I have a thread going called :
» ATS Skunk Works » Why do abductees have to educate skeptics?

I started this thread after a skeptic destroyed, yet again, an abductees testimony, by insisting we were all psychos or nuts or scitzos or had sleep paralysis.

Abductees are so beyond this type of behavior but these skeptics don't give up, they take over the whole thread with their attention seeking behavior untill they run it into the ground.

Abductees do not need skeptics telling them aliens aren't real. we know they are because we live it and sometimes every night and sometimes for all our lives. It is an absolute insult to our intelligence to have to put up with this here.

Abductees do not mind people asking questions or taking an interest but as for debating if aliens are real or if we infact are insane, that has to stop. None of the threads can get anywhere due to this ignorant behavior that is rife here amongst disbelievers.

For a start, NO ABDUCTEE IS INTERESTED IN SHOWING ANYONE PROOF. I want people to understand that, We don't care who believes us or not . We just need a place where we can explore the phenomenon and discuss amongst each other and those who are interested, alien abductions.

So how about it? Are you interested in supporting abductees? Are you interested in this phenomena being explored here? Will you provide the safe haven that is required for any discussion to get off the ground?

This is from Alter-Ego:

I totally understand what you are trying to say here. The mods on this site do a wonderful and (sometimes thankless) job here, but you have to realize, are not baby-sitters. I understand the reasoning behind wanting to moderate your own thread, but that in itself would bring up a myriad of other problems.

I would suggest that you author a thread and submit it to the Board Business & Questions Discussion Forum. There the moderators can look at your request and discuss it with other mods and try and find a solution that is viable. This is a deeply personal issue and needs to be handled delicately.


It may be a good idea that you ask if they would consider making an "ABDUTCTEE forum to add the illustrious list of specific forums already in place. It could be moderated by specific administrators whom are sympathetic or have actually had the same experiences, with provisions or specific forum rules in place that the "Abductee Forum" is a place to share experiences or ask questions about those experiences NOT to try and refute, debunk, flame or disagree. Give the staff here a chance, they really know their stuff and work hard to accommodate and help everyone here.

Self moderated threads, especially in such an emotionally charged subject is probably not the way to go. Follow the proper channels if you really want something done, otherwise this thread, although important is just a rant.


Good luck to you all, my heart goes out to you.

Well if abductees want abductee moderators then skeptics need skeptic moderators and Christians only need Christians moderators and atheist need only atheist moderators. That doesn't sound fair to me. The moderators here do a great job and I applaud them all. You just have to do your best and stick to your experiences no matter who comes in to debate your threads.

NO..we dont!

Skeptics and rednecks should not have free reign to destroy threads. It is not their God given right to kick a thread untill it's not breathing. There is far too much of this here and it needs to be stopped.

Yes, it is a recurrent problem, people keep complaining about this issue but not much is done except slicing the subject in small parts and putting them in "less exposed" areas.

But I just got an idea.

Maybe it would be good if the admins gave the option to the OP to flag a poster/post as beeing non constructive / polluting the thread / trying to derail it.
That post would still be there but would take only one line with the option given to re-enable the post for reading like for spoilers.

Courtesy goes both ways. Yes, the admins are doing a good job, but they're not all-seeing and sometimes will take action when the damage is done.

reply to post by spacecowgirl

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Edited, because sentences have to end sometime...

[edit on 10/30/2008 by seagull]

Why not start your own website where it's done how you want and no one can bring down the crazy party? Go someplace you can regulate free speech and intelligent thought and only your agenda can be pushed forth.

If you want to put stuff out there, then in all honesty and realism, you have to expect skeptics.

If it's the truth, why are you freaking out like that? I think you are being pretty unrealistic and that you're over reacting way too much.

Perspective is a good thing

Did you alert the staff to those posts? Such behavior is not tolerated in the Skunk Works forum as it's intended to be a place where members can engage in highly speculative topics without concern over receiving ridicule in member responses.

reply to post by spacecowgirl

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I think the best thing an abductee can do is just completely SKIP all of the rude comments.

(As hard as it is to do sometimes, we just need to learn to ignore)

Give them the silence treatment!

Only deal with the people you want to deal with.

Reply to those who you feel worthy of a reply.

I understand as well when it comes to abductees, rape victims, people who have gone through abuse or other hard traumatic situations--rude comments can really set these kind of people on fire and it's not right getting all of that negative commentary. It is what keeps alot of people away from posting these type of experiences.

People need to consider these are very sensitive people so it's not so much of a debate about a topic anymore but much more than that to the abductee/abused person or rape victim.

So you couldn't really compare this topic of discussion to many other categories such as:

Religions,
General Conspiracies,
New World Order,
Paranormal,
Skunk Works
Aliens & Ufo's etc.

So maybe there should be a separate discussion for this more sensitive kind of material so that people who are going through something difficult may not be as intimidated as they should be in coming forward about it and posting it on the aliens/ufos board knowing they will get hammered by half the populace.

Maybe there should be another section that bundles all of these sensitive topics together into one group of discussion.

Abductions,
Abuse,
Rape,
etc.

Then the mods can have a disclaimer that says:

Members please take caution: in how you respond to these people as they have experienced something difficult and traumatic, this is the sensitive forum.

Sure why not just call it--

Sensitive Material.--

Just A Thought!



p.s. This is why I have never posted my personal ET encounters/experiences on ATS or anywhere online.

As they say never cast your pearls before swine.

Who knows if there was a new Sensitive Forum, I might consider.







