Fellas, I and others have received complaints about the marijuana thread here, and we constantly receive complaints about what we allow on some threads. We seldom explain ourselves here, and I thought that even though I'm the newest Mod on the board, I ought to at least try to explain a little about why we do what we do, why we allow things that please nobody it seems, and the reasons we act or fail to act when someone gets offended. Other mods have been invited to comment here if I get something wrong, or if they differ from what I post. It's a complex issue and each mod has his or her own views. These are mine. I responded to the complaint about letting the mj thread go so long as follows, which is a direct quote of my PM to the complainant:
It's been discussed, and we're all just about fed up with it. There's really no clear violation of the terms of service, but the whole thing is full of "marginal" comments at best. It's one of those situations where people are expressing whatever their current opinions are and doing so with some emotion, and nobody is listening to anyone else, but we try very hard to stick very scrupulously to the TOS, and while nobody is happy with it, they all made it such, and until there's a clear violation of the TOS, we're letting it proceed. Sometimes, when managing things, there comes a time when it can appear best to leave folks to the consequences of their own making.
However, once some have established clear patterns of saying things that appear to be trolling and asking for yet MORE dissension, we can and will do something. And that's been discussed also, and it's being watched closely. So it's probably good advice to just stay out of it, and let the idjits get whatever they earn. Avoid name-calling and just say what you think, and let others show their "true colors," and it'll work itself out eventually.
Sometimes, it's hard to mod a thread where folks just get all their noses bent out of shape, and can't and won't see any other person's side. Being too quick to act, and we're accused of not allowing "free speech." Too slow, and folks want US to save them from the things they have made their own selves. So, we try hard to just let things take their natural course as much as we can, even if it's not fun doing so for ANY of us. It's the closest thing to "wisdom" in these matters we've come up with.
To a point, allowing such threads serves the purpose of folks feeling like they don't have to "walk on eggshells" here, and we find out more about what others REALLY think. There's some good in that. It's basically like life and politics. "That gov't is best that governs the least." The Founders established that, and we've come FAR from that simple precept, and the further we get away from it, the worse things get. Nobody in this life can make people like or be "nice" to each other. Why should we? Disagreements, different views and dissension from them are inevitable, no matter where we go, even in this etherous electronic realm. Our policy as mods is to allow folks to work things out as best they can, IF they'll just try, with the minimum intervention necessary to keep the place clean enough to allow full, complete expression of our various views and opinions.
So yeah, that means there are gonna' be disagreements, including views that differ from any of the mods may have. But I still think that's the best policy, all things considered. Have we become so PC that we can no longer tolerate even the inevitable spectre of a difference of opinion or views? I surely hope not!
So my best comment and advice is to just let it go if it gets you that upset. Yeah, there are idjits around, but they vote too, and it's best that we know HOW they think, and why, so maybe - just MAYBE - we can formulate better words and methods of dealing with it all. It's just how civilizations work things out. Hushing folks up is against the morals and beliefs of most folks, right up until they get butt hurt about others who differ from their own views. It's part of being human in these modern times, it seems. I don't think the Founders would very much approve of that, and it'd probably make them shake their heads in disbelief and dismay. It's not easy any more, mostly because PC has become our "new religion" in this country FAR more than Christianity, and even Christians hold PC thought that they call "Christianity" when it's clearly not, to discuss things openly and honestly and forthrightly. Some folks have always made spectacles of themselves in those situations, and there's nothing any mod can do about it, really, in the long run, without violating our OWN moral and ethical standards. And we try very, very hard NOT to do that! And sometimes, all we really CAN do is sit and just shake our heads, and wonder where it's all going to end. If you have a better approach, that still fits within our moral and ethical standards, let me know. We can't and shouldn't just stop things because we don't like the way they're proceeding. We have to have a reason that's within the TOS. Established patterns of certain posters CAN fit within or be violations of the TOS, but we're very conscious of not acting TOO quickly on such matters.
Constant trouble makers are watched closely, and always engender many reports to the mods. We discuss them, and make a decision. None of us pretends to be omniscient or perfect, but we do a pretty fair job, IMO, and we're awfully tolerant sometimes. We'd rather wait than act too swiftly, and do something we might later find was unwise. Discretion is never easy, but it usually pays off. (shrug) If someone has a better way, let us know.
I hope this gives at least some of you a little insight into why we do what we do or don't do what we don't do. If not ... oh well. We do the best we know how to do, and none of us claims infallibility, and this is the reason we tend to err on the permissive side when we doubt or are uncertain what to do or how to go about it. That's as "fair and balanced" as we can make it, and if someone's offended by this, there's just nothing we can or should do, I think, to prevent that. I just hope that at least more folks understand our efforts, even if we aren't perfect sometimes, and can't always please everyone at once. We DO care about each and every poster here, and want everyone to feel free, and not feel like they have to "walk on egg shells" lest they offend a Mod. EVERYONE here gets offended sometimes by what's posted, even including the Mods. We just figure it's our job to rise above it, as best as we can and know how, and be as fair as we know how to be with everyone, even the more offensive and instigative types. And boys, that ain't easy! Believe me! But we do what we can, and the rest we leave up to all of you to deal with as best as you know how to do that. Simply stated, we trust YOU to govern yourselves, even when it's difficult for you as it also is for us. Pretty simple really.
Just thought it might help things at least a tiny bit if everyone understood more about what we do and why. Hopefully, some will. The rest, we just don't have an answer for, I guess. Like I said, we never claimed to be perfect, or even sometimes smart, but I hope you have the good grace to understand. Thanks to all who do, and I REALLY mean that.
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Originally Posted by aspangler
