BadJoe/JimRob Dispute Ended - Free Republic Train Wreck Derailed

Free Republic | August 26, 2002 | Jim Robinson

[Jim Robinson]

Most of you know that a battle has been raging over the last several weeks between me and BadJoe regarding some of our moderating policies. Looked pretty bad there for awhile. Joe was going to resign from Free Republic and there was even a dust up regarding the monthly donors and how the records would be turned over to a new credit card service.

I am happy to report that today that battle has officially ended and Free Republic may have avoided being fatally damaged in a disastrous train wreck. As it is, the only losses suffered were a few black eyes and a lost ear or two. Fractures and abrasions were suffered, but no major bones broken or organs punctured. Hurt feelings, bruised egos, dampened spirits, damaged bodies are now all on the mend. A satisfactory agreement has been reached between all warring parties as to how we will continue forward in our fight for Freedom.

Summary of today's agreement between BadJoe and JimRob:

1. Jim to reinstate the observer program with between 2-4 members of his choosing. Joe may suggest nominees.

2. Jim to put up a post to this effect, including his boilerplate guideline to the mods.

3. Jim will work with John on writing a subroutine or program that lists the banned comments, banned threads and names of banishees, that Joe will have access to.

4. Joe will process the Sept fundraiser cc's, and work with Jim and whomever is taking over the program to effect a smooth transition. Joe will continue to work on the fundraisers as a volunteer but will not run the program.

We will be working on a moderator policy manual (the boilerplate guidelines) and will post it as soon as completed. For now, I will say that we do not want racist material, anti-Semitism, religion bashing, tin-foil hat material, leftist propaganda (used to smear or bash conservatives), profanity, vulgarity, pornography, excessive flaming, insults or feuds, liberals, leftists, marxists, etc., are generally not welcome as are multiple screen names, disruptors, anti-FReepers or returning bannees.

Said material may be deleted as discovered or reported and posters may be warned, suspended or banned depending on severity.

But the standing moderator policy is to go as easy as possible on the posters. Many flame wars and insults and even some minor violations of other rules may sometimes be ignored. It depends entirely on the situation and the posters involved. Posters with unclean hands might as well avoid using the abuse button. We do not want to wade through hundreds of posts looking for who is at fault. We do not have time for it and do not want to act as nannies anyway. The general rule of thumb for a moderator is to always give the poster the benefit of the doubt. If there is any doubt, then we do not delete and do not ban. I'd rather bend the rules than stifle the debate. And now that we have a smokeybackroom forum, we'll suggest that people take their feuds and flame wars there and unless it gets too nasty the moderators will look the other way.

Believe it or not we do not like deleting or banning. We want to attract as many new people as we possibly can, but we also want to run a clean board. And we want to advance our conservative causes while not assisting the leftists propaganda artists in their dirty work.

I know this does not cover everything, but we'll be posting more as we can.

Also, we are in the process of contracting with one of the major nationwide credit card processing companies. Joe has been processing these for us for the last several years, but the job has gotten to be a huge task and a burden on him. Joe will assist us in making as smooth a transition as possible to the new service.

As always, I thank all of you from the bottom of my heart and we are all very appreciative of your support and understanding. I'm sorry for this recent turmoil and hope it is all behind us and we can get on with our FReeping!

God bless you all and God bless America!

Jim

[BADJOE]

It probably won't do that. It is going to be up to the indvidual Freepers to walk away, ignore, or humor them out of it.

My bed time guys.

See You tomorrow.

[ladyinred]

"Hey, hon, is your butt getting bigger or is that just my imagination?"

Hey!!!! Are you talkin' to me?

[rightofrush]

btttttttt May it all work out for a better FR!

Moved and seconded (many times over).

[Just another Joe]

JaJ, I know that you are interested in ohter things, just like me - but you and I are both very well known for tobacco issues and little else. I'd like to keep it that way and not draw attention from the mods to ourselves - if you get my drift!!!!!!!

