--- listhandler.module.orig	2010-05-28 18:31:01.000000000 -0400
+++ listhandler.module	2010-07-13 14:39:02.000000000 -0400
@@ -646,8 +646,11 @@
   $node->nid = $parent->nid;
   $node->type = 'comment';
 
-  // use perms to set publish status for comments
-  $node->status = user_access('post comments without approval') ? 0 : 1;
+  // use perms to set publish status for comments.
+  // use the "node" approach to status: 1 is published, 0 is not published
+  // because mailhandler, when it detects that this is a comment, will
+  // properly reverse it
+  $node->status = user_access('post comments without approval') ? 1 : 0;
 
   return $node;
 }