of whatever the hell catches your attention span but penalizes thoughtfulness.

On the substance of 'boy', well I posted an extended response on the Crooked Timber thread. Bottom line you can't simply discount the intent out of the intentionality. 'Boy' is just a verbal signifier for a social system that lets your twelve year old white son Trevor call a black man 'Wilson' or more affectionately perhaps 'Uncle Tom' while Tom Wilson had better call him Mr. Trevor.

It is not about race, not really. The disdain the English traditionally had against the Irish wasn't because many of the latter were preternaturally white with red hair and freckles, instead 'racism' like most everything comes down to power relations-me vs the other, with 'other' varying enormously over time and space.

But it is always somebody and more often than not marked verbally. Hence 'macaca'. Or 'boy'.

+1 for Belle's post referring to the typepad site rather than this one - I think we did in fact of an Al, and a Fred Jones, and the truly horrific Captain Toke

I don't know... I've seen things get fairly nasty (even between two self-called liberals) here. Not as bad as that Chris Ford post, but the commenters both here and on TAPPED have me questioning whether I should stick around or not.

As for the word itself... as a white man, I'd find boy objectionable purely on the implied slight on my maturity. Even if someone was 20+ years older than me, I'd find that offensive. The only people I accept the term from are my parents, since I am always their son, and just a boy, in their eyes (though that can get annoying too). Adding in the racist overtones that it carries, and I don't understand how anyone could justify calling Obama "boy".

yes, it's true that I was thinking more of ezra's old site, which really was awful. you guys aren't so bad.

I have updated the post to say so. but remember captain toke??!

Nah, it doesn't have the Captcha Of Doom.

Why haven't you fixed this Ezra? You're losing traffic.

Great post! Hope to be better. Better means more features.