[edit on 30-10-2008 by Malevolent_Aliens]

Though I have personal beliefs about abductions here's some thoughts.

Abductees really believe they have had an experience and show the similar kind of post-traumatic stress.

These people are victims and should be handled gently, regardless of the objective or subjective reality of their experience.

They should be allowed to tell their stories in a non-threatening atmosphere.

However, I also think that an abductee has a duty to search for the truth.

So when a person says 'I've been abducted every night for the last 10 years', and a so-called skeptic says "well, get it on video", or "have a team come in and set up surveillance", is it really a search for truth when this ideas is blown off?

Abductee says - "I'm scared and going nuts, help, abductions happening regularly"

Skeptic says - "We're with ya bro, we'll be over to help."

Abductee says - "Well, by 'scared' I mean I like it and look forward to having their grey creepy long fingers grab me."

Skeptic says "Allrighty, then."

Can you blame the Skeptic?

We who may have been experiencers and don't try to take charge and help to expose these hideous creatures and their dark motives may not be aiding our case as well as we should.

This is going to be your best deal here spacecowgirl. SkepticOverlord has spoken. At the bottom of EVERYONES posts there are a series of boxes that say:

FRIEND FOE profile posts sendu2u ALERT

By hitting the ALERT button it will flag the post for a MOD to take a look at and make a decision accordingly.

If you do NOT obtain the desired results then, the fine administrators of ATS have designed a FAILSAFE for members.



It is the Ignore tag right under EVERYONES avatar, for people who are continually abrasive or insensitive or you just do not want to read any of their replies, use it.


I understand that subjects such as these are quite traumatic for the individuals, and as a community we need to try and be a little more sensitive
of others. ATS is a big place, so we can all do our part by utilizing these provisions that the creators of this site have put into place and do a little self-policing, the mods are human and although they are "the best staff on the net"..they are not OMNIPOTENT, they cannot be every where at once.

So lets stick together, watch each others backs, and try to be a little nicer.


EDITED: To cue the kum-by-ya music.




[edit on 30-10-2008 by Alter-Ego]

On the Compuserve UFO forum there used to be a private Abductee section called section 22 a bit like RATS.
You had to apply to join, any trolls were kicked out.

reply to post by lightchild

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Sounds good an abductees board, theres room for a few more surely?

OBEs and NDE board.. sleep paralysis board.. after all they are all different and there is a dreams board.

Really the sceptics should grow up and get off the board if its going nowhere and its up to us to use those buttons provided.

reply to post by Malevolent_Aliens

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Sensitive Materials is a great idea! I'm all for it! It took me about 2 months to get over the insanity hump... That one sucked! Its very hard to find abductee help anywhere.

[edit on 31-10-2008 by Valkyr8]

Here, I'll turn myself in to the Powers That Be:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

I assume that the OP means that I am one of the people who:

As mine was the last posts about sleep paralysis, despite that my post was nicely written, none critical, and even given a star by another possible abductee. I guess that I deserve to have that post censored, or maybe a ban is in order, for presenting a differing opinion…

So what the OP is really saying here, is that they don’t want any posts that state any facts in contrary to their opinion on the subject, and they want the ability to delete any poster who tells them otherwise. Basically, they want to exercise their First Amendment Rights while denying others the same Rights.

Two questions about this thread:
First, why did we need a second thread to discuss this topic?
Second, why did the OP have to make a new “sock puppet” account just to re-open this topic in a new thread?

[edit on 10/31/2008 by defcon5]

I feel I am also one of those who have abduction experiences.

Several things have happened to me over the span of my life that I am still seeking answers for but am left with a feeling that I need not seek such answers as I am already aware of the answer as a whole.

Others, like myself, get ridicule anyway...but in related groups and topics, this ridicule is nothing in comparison to the 'knowing' you get when mixed with those 'in the know'.

I don't believe another category is needed. The grey area should be adequate for sharing experiences without someone demanding photo evidence or repeatedly badgering everyone with the same criticism, and when that doesn't work, resort to personal attacks such as calling someone a delusional fool or a schizo. This kind of bullying and personal attack should not be permitted in the grey area. People sharing stories want to scratch below the surface, and thoughtful criticism is welcome, but not belligerence. I think self moderation should be okay in the grey category.

[edit on 31-10-2008 by mystiq]

People have the right to voice their opinions no matter what they are, as long as they are within the T&C of the site.

You better believe that skeptics should have just as much free reign as "believers".

I suggest that if people don't like it here and how things are run and what i allowed/not allowed and only want ONE side to whatever their issue is, they start their own board and not let anyone in, who doesn't agree with them.

If someone responds to a thread and they break T&C or you feel they are out of line, report them. The mods/admin WILL take care of it!!


[edit on 10/31/2008 by greeneyedleo]

I don't think moderators should be chosen based on anything but their posting history and past experience of how they conduct themselves.

If you are specifically trying to get abductees as moderators it's kind of discrimination and would bring a lot of bias to how things are handled.

It's a slippery slope, then people will want the Secret Societies forum controlled entirely by Freemasons, the Religion forum moderated by Christians, the 9/11 board moderated by people from New York, etc.

We need believers here or else this would just be like any other mainstream forum. But we also need skeptics, or it would just be another nutbar new-agey forum filled with easily refuted garbage. No one gets a free ride, and nobody should deserve special treatment and shielding of their ideas without evidence. The idea of ATS is to deny ignorance... and if you aren't listening equally to both sides of the story (when warranted, assuming it isn't easily disproven or a hoax), you're just being ignorant.

[edit on 10/31/2008 by Yarcofin]