Due to member demand, the 9/11 forum is now under close staff scrutiny., page 5

We've been noticing a great deal of "negative reaction" about this decision as various members have been sending me U2U's with links to "9/11 Boards" where various users are decrying this action as censorship.

First, regardless of the opinions of disgruntled topic activists, there is no censorship on ATS outside of topics specifically mentioned in the Terms & Conditions.

(I consider "topic activists" to be those who arrive at ATS from other sites, or groups of sites, specifically to promote certain subject matter.)

Second, if you're a topic activist, you must be prepared to accept that not all ATS members will immediately agree with you, and even those who may want to agree will first subject your topic to critical scrutiny. Harsh analysis of your topic is not an attack.

Third, if you're a topic activist and you're unable or have no desire to respond to reasonable questions from ATS members, you will raise the frustration factor of members. It is then reasonable to expect to receive even harsher questions and/or criticism.

Finally, if you're a topic activist and you become temporarily or permanently banned because of inflammatory rhetoric or insulting posts, our staff is banning you not your topic.

Unfortunately, the majority of trollish topic activists of late have been associated with rather extreme 9/11 conspiracy theories. And our experience over the past six years has shown us that 9/11 conspiracies tend to spawn more topic activists who are predisposed to deliver angry responses to valid questions than any other subject matter. Our one mistake in this matter is not not clamping down sooner, being concerned that such rapid action may be seen as "editorial involvement."

For Topic Activists

If you have a subject matter in which you have great passion and desire to disseminate, fewer places provide a more ideal platform than ATS. Your topic will receive immediate search engine attention and our members are notorious actively pursuing compelling ideas. The more you present a rational and respectful attitude, the more credible you will be perceived, and the more success your topic will enjoy. If your topic is truly important, then it is worth your efforts to engage us in a civil way.

And One Final Point of Clarity

I don't give a damn what these petty angry topic activists say about us on their safe haven discussion boards full of like-mind back-slappers. I care about ATS, ATS members, and our aspirational ideals of supporting debate and discussion of any topic as long as it's accomplished with reasonable decorum.