Comments section of our local dailies

Andrew Oh-Willeke posts on a subject that has been bothering me for some time - the absolutely embarrassing level of discourse in the comments sections at the Rocky and the Post. He writes,

Of the two, the Rocky's is worse, not technically, but in terms of moderation. It is an ocean of inarticulate xenophobic hate. The Post's comments are sometimes more reasoned and civil, but rarely inform.

Besides rarely informing they are often full of gross misinformation and half-truths that, because of the lack of moderation, are left sitting there unchallenged - for any and all to read. The comments sections leave readers with grossly distorted views of objective facts. In that regard they are objectively bad for our political discourse.

I'm generally in favor of open and free flowing discussion and debate but I fear that the comments section do little or nothing to foster such debate.