It's that time again. We have to address the conduct in this forum., page 4

reply to post by intrepid

Thanks Intrepid.

It is my belief that pointing out the consistent and repeated behaviors of an individual member is not on par with attacking, defaming, or otherwise injuring said member, however.

I will call a spade a spade, even in an open thread. If you will note, more especially in the obelisk thread, and speaking to my own posts, when any member was mentioned by name, the focus was that person's posting habits, not that person. There may be exceptions, but for the most part I did my best to provide facts to support my posts and to avoid commenting on other members personally, preferring to attack their posts and sources instead. This seems reasonable to me.

Question: If I am a Mason, and someone says "Masons are pedophiles and satanists, and they all smell like feet," wouldn't that be considered a personal attack and/or insult?

If someone said "All prison guards (or Canucks, if you prefer) beat their wives and are incredibly stupid," wouldn't you take that as an affront?

Same thing.

That being said, there is usually a way to make what you intend to say more palettable, and we should do that when possible.

However, while we're talking T&C's, the simple fact that the thread that spawned this one was allowed to go on so long is part of the problem.

One can only repeat oneself, clarify positions, and post supporting facts and sources -- only to have them dismissed or ignored -- so many times before one becomes irritated and perhaps marginally hostile.

Add to that to members whose sole joy in life seems to be goading and poking and prodding certain members to the point where that marginal hostility emerges, only to turn around and say "see how mean they are?" -- and you have a recipe for a meltdown.

Add that to the fact that you, Intrepid, have moderated this forum, which isn't even assigned to you (that's kudos, in case that wasn't clear), more than any of these: WyrdeOne, benevolent tyrant, HarlemHottie, lombozo, yeahright, and Sauron.

I have yet to see one single moderation action in this forum from any of these people. Usually it's you and Mirthful Me, and I've been here for a while. I've gotten one (1) u2u from BT regarding moderation, and little if any presence in this forum from any of the others -- at least lately.

It seems that this has been noticed, so that's all I'll say about it, other than I think that action should have been taken earlier against those participating in baiting or otherwise inflaming the thread with no meaningful contribution attached to it.

Cuhail: We have already had people complain that the Masons' posts get stars just because a Mason posted it... so while it seems to a reasonable person to be a good solution, it only gives them something else to attack us for.

We're damned if we do, and we're damned if we don't.

Regarding Applause: I have been applauded 23 times since my return to ATS earlier this year; 22 of those have been from the SS forum, and most of those from one particular thread where I got multiple applause from multiple mods (Intrepid, I think, has given me the most altogether). I'm not an applause whore but I did notice that when I poked my head out of this SS forum, I got an applause within just a few posts.

I know SS is the "black sheep" of the ATS forums -- but, we're people too.

P.S. Thanks for the props Augustus.

[edit on 1/31/08 by The Axeman]