Let's rise above the muck, shall we?

From now on, any comment that is not a comment on the subject of the post it's attached to will be deleted.

Comments that are nothing but repetitive name-calling and "Hooray for our team! Let's throw the other bums out" will be deleted.

If you've got something to say, say it well. Posting essentially the same thing over and over again only shows the rest of the world that you've got too much time on your hands, whoever you are. And, frankly, it's really boring for everyone else to read.

Can't we have some intelligent discussion in Riverhead? Does it always have to sink to the level of name-calling and made-up allegations masquerading as facts just to "get" someone and/or advance your own personal agenda?

When people who truly want to serve the public have to be subjected to this nonsense, and have themselves and their families dragged through the mud as the price they pay for trying to give something back to the community, what is the net effect? Good people, people of conscience, people who aren't involved in "politics" just to line their own pockets, get turned off and drop out. Nobody with half a brain voluntarily subjects himself to character assassination for too long. And what are we left with? Look around.

This blog wasn't started an excuse or an opportunity for one "side" or the other to slam the other "side." It was meant to be a place for discussion, debate, exchange of ideas, etc. If you have nothing more to say than one-line zingers bashing a public official, ANY public official, go post on 631politics.com. There are plenty of people who seem to spend an inordinate amount of time on that message board, hiding behind the anonymity of the Internet, propagating and feeding on that kind of mindless garbage.

You want to have a frank discussion about pertinent issues facing Riverhead today? Great! I'm all ears. But if all you can offer is continued blather about how Blass, Sanders & Cardinale are responsible for all the ills of the world, I invite you to go blather somewhere else. Maybe start your own blog.

We just witnessed a really ugly primary campaign in this town, characterized by the same sort of mindless, gutless, personal attacks on people running for public office. I'm sure we're in for more of the same in the weeks between now and Nov. 8. Ick.