Posted on 10/25/2001 8:59:47 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
Ok, this is a free for all thread. Come in and take your best shots. I promise I won't delete it or get upset. Get it out of your systems and then we will see if we can solve the problems. There always several sides to any story and several possible solutions to any problem. I'd like to hear them all and I'd like to solve as many problems as we can and get this forum kicking socialist butt again instead of kicking each other. So, please anyone with a complaint or a problem or a possible solution, (moderators, posters, FAB, everyone) please chime in. Thanks, Jim
And personally, when I come across something on my own rather than get an abuse report, I tend to be more lenient, both because I am not easily offended and because I figure that if I see an abuse report and I also think it is abusive, that means two people did where if I see it myself it might be just me.
Yes, I have had a post pulled. I was peeved for about a minute until I figured out why. And then I knew it was a valid pull.
And I have made a post and later decided to hit abuse on myself.
Different Sidebar Moderator here
There's really no way of knowing if we are pulling another modertor's post if he/she is posting as a 'civilian'. Their posts under those conditions are treated like anyone elses.
As the previous sidebar modertor stated, we don't know each other's real identities. (some of us have our suspicions, but Jim has asked us to remain unkown to each other)
For any of you wanting more info on how the moderators came about, click on our screen name and look at some of the threads we have bookmarked.
I totally understand the Bill Clinton issue and have seen that done many times on other forums.... Most other forums that I've been at have more automatic quoting features for reply-to, so it's harder to get away with the "I don't recollect...." business.... I am an obsessive self-editor, though, so it drives me crazy when right after I hit the "Post Reply" button I think of the perfect addition to an argument.
Thanks again for the welcome!
-penny
WE CAN'T - THEY'VE ALL BEEN PULLED!
(kidding)
"I wonder if a moderator has ever pulled a post made by another moderator posting as a civvie."
It's happened to me too.
I'm such a wallflower...hard for me to state my differences or disagree with people...HEHE!
Now...I'm gonna start talking because YOU invited me to, so a message to all those who say, "If you don't like this site, go elsewhere" or accuse me of whining: Put a sock in it. I was INVITED by the owner to vent here on this thread, and I obviously post here enough and do enough Free Republic-related activities that obviously there are some things I really DO like about the site, so please kindly stow any comments about my being a disruptor or a massively malcontented FReeper. Thank you.
< /disclaimer >
Awright:
1. FREE THE DECENTRALIST FOUR!!!
2. New self-search RULES. Most other forms of search here now are seriously lacking. Bad for my research. "Warning, John Robinson!!"
3. There are some good people on The Guild, but I fail to see why their threads are sacrosanct and people can be banned or nuked for criticizing them there.
In the interests of fairness, may I have a thread where some of the most rabid and unreasonable Bush supporters (and that's not to say all FReeper Bush supporters ARE rabid and unreasonable, mind you...some of 'em are my dearest friends!) can be restrained from using the epithets of "traitor", "tinfoil hatter", "racist", "druggies", "extremist", et c. simply because we don't hold exactly the same viewpoints on conservatism, Constitutionalism, and other issues that they do? Criticism is cool. Rampant namecallers...well, they know who they are, but they also know that as long as they do it in The Name Of Bush they'll be given a lot more slack than any of THEIR critics. If certain "flame warriors" are considered more worthy of being allowed to provoke, insult, flame, and out-and-out L-I-E about other FReepers than others, it only encourages their vile behavior.
How about a thread where Bush critics can feel comfortable about discussing their issues and concerns (and maybe even throwing a few pix of their heroes on the board) without them feeling the need to respond to direct Bushbot provocation EVERYWHERE THEY GO?
Or even BETTER...how about if, quite simply, Bush supporters are made to adhere to the same standards of conduct as Bush critics, with the same punishments if they disobey?
I have actually witnessed some of my closest friends attacked personally with truth-twisting and outright lies by other FReepers, under their own usernames or secondary names adopted for the cowardly purpose of libeling on this public board with impunity and anonymity, yet they were allowed to get away with it due to positions of importance or influence within the activist community of Free Republic...and because they are vigorous supporters of George W. Bush.
Why should people who simply criticize the President or a few select FReepers a little harder than you like get sterner treatment than people who work to actively ruin the reputation of other FReepers?
4. If Rense.com, VDARE, Sam Francis columns, and other such sources are forbidden due to content considered spurious, defamatory, racist, or unreliable, then we shouldn't be permitted to post or discuss columns or articles AT ALL from the Los Angeles / New York Slimes, Washington (Com)Post, Boston Globe, World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, CBS Evening News with Dan Rather, NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw, CNN or any of its affiliates, PMSNBC, Fox News (in a few instances), or a great many other sources of what is considered the "mainstream" media.