I know what you mean and I think that we're probably known for that because we're so vocal on the subject. (I didn't know that I was well known here for ANYTHING.)
But if the Mods DO take notice they will see that neither of us will flame until we are mightily provoked.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Goodnight Joe. And thanks again for speaking out at a risk.

[DB]

May I ask where the "smokeybackroom forum" is?

[xJones]

As it is, the only losses suffered were a few black eyes and a lost ear or two. Fractures and abrasions were suffered, but no major bones broken or organs punctured.

Well, you left out the third degree burns and the idiots that made complete fools of themselves, but other than that....:)

[mhking]

Gentlemen, like any family, FR is going to have it's occasional dustups, and like any family, there will be disagreements.

I'm just glad that like most families, the mutual combatants have come to solid closure, and dealt with their disagreements agreeably.

[Jim Robinson]

Thadnk God. I'm glad he wasn't talking about me.

[tomkat]

hey !

[Prince Caspian]

I never could understand being nasty to those who disagree, since to do so closes them to your own position.

Exactly. Totally counterproductive. If it's only a matter of who can yell the loudest, any old words will do.

"A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still."

[Faraday]

Brewers win! (Unbelievable)

Packers win! (as expected)

FReepers win! (had to happen)

Jim, your political instincts are excellent. You will continue to have my enthusiastic support.

[ArneFufkin]

The folks who have been banned are not missed by any but a few here who hold the same anti-authoritarian life view, and care nothing about you, the forum and its mission, the rules and protocol - anything but their selfish rights devoid of responsibility. Nobody gets booted from here because they are TOO conservative or they express an anti-Bush opinion or judgement. They get booted because they flaunt the rules and disrupt the decorum that keeps the Forum from chaos. They conduct themselves dishonestly and without regard to the forum community. I've been put in the cooler and my posts have been yanked, and it's always been for good cause. There's an element here who are just feeloading ingrates and anti-everything, including other humans, government, parties, you and the needs to moderate debate on this forum. They're petulant little kids posing as "real patriots" and "true conservatives". Rights without responsibility, thats what think a patriot embodies. Keep tossing them Jim, they're just coming back under new handles. The forum somehow is moving along without the insights of Buckaroo, Harry Callahan and t-shirt. If I get tossed from here, it'll be because I deserved it.

[Torie]

One technique that the mods might use more than they do, is to post cautionary comments asking folks to cool it in a polite and loving manner. I am a mod of sorts on a political strategy board, and used that technique once. It worked like a charm. I know, this is a more brawl oriented place. But still ....

[Dakmar]

Just one more thing before I sign off tonight: I was once the only conservative in the office where I work. I began to E-mail threads from FR to my co-workers, and gradually, they began to see the truth. I can't honestly say I see any of them going out and campaigning for GWB in 2004, but we have at least opened their minds to rational thought rather than lock-step leftwing emotionalism. Thank You, Jim, John, and Joe, that in itself was quite an accomplishment.

[Gabz]

How you keep a sense of humor through all of these kinds of things is beyond me.

But you are sure as heck one very funny man!!!!!!

[ladyinred]

Thadnk God. I'm glad he wasn't talking about me.

LOL! I think I resemble his remark!

[carenot]

"Hey, hon, is your butt getting bigger or is that just my imagination?"

My goodness, Cob. How can you forget me?, Your White Lilly Flower?

Are you saying that meant NOTHING to you?

CAD!

[Max McGarrity]

Whaaaattt???? There's been a battle brewin'?? A dust-up?? A potential train wreck?? Dang, gotta get my nose out of the smokin' threads more often. Seriously, JimRob, BADJOE, et al, we really do appreciate all that you put up with, even if we're not aware of it. (And thanks for not banning me when my frustration boils over.)

[Right To Life]

So that's what "tin-foil-hat" means.

The problems with society today are very visible and overtly pursued.

Addressing those problems is too important to waste time with paper theories about covert conspiracies.

Unless one considers the alliance between the National Education Association and GLSEN, insofaras their combined efforts to bring inappropriate, heterophobic material to public-school kids, to be a covert conspiracy.

I'd call it an overt "Look at our monopoly and tremble!" alliance.