by minimus 23 Replies latest jw friends
Minimus,
It's not the subject matter that is the problem, it's the way that the subject is discussed that is causing concern and some quite considerable distress to many.
Personally, I would like to see this discussed to the enth degree, however, once the insults fly count me out.
Englishman.
Minimus,
What? No Best Regards??? My, you guys are sensitive.
No need to try and play the 'laid-back Board super-hero', I caught the intention of your remarks as would other readers. And yes, I do get irritated by people who start threads and then do not bother to read the posts made to them. Call it 'sensitivity' if you wish.
Lots and lost of cuddles, and of course my best regards - HS
"Should We Stop Threads Discussing America?".....That's an example of something that relates to my question. If you stopped threads relating to America in my opinion, you are taking away "freedom of speech, here". And i did read the posts, too.................................................. Kindest regards back, friends.
Yes. We left the bOrg to be able to speak, so let's speak!
"There's nothing for sure in life except death and taxes." - Benjamin Frankin
"All things are relative." Who knows......but most everyone knows that saying also.
Over at JWO, some fool came on (when it was new) and posted gross porn pictures. Someone was yelling for his pictures to be removed - or at least put into another forum. For example, they would post close up pictures of a woman's *privates" after sex.....in the "What do you like to eat for breakfast?" thread.
Now, in reality, that person might have liked that for breakfast.....but others didn't feel it appropriate. So the pictures were moved/removed. I argued that this was moderation - which some people feel is a lack of "freedom of speech."
Bboy & JanH argued back, that even though JWO states it is an unmoderated forum.....Bboy reserves the right to moderate. And he did.
Now if THAT happens on an advertised unmoderated forum - surely, a moderated forum can have *relative* freedom of speech also?
"Everything's relative." - another well-known one.
waiting
Minimus,
"Should We Stop Threads Discussing America?".....That's an example of something that relates to my question.
Ahhh! Discussing America. Your thread title had me confused. I thought it was 'Do You Think That We Should Be Able To Exercise Freedom Of Speech Here?', which is the question I commented on.
In which case I would suggest that you rephrase the question that introduced this thread. I suspect that most of the answers you will get to this question will relate to the topic of 'free-speech' on this Board. Simon and I both seemed to be fooled by your cunning ambiguity...lol I suspect that most of the answers you will get to this question will relate to the topic of 'free-speech' as a general Board issue, as mine was, and not the sharply focused version ( 'America' as an example! ) that you seem to want. As it is, my answer to your thread question is in my post above and I offer my apologies for my post being 'on-topic'.
Just to reiterate the point of my post, there is no such animal as 'freedom of speech'. As you acknowledge, natural boundaries exist and this Board is no exception. So the answer to your first question : Do You Think That We Should Be Able To Exercise Freedom Of Speech Here? - as my post above indicates my opinion is - NO. The answer to your qualifying question : "Should We Stop Threads Discussing America?"..... again my opinion is NO.
Best regards - HS
PS :
My, you guys are sensitive - Kindest regards back, friends.
I am puzzled by the plurality....? Must be my sensitive nature again....lol
You seem to be criticized for your wanting to stop certain subjects. Is this correct or not? I understand that some might attack personally because of their being heated, but I don't think that's the only issue here. My question comes into play because you are percieved by some to want to close down threads that you don't want to discuss any further. In other words, people might think that you are not allowing certain subjects to be considered because YOU don't want them talked about anymore on your forum. Once again, I think that you make the rules and we should abide by them.
Actually, the problem is the opposite to this:
I would be happy to have the topics discussed and am certainly not after closing down topics I don't like. Rather, other people are making a big issue over the fact that topics exist that they don't like and they are blaming me for "allowing" them.
There are some who are more than happy to post their own topics about America for instance from their own perspective ... but get extremely aggressive and defensive when other people make posts about America from a different viewpoint to theirs as though they should not be allowed to do this. Of course, everyone is entitled to have an opinion about America, good or bad, citizen or not.
As I see it, I can either ...
The latter seems to me the best of a bad lot.
As I've said I'd be happy to discuss the topics and personally find them interesting and enjoy a good debate but am trying to accomodate those who are finding it difficult coping with them.
Well, pretty ladies and handsome gentleman, I really have nothing new to add to this subject, yet that won't stop me from posting, and yes I am going to yell. Rule one: ATTACK IDEAS, NOT PEOPLE. Rule two: REMEMBER RULE NUMBER ONE. Rule three: DON'T TAKE YOURSELF SO BLINKING SERIOUSLY. Rule four: DON'T KEEP ACCOUNT OF THE INJURY (I COR. 13) Well, I wish had ten rules, as in the ten commandments, but I only had four.
Trying to disuade people from posting topics that are likely to be engaging in "slanging matches'' is not the solution. Disuade the people from insulting one another. You could be talking about your pet doggy and if someone calls you names because of that, then, should we disuade people from talking about the subject? NO! People need to realize that most subjects are safe to talk about. The SUBJECTS are not usually the problem. The TOPIC is not usually the problem. Those that post and demean are the problems-----Not the subject material (generally).
larc,
i would only add to your very good list,
yes u have freedom of speech, that does not mean there won't be consequences for what u say.
