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Canadian politician Scott Brison has been the subject of a number of blogs lately regarding a recent Christmas card he released that shows himself, his husband and their dog in a field at their home in Cape Blomidon.

Brison insists that the card wasn’t a political statement; rather, there was a need for his family to take photos together, a point Jane Taber brought up on her post in the Globe and Mail blog.

I could, of course, speak to the issue of outcry from those who are uncomfortable and angry with the photo, but the bigger story to me seems to be at the end of Taber’s article. Leaving comments on blog posts, threads, Tweets and YouTube videos is nothing new, and sometimes many users are able to even disable comments from being posted on their own discretion. The end of the article reads:

Editor's Note: Comments have been closed due to an overwhelming number of hateful and homophobic remarks. We appreciate that readers want to discuss this issue, but we can't allow our site to become a platform for intolerance.

The Globe and Mail

I applaud the effort to protect readers and users from “hateful and homophobic remarks.” With society deep into a digital age, people are able to create personas for which they hold little to no accountability for what they post. Accounts can perhaps be deleted or even reported, and comments even removed. But those that were able to see the comments are still affected, and possible damage is already done. The disabling of comments now can prevent more people from being offended or hurt.

At the same time, I can’t help but worry about the ability for public discourse and speech. In no way do I want an environment through any form of media where people are verbally attacked; that is not constructive and doesn’t get to the heart of matters. And besides, most comments in this thread would most likely have little to do with the article other than the fact that two men who happen to be gay took a Christmas card. I wouldn’t ask that the site be a “platform for intolerance” either.

But once again, it is a risk many websites take. Protecting everyone while at the same time denying those with opinions backed in intelligent forethought is in a way no better than what may be damaging. People may have forethought into real issues beyond the intolerance that some fear, and actually discuss something that matters, perhaps a side note on Brison’s policies, or even Christmas in general. However, this is rare, as I have seen on both sides of the political spectrum where websites become little more than a shouting match or a venting forum instead of a portal for information and discussion.