yet the poorly associated 'racists' to 'republicans' marches on ..

Personally, I think this forum would move closer to its original aims, and be more useful to those who come here for useful information and opinion, if there were moderators who acted more frequently, as did Orhan above, to "moderate" the discussion and push it toward a respectful and even keel. IMO, there's entirely too many offensive and antagonistic posts here and, for that reason alone, I have dramatically reduced my participation and visitation.

Thanks for letting us know where the limits of free speech are set here at Archinect, Orhan.

I have read some very vicious attacks among posters and offensive diatribes here over the years. This is part of the price of participating in an open forum. The swine-flu post you allude to sounds like it fit in that category, though I didn't see it.

All the various bile that gets thrown around here (and not just "foul language, swear words, heated debates, rants, etc") is pretty much okay, accept that one that went too far for you? Can I get administrator status on Archinect, so that I too can squelch the posts that offend me? No?

I'm not objecting to your right to be horribly offended by something horribly offensive, Orhan. Only to the assertion of authority to selectively censor content here, and then to lecture us on it.

I agree with the poster above. If the board is going to be moderated, then moderate it. Cherry-picking the offenses and letting most other vitriol pass through unchecked undermines the legitimacy of a public forum.

poster a - I think the important thing is, say I name my new firm the "Swine Flu Architecture Office"... what kind of clients might I then expect?

deleted response - Maybe Muslims.

here is your fuckin' cherry!

Hooray for principles! As gross as that bigoted crack was, Orhan, and it was, better to let the bigots be revealed as such.

Thank you.

and on an e mail, i am told, "since you are a muslim, you should get the joke because muslims don't eat pork."

citizen, thank you too...

Neither do Jews

Neither does Jules!

you are so funny. should i 'lol' ?

"I think the important thing is, say I name my new firm the "Swine Flu Architecture Office"... what kind of clients might I then expect?"

OK -- that part was mine. Not the Muslim comment part, however.

I saw the inappropriate and not-very-clever comment briefly show up, Orhan, then saw that it was deleted. Sure not my intent to compel anyone to write something like that --

A very famous Archinect poster later commented in the spirit I had actually intended.

Obviously some offensive comments cross a line, and some actions - outing someone's real identity being foremost - are totally unacceptable, and those things should be edited by the higher ups. This site is a gift and is not in any way a total free-for-all.

The thing is: we also do a pretty good job of self-policing. I'm sure the poster of the Muslim comment would have been lambasted by others; maybe we need to do a better job of this, as I have lately let some very sexist comments slide because I just didn't feel like taking the effort to respond. I'll try to do better, and with I hope a sense of humor.

i don't eat pork either.

i am guessing there is some subtext in usa i didn't catch on the japanese news, cuz i don't get the joke, if it is one.

personally i am entirely unperturbed by censorship here. this isn't a newspaper, its run by people who don't need to do what they do. this place is in general pretty open though, and orhan is as non-judgemental a person as there can be. no complaints.

KURT, i have no objection to your comment.

i am not interested policing the site either. but we sometimes let the threads stolen by troll like commentary which only reads as a racist remark. free speech doesn't mean a freedom to insult somebody's faith. i am not a practicing or religious muslim or any other faith, but many who visit this site are.

this is what my initial post says;

"So please think twice when posting such racially disturbing posts that doesn't belong to an otherwise democratic and fun forum."

thanks jump.

and i 'eat' pork. specially carnitas burritos...

and ham & cheese sandwiches/omelets.

see.

just goes to prove. not all people raised in christianity eat swine-product, and not all those raised in islamic-ity refrain.

I saw the post to but just passed right over it - didnt even think twice. But what then of posts insulting the intelligence of southern baptists who are routinely called ignorant, racists, intolerant, homophobes, backwards hillbillys, neanderthals etc. for believing in creationism or against same sex marriage? Will we go after the name calling parties in those cases to? I agree we should tone it down sometimes but where do we draw the line? Should we just agree that most religious ideology, dogma and practice is absolutely insane?

