Posted on 01/04/2004 7:55:31 PM PST by Lead Moderator
Edited on 01/04/2004 8:43:28 PM PST by Lead Moderator. [history]
Hello everyone.
I've been talking to some long time Freepers via email for several weeks (one in particular). His concern was over the immigration threads and how they turn out on Free Republic.
Many times these threads turn into flame wars. There appears to be a lot of pent up hostility that various factions have developed for each other which ends up coming out, over and over, and the result is that the threads turn into a lot of crap. The moderators get hit with dozens of abuse reports over personal attacks and other silliness. Eventually, it becomes more work than is really worthwhile, and the threads get moved to the backroom so we don't have to deal with it.
This is an OK status quo when it occurs just occasionally. But when it happens frequently, it is not OK. That means that there is a problem.
So we are going to try to fix the problem.
There are sincere people on both sides of the debate who have gotten too into the battle that they are no longer being constructive. The goal will be to help them get back on track.
But we have two groups of people who are completely not sincere.
One group is those who really have no other goal other than to try to fracture conservatives and turn them on each other. One group is those who think that those most concerned with immigration are really just bigots and want to shout them down.
The good news is that both of these groups are very, very small. The bad news is that lots of people are firmly convinced that many of those who are just riled up sincere Freepers are actually part of one of these small groups. In other words, a lot of suspicion of motives has come about.
We're going to have to overcome that.
One of us tried something with a topic which had developed a similar problem, the Creation/Evolution threads. We'll give that type of approach a try for the immigration threads.
So here is what is going to happen. Starting tomorrow, when I see an immigration related thread go up, I am going to post immediately a warning that this would be a very bad thread to engage in insulting or flame baiting. When I see someone ignoring the warning, I'll address them personally telling them to knock it off.
What we need those who are serious about the issue to do is to act responsibly during this time. Engage in debate, without the insults. Post arguments, not ad hominems. Post facts, not innuendos. If you don't like someone, figure out a way to not have it get in the way of your postings. If you want to be disagreeable, do so without being needlessly disrespectful and instigative.
What will happen is, over time with this approach, those who are just trying to stir up crap, and those who are unable to help themselves, will stick out like sore thumbs and will get the axe.
And once that happens, then more direct involvement will not be needed, which I think everyone will agree is the preferred way.
So ping those who you know are interested in debating the topic to this thread, so they can see what is coming.
Thanks
What you can do to help is just post a link to this thread on any immigration related threads you see going until I start, to give this more visibility.
*smacking head* Duh. I guess that should've been obvious, as a Moderator is supposed to be impartial.
What you can do to help is just post a link to this thread on any immigration related threads you see going until I start, to give this more visibility.
That's more efficient. Thanks for the advice.
Besides, I am avoiding that for as long as possible, due to the inherent difficulty involved in them. Many of the WOD thread people do not respond well to the entire concept of moderators.
Sometimes the available facts are insufficient to totally circumscribe and contain pessimistic speculation as to what the future holds. One must make do as to what one has, and hopefully that will somewhat contain the more severe cases of angst among the more reasonable.
By the way, did you know that about once every million years of so a huge volcanic eruption or asteroid wipes out the bulk of life on this planet, and every 100 million years of so, a mega asteroid wipes out almost all non aquatic life, and that about 3 asteroids a week allegedly get within about 100,000 miles of earth? Also, did you know that Yellowstone is overdue to blow again, and that is the biggest volcanic formation under land on Earth, and if it blows a big one again will kill everything within several hundred miles, and put the grain belt in America under a foot or so of ash? I didn't either until I read the wrong chapter in Bill Bryson's most fascinating book about A Short History of Nearly Everything.
Maybe we should get out worry beads out about THAT!
------------------------
You can expect this to continue unless you want to close down this site. There are several hot issues here which evoke emotion. There are personalities who hate each other. There are various jealousies and pettinesses. There are occasional psychiatric problems.
| One of us tried something with a topic which had developed a similar problem, the Creation/Evolution threads. We'll give that type of approach a try for the immigration threads. So here is what is going to happen. Starting tomorrow, when I see an immigration related thread go up, I am going to post immediately a warning that this would be a very bad thread to engage in insulting or flame baiting.
|
Whatever happens,With apologies to Hilaire... and Sir Hiram.
You have got
The mighty... ZOT!
And they have not.
d.o.l.
Criminal Number 18F
Given the experience I witnessed on the crevo threads, I don't think it'll necessarily trend that way. In that case, the subject remains, but the loss of a few key players went a long way towards improving the civility of the effort. Fair warning for the immigration-thread participants, I guess - I can think of several crevo-thread unpersons, and I don't doubt for a second that it'll happen again. If the posters remain intractable, rather than the subject, that is...
"I'm wishing you into the cornfield!"
| By the way, did you know that about once every million years of so a huge volcanic eruption or asteroid wipes out the bulk of life on this planet, and every 100 million years of so, a mega asteroid wipes out almost all non aquatic life, and that about 3 asteroids a week allegedly get within about 100,000 miles of earth? Also, did you know that Yellowstone is overdue to blow again, and that is the biggest volcanic formation under land on Earth, and if it blows a big one again will kill everything within several hundred miles, and put the grain belt in America under a foot or so of ash? I didn't either until I read the wrong chapter in Bill Bryson's most fascinating book about A Short History of Nearly Everything. Maybe we should get out worry beads out about THAT!
|
||||||||||||||||
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.