—Hannah Lobel
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.utne.com%2Fimages%2Flogo.gif&hash=06488fb8c7c03307e620aac3f675b6e423d7e802) (http://www.utne.com/2008-04-15/Defanging-the-Homophobosphere.aspx)
QuoteThe quandary is what to do about it. Sullivan and others make a convincing case for a First Amendment free-for-all: You have take the good with the bad. Besides, other commentators often end up dampening antigay flamers. "Call it free-market tolerance," says the Advocate.
At boingboing.net, Jardin and her colleagues have another approach: disemvowelment. When their comment moderator spots a nasty comment, she hits a button that removes all the vowels (and much of the bluster). So "Xeni is a transgender Lebanese terrorist, and her butt is big" becomes "Xn's trnsgndr Lbns trrrst nd hr btt s bg." What once was irrational animosity becomes a slightly amusing puzzle.
"It's like they're flinging poo at you," Jardin says. "You still let them fling it, but the poo doesn't stick anymore."