[BADJOE]

What say you? Can we make this happen?

[Quix]

I'm for it. Might help me avoid getting toooooo tweaky with the PhD Lincoln haters.

Then again, don't some people ask for it in spades?

Still, it would be wiser and safer to send it to BILLDO AND SHRILLERY a la a special thread. Certainly they would be among those closest to our shoe toe delights in kicking around.

[strela]

WHY THE *#&@*() IS THIS ARTICLE IN "GENERAL ACTIVISM?!?" DID YOU FAIL TO LEARN HOW TO READ WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD? OR WAS IT ENVIRONMENTAL?!?

Seriously, I wish FR had a "killfile" system like many Usenet readers have. It would be so nice to just automatically send any post from some Freepers to the killfile or bozo bin and never see them.

[dalebert]

I don't think getting nasty ever wins an argument and makes the nasty one look like a fool.

[Lady Jag]

Nincompoop:   No current Freeper by that name.

[VRWC_minion]

Often the disruptors come up with such stupid, illogical and ignorant posts that there is little difference between making ad hominem attacks or demonstrating their idiocy. Sometimes the personal attack is kinder.

[Zviadist]

JimRob and many of us other oldtimers are concerned that the viciousness of the personal attacks are getting out of hand.

Well I am an old-timer too...

The Moderators ultimately banned this poster, but we all had a few good laughs in the process.

...and I think this is the real threat to FR. Not only are people banned for disagreeing with you, but you actually think it is fun and funny to exercise this power. Sorry. It never used to be like this. Someone like this got cocky and the rest of us would slap him down in the open. No need for secret bannings to silence opposition. Just an open smacking and then back to the debate.

I took your post as an invitation to comment, so I am taking that opportunity.

I have made this argument here a hundred times, so I don't expect anyone to listen. But I am an old-timer and felt I should chime in.

[sweetliberty]

I know I try very hard to control transferring what I think to what I say at times, or at least how I say it. In spite of that, my words are sometimes misconstrued anyway, but I think most of the time I do pretty well. Granted, there are some people who are just too ignorant to have a decent discourse with and there are the ever-present disruptors, but I think the majority of FReepers are intelligent and passionate and decent people. We all get a little carried away at times. Most of us can apologize.

I think the worst issues arise when a poster begins to take himself or herself too seriously, and that happens more than it should. I think that is an ideal time to try to get the person to lighten up, either by doing as you suggest OR by calling attention to the fact that the person needs to LIGHTEN UP. Here is one of my personal favorite posts for such times. Sometimes it makes them laugh. Sometimes they just shut up. Effective either way I would say.

[tictoc]

What say you? Can we make this happen?

I like this place fine the way it is. Most people are civil, some are not but they get sorted out by their peers. For the worst of the worst, FR's patented technology of pipelining sub-kiloton nuclear charges to offending Freepers' IP numbers seems to help.

(I'll probably be on the receiving end of one of them one day...)

[maui_hawaii]

Maybe they should start giving out the flamer award of the week...

Kind of like the quote of the week, essay of the week etc...

The 'spokesman' graphic will be a little gay flaming Asian guy with a tight Tshirt posted at the top of the thread...

[MissAmericanPie]

I must be missing the fun threads.

[Mudboy Slim]

"I recommened we post all attacks to an imaginary Freeper, "Nincompoop"

When did MurryMom change her screen name?! OOOOPS...just joshin', MM!!

FReegards...MUD