Get Yer Ya-Yas Out [FR Moderating Gripe Thread]

[I Am Not A Mod]

LM here.

It's been a while since we had a thread along these lines.

I can tell from comments I am seeing in threads, on abuse reports, and in Freepmail that some people are unhappy with various policies and their implementations by the staff here.

I've seen allegations that certain factions are picked on. I've seen allegations that the moderators have killed activism. I've heard rumors that we killed Kenny, and even that we killed the radio star. I see certain personality conflicts acting up, and know that one (or both) sides in it feel that we aren't doing what we should.

So let's open this can of worms.

This thread is for making your grievances heard. If you think something stinks or is wrong, make your case here. Back it up with facts. Let the audience at large weigh in on your evidence.

I'll read the thread. Jim will too in all likelihood. So will the other moderators. Depending upon how well you make your point, and depending on if you can convince Jim, me, the other moderators, and/or the world, maybe you can change things. And if you don't, then it might make you feel better to have vented, so it won't make this thread a total loss.

I'm not going to reply to this thread for quite a while. Rather, I am going to sit back and watch to try and get a feel for the general tenor. I encourage those who are both happy and unhappy with things to particpate in this thread.

Let's rock.

[Neets]

And it looks like you were ready!!!

Thanks!!

;-)

[gcruse]

Sometimes you remind me of someone I used to know.

I'm in the book. ;)

[optimistically_conservative]

Since the search is a form submission, how hard would it be to pass the forum searched from as a parameter in the URL for use in the post link? Hey, cookie free so no calories!

I'm thinking not very.

[yonif]

I agree with that. There should be a "Post" button on the search page.

[Texas2step]

I have tried to avoid any and all "Passion" threads because of what I perceive to be extreme anti-semitism, rage, and hatred

I've actually posted to several of the Passion threads over the past few weeks. Yeah, you do get some ignorant "anti-Semetic" comments, and then there are those who try to defend "Holocaust Revisionists" because of Mel's dad getting dragged back into it, but in total there's a lot more Christian bashing than anti-Semetic comments going on.

But it's not just Passion threads, there's a lot of disrespect for each others religion and beliefs. It's almost impossible to have a gentlemanly debate, someone's going to step over the line and then flame wars break out.

But I've noticed that it seems to be OK to make remarks disrespecting Christianity, but not OK to make "what may be perceived as anti-Semetic" whether it's actually anti-Semetic or not.

Probably what you perceive to be "rage" or "hatred" is the pure, extreme frustration of Christians having their faith attacked with no relief. Just my opinion.

Our faith is attacked in the media. It's attacked politically. It's attacked by Hollywood. It's attacked by libs. We would like to believe that it wouldn't be attacked at FR. Sadly that's not always the case.

[optimistically_conservative]

OMG! Have the mods limited your power? Can they do that?

[Sabertooth]

OMG! Have the mods limited your power? Can they do that?

Nope.

[Sabertooth]

If you don't already know about it, bookmark this link:

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/notify

[Sidebar Moderator]

If you'll just hit the abuse button on comments containing profanity, I've found that the Mods are generally quick to delete the offending posts. Hit the abuse button, enter "profanity" or some such, and click submit.

It's also good if you copy/paste the offending remark, for any kind of abuse. That helps us quicky judge its relative urgency.

[uglybiker]

I would like to see this thread restored.

Backroom is fine. Locked is fine.

[Quix]

HAVE OFTEN WONDERED . . .

WHAT IF

My Comments section had an automatic tally of the number of times one's screen name had been searched/requested for reading.

AND a list of the top 10 screen names in terms of top 10 sought out daily and cumulatively.

It could readily become a point of asperation enhancing the quality of writing, relevance etc. . . . INCENTIVE.

[optimistically_conservative]

Nope.

Kinda like keeping girlfriends on the side, isn't it?

It only works one at a time ...

[Texas2step]

If you get involved in an argument in one thread, it's considered poor manners to restart the previous argument in the middle of an unrelated thread.

Does this rule still apply?

I don't think this would apply to "smokey backroom" threads. That's what the "smokey backroom" is for, IMO.

That said, I think it's also stupid to "hijack" threads with conversations from previous threads, unless the threads are somehow related and the comments are relavent to the current thread.

[JDoutrider]

Anyone who was paying by the minute (as Jim Robinson, I, and the folks who frequented $Prodigy's whitewater bbs back in the early 90's), KNOWwhat bad moderators/censors can do to a website!!!

I give ya'll that moderate here two BIG thumbs up!