Good point - I'm pretty sure the 'line' was crossed multiple times in recent threads like 'Right Wing Radio.'

arthur c. clarke had it right in my opinion.

intelligent design is supposed to be science, so there is nothing wrong with saying anyone who believes it is not only ignorant, but willfully ignorant - if you believe in science it is actually possible to prove that statement. but creationism is a cultural myth and therefore sacrosanct. isn't that how it works?

Jump, I'm a big fan of Clarke - do you have his exact quote?

Anyways though - who honestly believes in 'intelligent design,' but not 'creationism?' The term 'intelligent design' is really just a charade.

You will see alot of more contemporary Christians compromise with 'theistic evolution' or whatnot.

If creationism is a myth than it can be proven its a myth. But if God told us not to eat Pork and it cant be proven it might be true thus off limits? Ok - I think I got it now. If you believe in myth surrounded by science proving otherwise your willfully ignorant yet if you believe in myth that cant be proved your simply ignorant.

What do you all think about applying a YouTube style user-moderation method, letting the members vote "good" or "bad" for comments and threads? When a post (or thread) receives a certain number of "bads" it becomes hidden or grayed-out, or only visible if you click on it.

i don't like it. but that's just me. i'm averse to gimmicky change.

bad idea thumbs down. This forum needs dissension or it risks becoming an extension of the Daily Koz

I'm not a fan of moderating, either. I used to do it on Plastic and it just got frustrating and confused the discussion/interface.

But I'm also a cranky old woman and averse to change, too.

In comparison, I read Jezebel pretty regularly but the outright ban on weight-related body-snarking is, in my mind, willful ignorance of a problem and way too heavy handed for a forum.

just censored myself... ^

I was pretty out of line

ya who was it lets out them

syntax, man -- SYNTAX! ^

Moderating bad...

bacon good...

Is there like an archinect supreme court? Will it turn activist when Souter retires??

yes there is!

i KNEW IT

swine flu and muslim is a good topic to study...

in the past decades due to accelerate demand of meat, livestock had been treated with disrespect, pigs were living under constant fear inside a cage... their immune system deteriote rapidly and lead to the virus attack...

the muslim teaching of respecting the killing of animals is a good start for the world to prevent deadly virus.

http://www.themodernreligion.com/misc/an/an1.htm#intro







may be the reply for muslim as potential clients is an intellectual response.

thanks orhan.

from a dutch newspaper:

perhaps I am too liberal, but the only thing that really riles me is bad spelling - and regarding that I keep my anger to myself

On other forums I've see this devolve into people hunting down individuals they don't like on other threads and rating them "thumbs down" so that all their posts disappear.

I don't agree with some people around here, and occasionally see really dumb comments (including my own) - but isn't that what makes archnitect great? It's infuriating sometimes, but if I didn't encounter people who hold different viewpoints, then I wouldn't be able to question or reinforce my own.

viewpoints are different than personal attacks, though. Personal attacks are never ok.

ratings are dumb. if there is an improvement to be made, it has to be the option to self edit, if after we post something we have a change of heart. the one thing that has been a problem here is that we respond the way we would in a chat room, instantaneous and sometimes off the cuff, heated discussions in chat go away, but here they linger forever.

Orhan, what was said in the post? I didn't see it.

it should be a choice between thumbs down or ]rock on

Orhan,
do not put anything in quotes claiming the user said that, especially after modifying it!!

if something is deemed inappropriate by the mods, quietly delete it and send the offending party a warning. i like the free-for-all that is archinect and the seeming lack of moderation.

let's not naval gaze too much over this.

poopster,
why don't you write what you wrote?

I'd rather be bashed by posters than by you....

"i deleted your offensive post in regards to swine flu thread. i hope you refrain yourself from such statements in the future.
thanks.
orhan"

my reply

"What is offensive about the fact that muslims do not eat pork? You are muslim you should get it!"