CM Announcement Political rants threads

Casinomeister

Forum Cheermeister
Staff member
Joined
Jun 30, 1998
Location
Bierland
One of the most difficult aspects of moderating a forum is ensuring that members are treating each other with some level of respect. Another is to give the membership as much leeway when it comes to express oneself freely - this is tough since a number of folks post comments that borderline of breaking the rules - or maybe not. Language at times is hard to interpret when 50% of our members are non-native English speakers.

The forum section "Political Rants" is rife with comments that hit the borderline - and some slide right into bigotry and hate speech. A thread may appear on a weekend, and by the first day of the work week it's spun into double digit pages of rants and tit for tat comments which makes moderating almost impossible since we would be handing out infractions for every other comment. And honestly, I rarely delve into this realm.

I am being accused by some members of condoning this bigoted behavior - which is a ludicrous accusation for those who know me. I am only guilty of not monitoring every comment being made and analysing its meaning and possible effect on others. That of course would be difficult to manage on a forum of this size.

Don't turn me into a schoolmarm - or make this forum into nanny's-ville - because that is not what this forum is about. I have run this forum successfully for 22 years, and I will not not tolerate poisonous comments when it comes to race.

Please feel free to engage others in the political rants section, but abide by our rules and show a bit of decorum. Thank you.
 
Does that apply to the Brexit thread? Because last I looked that was going along fine, even if Remainers are stubborn and uncompromising :laugh::eek2:

Because what tends to happen is these threads always self-correct themselves in the end anyway, as those more willing to engage in civil disagreements tend to stick around. I've yet seen a thread with page after page of continuous rants.

So really it's at that point where all other posters wishing to continue the Brexit fun having to sit out detention for something they haven't caused. At which point it becomes a question of overseeing and moderating things or not allowing any political threads at all, I'm afraid
 
I totally understand where you're coming from Bryan, and at the end of the day it's your house, your rules, and I respect that.

However I do think it's a shame the Brexit thread is now locked because a few of us in there have been engaged in a civilised debate for well over a year now, and the Brexit situation itself is constantly evolving. with some distance left to run!

Heaven knows myself and Mr Goatwack are very much on opposite sides of the argument but we've been keeping it respectful. (As indeed just about everyone in the thread has been.)

There were some comments made recently in the thread that were, ahem, 'unpleasant' to say the least, albeit with some debate around the intention behind them - but as goatwack notes above, we're all on the naughty step now, which feels a bit harsh.

If you could see your way to opening the thread again for replies, it'd be much appreciated :)
 
I enjoy debating politics online, but I enjoy much less seeing bigoted comments. My view is that those who make bigoted comments should be given a warning or two depending on what it was, and then if they continue, be banned - either from the thread or from the forum. People are entitled to have whatever views they have, but they're not entitled to sprout bigotry.
 

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