Keep up the great work!

JD

[deport]

We've had stuff still showing in Breaking News that's 5 day old.

---

What do you have your number of items set for in breaking news? If it's 25, 50 or some such number it will take a long time for items to clear out. Set your breaking news items at some small number, 10 or less and then they don't stay as long....... I have my set on 8 items and my remaining sidebars set on 10.....

[CedarDave]

There are a number of very good, insightful, funny and just plain informative presidential campaign ads that FReepers or other organizations have put together. I suggested to Jim Robinson the other day that FR should have a single thread, maybe highlighted on the FR front page, where these campaign ads can be linked. Jim may have been too busy to respond, so I am putting this out here for comment. This years election is going to be as important or more so than the one in 2000. The more ways we have to draw attention to Kerry's liberalism, flip-flops, anti-military stand, the better.

I have been busy emailing friends with links to the better ads I have seen on here, but I know I have missed some. So I hope that this suggestion can be acted on, especially because the number of ads will likely increase exponentially as November approaches.

[CindyDawg]

Is this your complaint department?:')

I found FR in 2000. I almost met you awhile back. Basil invited me to some event but something happened and I couldn't make it. I believe you provide a wonderful service for this country and want you to remember that I will continue to support FR after you read this , regardless of any decisions you make. I am very proud to be a freeper.

That said I do have a major concern regarding moderation of the religious forum . I have been a regular poster on the NES thread for almost two years and it was up running good long before I got there. I counted about 14 frequent posters with a handful of others that drop in a few times a week.

We are compromised of Baptists (3 fundamentalists) Catholics, a Jew, a Unitarian, one guy that believes Christ has already returned (sorry, I can't remember his denomination), one Mormon, one Pentecostal and one other. We all believe we are right and challenge different beliefs. Lot's of debating goes on and I have learned a lot and grown spiritually during my time there.

Funny thing is that we get along really well (most of the time). We send each other Christmas Cards, celebrate children's accomplishments, pray for each other when times are hard , talk on the phone and 2 of us have even visited each other.

We ought to be at each others throats but we aren't. Yes, occasionally someone crosses the line but apologies follow. Why? Because we like and respect each other.

There are people that do not like this thread and would like to have it shut down. Check the threads if you don't believe me. We have been called things like a biker bar, a love feast with heresy and even told that serious apologists think we are a joke. Some want us in chat . Others just want us to go away.

A few days ago a poster came on that did not like a post questioning catholic doctrine. New guy out of the blue. He insulted the NES poster, his wife and his children. We have an internal policy that we do not ping the RM and work our own problems out but it was so out of line that I did hit the abuse button. I wish I had not done so now and have apologized to the group.

Anyway this poster was "scolded". Not banned. I couldn't believe it. The poster even came back and gloated. The other poster who was insulted was told to back off with his religious beliefs. The RM acknowledged though that he was being provoked. Sometimes when things get tense we joke. Another poster made a light comment and was told to back off for flaming the flames. Then a second poster that we had not heard of showed up Sat to insult this NES poster again. This one was banned.

PNAMBC made a comment about wanting "whine" with the cheese on another post yesterday and was suspended? Someone that the RM had already stated was being provoked. He got suspended! How many times does this phrase get used on regular threads? It's very common

I feel like some people have an agenda and have invaded the NES thread to drive the stake now that it's showing signs of dieing. Look at all the posters that hardly ever show up. Why the interest now? There are some exceptions but some Baptists and Catholics just do not like this thread .

I do not believe we have been treated fairly and I don't understand why. I am requesting that you lift the suspension on PNAMBC (You could put him under NES house arrest if you wanted LOL) and make Malakhi (if he would even accept it) the NES moderator so that all abuse reports would go thru him first and he could have the authority to tell us to knock it off or go elsewhere. It's his thread and he has unofficially done a great job doing so up until now.

Thanks Janis

(Cindydawg)

[Rightly Biased]

I would like to see that thread restored. Lock it, no replies that'll be fine with me.

The one referenced and kinda linked to in reply #470

The info on that thread is useful to me.

Come on be the moderator we can sing about 'round the campfire.

[Roarkdude]

I'm a happy freeper but: It's hard to comment what I didn't see. I haven't been "pulled" (that I know of) so I don't know what you are taking off the site. Maybe you could provide some examples.

[Texas2step]

Keep in mind there are a small number of us here covering 24/7 with Jim.

Yeah, I know. You asked about "Front Page" and I just threw my 2 cents in on Breaking while I was there. :-)