I think it is time the owner of Fairfax Underground take a long hard look at what has gone on and what is still going on on this site and consider seriously moderating it. I'm sure some volunteers could be rounded up to help out.
So many other news sites (CNN, Reuters, Bloomburg, etc.)have turned off commenting because of the tone and quality of the comments. People get in an anonymous forum and some just lose their minds. I know that accepting responsibility is a foreign concept these days, but there are commenters suing each other, one in jail, and now a woman is DEAD. I am sure there were a number of things that led to her killing herself, but just imagine reading something like that posted publicly about yourself when it could have been taken down if there were moderators watching. I would not want that on my conscience.
I've seen some terrible comments here with pictures, names, and even phone numbers on this site. It's absolutely deplorable and I'm sure that was not the original vision for Fairfax Underground. I know that freedom of speech and anonymity on the internet is important, but remember the Constitution protects our freedom of speech, but not our anonymity. These trolls are going to ruin it for everyone, it's just a matter of time. And when it happens, I doubt any of them will accept any sort of responsibility. In 2012, there were bills introduced in NY to ban anonymity on the internet so this is not a new concept and it will only gain steam with these high profile bullying cases. With Fairfax being so close to DC and possibly irritating the wrong people, I would fully expect it to be used as an example for why a law to ban internet anonymity is needed. Here is a pretty good article on things being said recently from someone in Homeland Security:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/01/27/homeland_security_says_ban_internet_anonymity/
Yes, it is a shame that someone who creates a forum for people to use must be a babysitter, but I think that the case of suicide and Fairfax Underground being used in the same sentence is a tipping point.
I don't know what the original idea for this message board was, but it's really pathetic that some people use it the way they do. How about trying to contribute something positive to society? Or, you can troll away and prove my point.