What the heck is going on

[andresont]

Originally Posted by hawk

I don't see what the big deal is, it's pretty easy to ignore threads if you are offended or not interested. I think threads in the lounge should have a wide latitude for open, civil debate. It is interesting that many of the heated threads that some call for a lock are also the most viewed threads. When boards start to get trigger happy on locking threads the whole tone of the board changes. Fewer threads get started, fewer posters with anything meaningful to say participate, an overall "my way or the highway" attitude emerges. You'll be left with a small online clique who'll treat the board as their personal chat site. I've seen it happen on another board I use to frequent. Notice more eastern members checking out Canreef lately? I always find it amusing when people want to be protected from reading, looking, buying, clicking/scrolling through something they feel is inappropriate in some way. As if they are being forced to engage the material. Maybe Canreef needs a lounge sub forum where heated topics can be moved with a "do not enter if easily offended" warning.

Oh boy, I couldn’t have said better my self, thank you hawk !
Just FYI not sure about others but I just got a “friendly” PM from one of the moderators just proving your point.
I guess they can lock me out or even kick out of forum, well so be it..
That what is freedom of speech is all about agree or not it is out there.
If you put your head in the sand the problem will not go away, that is why we talk about it.

Now, from moderators point of view ; why would some one create an aquarium related forum and then it turns in to a hot debate that is totally out of aquarium topic?
I understand this can be frustrating. However if there is a Lounge there will be off topic discussions.

[Moogled]

hawk, you have a good point, but isn't joining a forum a PRECURSOR to having a choice whether or not to read political threads, even if they are allowed? The first set of agreement when you join the site would be the most important. Not after you join and then making a stink about how you should get to say and read whatever you want.

When you join an online community, there's a set of rules (whether be it types of discussions or exclusive status) that you need to adhere to. I need to conduct myself in an orderly manner and not use profane language because this is a family site, as I've been told before. I try to respect that decision if I want to stay here and I like it enough to do as I'm told.

I like your liberal and open-minded view that attemps to foster a community where anything could be said anywhere within mature boundaries. The important thing you need to understand is that people don't want to talk about it because it often times brings about animosity amongst people.

Why? No one's intrinsic values are going to be changed by your 2 paragraph blog about why God exists or why gay people shouldn't be married.

I admire your insight towards moderator attitudes in certain cases.

I've been there before - AlbertaAquatica banned me because supposedly saying 'bastards' in an obviously non-threatening way was enough to trigger a mod power trip. It was pathetic of them to do that, but them's the rules.

I never looked back.

If you're going to take one thing from what I just wrote (and I hope you do) - it's that it's not just about you; it's about what OTHER people want to see too.

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Can we just say, "Everyone, please read the forum rules again" and be done with it?!

[Moogled]

May the force be with you, Drew.

[Snappy]

I don't know that this board is the place for some of the items mentioned but I generally don't notice that stuff going on. If I want to see reef stuff I don't go to the lounge to find it and rarely spend time there at all. I prefer to spend my time on other threads that help me advance in the hobby. The whole lounge forum could disappear and I likely wouldn't notice it gone for months. So I guess what I'm saying is that what happens there doesn't seem to affect me

[Doug]

Hawk, I never took it as being critical of Canreef, just as my post was more in general of most boards I am on.

Please also remember, I,m stating what the rules and opinions are on most aquarium boards.

Yes Anderson, I like being informed. Thats why I read those theads, on boards where they are allowed.

Let me be clear again. Despite calls for free speach or whatever, I have yet to see an aquarium board, where allowing those topics to turn into heated exchanges, {which they most always do}, contributes anything to the board itself. In fact its the exact opposite.

I would assume thats the reason most boards dont allow it. If there was no problems would they not let it go?

[trilinearmipmap]

I don't know the answer. On the one hand people should be able to say what they want within the bounds of decency and good taste. On the other hand the aquarium board is supposed to be about aquarium topics.

I might find someone on these boards who is a talented aquarist and has lots of information to offer. However if he finds out that I am anti-drug, anti pit-bull and Rottweiller (to give an example), pro-family, pro-tolerating gays, anti tolerating Islamist terrorists, pro-racial profiling of Islamist terrorists, pro-grizzly hunting, anti-union, and anti-big government, then we might have a problem dealing with each other.

So in the interests of getting along I will keep as quiet as I can about my political and social views on this forum. The few times I have opened my mouth about these things I have offended someone I am sure.

[X-Treme]

Originally Posted by Snappy

I don't know that this board is the place for some of the items mentioned but I generally don't notice that stuff going on. If I want to see reef stuff I don't go to the lounge to find it and rarely spend time there at all. I prefer to spend my time on other threads that help me advance in the hobby. The whole lounge forum could disappear and I likely wouldn't notice it gone for months. So I guess what I'm saying is that what happens there doesn't seem to affect me

I couldn't have said this better myself......


If you only want to know about aquarium/fish related stuff............STAY OUT OF THE LOUNGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Veng68]

there is no such thing as free speech on a private message board

Cheers,
Vic[veng68]

[Doug]

Originally Posted by X-Treme

I couldn't have said this better myself......


If you only want to know about aquarium/fish related stuff............STAY OUT OF THE LOUNGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fine, I will do that.

Oh, sorry, forgot as a staff member I have to go read all the crap to see if its following board rules.