These rags and shills are most certainly NOT objective or reliable, but perhaps because they are so easily knocked over they are permitted?
The info from The Forbidden Sites should be easily picked apart with logic and discussion if they are as unreliable as you claim them to be. I mean, let's get serious...since WHEN has this site been all about making sure people's feelings don't get riled up? **g**
5. This site should be less concerned about what OTHER sites and media sources think about FR. Of course a bunch of lie-beral freaks and RINO country-club snobs think an open forum for free expression of conservative/Constitutionalist ideas is bad form. I don't care about hurting their feelings. Unless we make an ultra-sharp turn to the left, they are going to paint us as extremists. And they can kiss my royal Heinz-57 Constitution-loving @ss.
6. If racism is truly a concern of yours - or being perceived by others of running a racist site - then those who use those epithets denigrating the people of my racial background because of my views on illegal immigration should be restricted.
Apparently it's okay to slam white Americans as too lazy to do their own work or exploitative of minorities, and it's fine for those who disagree with strict securing of the borders to call their dissenters "racists" and "Nazis", but if one even states that our culture is probably better than Mexico's or Canada's, these same people who admit "yes, we ARE better, that's why Mexicans and Canadians come here and should stay!" will suddenly do a 180 and state that "culture" is a "racist code word" or some such crap.
I haven't seen anyone getting too upset with the notion that Afghanistan possesses an inferior culture - a culture based not only on ethnicity, but on a non-Christian religion, a REAL double-whammy where the Thought Police are usually concerned.
But mention the problems inherent in our own country with multilingualism, the inability or unwillingness of many immigrants to assimilate, statistics on crime by racial or ethnic demographics, or the calling for restrictions or at least insisting foreigners who come here follow our immigration and naturalization laws, and one is likely to be branded a "racist" or "bigot" and is subject to banning.
If you are truly trying to keep all forms of what can be perceived as bigotry off this forum, Jim, then do it with an even hand, please, or don't do it at all. There have been some FReepers on here who have told outright lies about other FReepers.
7. Christians around the world who practice hypocrisy and wickedness are called to task repeatedly on this forum, and well they should be. Muslims around the world who practice hypocrisy and wickedness are called to task repeatedly on this forum, and well they should be. Atheists and agnostics around the world who practice hypocrisy and wickedness are also called to task repeatedly on this forum. Good. Therefore, Jews around the world who practice hypocrisy and wickedness should also be fair game for criticism.
I'm not talking about slander or libel. When any of these groups are being criticized, the critic should provide back-up. No doubt about it.
When discussing problems of policy with foreign countries, Israel should not be considered "off-limits" for discussion. I'm pro-Israel, as anyone who's been around here long enough or bothered to research can affirm. But I'm getting really disturbed over the fact that criticism of Israel can get one banned, if the abuse button is pushed enough times. I say let the criticism stand, and let those who disagree with the criticism state why. With facts. Not namecalling.
If we don't care what Rainbow/PUSH or the NAACP thinks of us, why should we care what the ADL or Southern Poverty Law Center thinks of us?
8. There are conspiracies. They should be given room for discussion. If fraudulent, they should be easy enough to expose, and thus everyone on this board gets clarification here on Free Republic.
But a few really corker conspiracy theories were exposed as factual right here on Free Republic during the Administration Of X42.
I submit the ones making the most noise against discussing conspiracies have some vested interest in keeping those who wish to discuss them silent.
9. There have been complaints about the Moderators allowing their personal feelings to rule how they will act in their official capacities. Certainly the Moderators need to make certain that personal distaste for a subject or a poster does not prompt their actions. Also, as far as duplicate post pulling...considering the rather uncertain workability of the search feature, perhaps it would be better for Moderators to post a link to the original thread on the duplicate thread rather than pulling threads left and right.
10. Relaying reports of FReeper activities after the fact should be relegated to threads. The state boards should not be used in lieu of threads. If there is a general question that needs to be answered by a state FReeper re: a state issue, I can see a couple of posts on the State Board being necessary. But I think the state boards should be used for announcements and short items rather than as a conversation pit.
That's it...for now. **g**
The ADL and its goons have far too much influence on this website and on American policy. In a truly free society nobody--not the king, not the pope, not the president and not even the Jews should be above criticism.
Wadda ya mean there's a line? Oh, that line! I thought they were here for hotdogs...
Who are they?
No cutting in line!
I love FR and can't begin to tell you how much I've learned from good old fashioned debate and discussion.
My pet peeve is being called a traitor for even the most minor disagreement with the government. On the other hand, I don't want the name caller's posts to be censored; we need to see what great thinkers they are.
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