[Emerging Patriot]

I like your ZOT-Lite idea.
I am going to build on that, with your indulgence.

If it were possible to restrict users to one ZOT-lite per thread per post author, I would like to see all registered users able to issue a vote-- a ranking say 0 to 4.

0 = TOTAL ZOT
1 = Really Pushing the Tolerance Level
2 = Somewhat Offensive
5 = Average
3 = Quite Helpful
4 = EXCELENT POSTER

An inordinate amount of TOTAL ZOT votes with in a specified time or on a single thread would put a poster into temporary restriction pending review by moderators and/or Jim Robinson. This relies upon the group intelligence of FreeRepublic to allow the community to self-regulate the content.

[paul_fromatlanta]

This helps me understand a bit better the reaction I got here the first time I disagreed with the majority - called names a half dozen times. I'm sorry y'all are having to deal with harrassment.

[gridlock]

Some kind of mechanism that harnesses the common intelligence of the group seems to be what is required. Decentralized systems will always be able to react faster than centrally controlled systems. The trick lies in eliminating the inappropriate responses. Either a consensus requirment, such as yours, or a trusted poster system, such as proposed by others, might be just the thing.

But whatever it is has to be fast-acting. If these things can't be eliminated within the first 60 seconds or so, the damage is already done.