For a long time I blacklisted commenters *very* rarely. Maybe one every year or two. Recently, though, I’ve been blacklisting a number of obvious trolls because they are, well, obvious trolls. Here’s the thing: however long it takes you to write an argle-bargle comment about how I want to do this or that Horrible Thing, it takes me waaaaay less time to hit the “blacklist this idjit” button. And guess what: I’ve been on the internet a long time. Quite possibly longer than your standard troll has been *alive.* And while, yes, that does make me feel old, it has also been time enough to learn to just shrug off vile trolling. I don’t get all that upset by it anymore. I just hit the Button.
Yes, I’m all for free speech. And if you are a troll or associated form of jackass, you are free to yap all you like elsewhere. So, you want to tell me I’m wrong, fine. You want to argue, fine. But if you want to troll or insult, I’ll blacklist you with the same passion with which I hit the “spam” button on those robot-auto-ad comment things… none whatsoever. Just FYI.
Oh, and if you have been blacklisted and you are trying to find a way to come back to continue to be a jackass… take this opportunity to ask yourself why you even care enough to bother.