The Mess Hall

Town Lantern is a front porch, not a shouting match. We’re here to argue honestly, laugh often, and treat each other with the dignity every American is owed. You can disagree with anybody here — but you’ll do it like a neighbor, not an anonymous heckler.

• Write a headline that tells the truth and earns the click — wit is welcome, deception isn’t.
• Link the original source. No link, no post.
• Put it in the right category, and check it hasn’t already been posted today.
• Say what you think in the summary — that’s what it’s for.
• If you stand to profit from a link, say so plainly in the post.

• Argue with the point, never the person.
• Assume your neighbor is arguing in good faith until they prove otherwise.
• Bring a source when you’re correcting somebody.
• You can be sharp. You can be funny. You can’t be cruel.
• Admit it when you get one wrong. That earns more respect here than winning.

• Threats, harassment, or dragging someone’s private information into the light.
• Slurs aimed at a person or a people.
• Spam, scams, and vote manipulation.
• Knowingly passing off something false as true.

First offense earns a warning. Second slows you down. Third closes the gate. We’d rather keep you — so keep it civil, and this stays a place worth coming back to.