Controversial Topics Board

[dvcgirl67]

I would give it a whirl. I love reading a good debate and dabble in some myself. That is the beauty, if I realize it isn't for me, I don't click on it. Easy peasy.

I will readily admit, I have lacked posting in the past 2 months because it has been rather dead. (and my personal life has been hectic) No doubt I love a good pick me up post and some lighthearted fun ... hello, Funny Memes ... but those can feel lackluster and redundant at times. Need a little spice too.

Give it a trial run. If it goes way off course and heads down a bad path, squash it.

It has been dead around here lately, and I agree that it's because of the redundancy of threads, at least for me. I will come over here and scroll through and if nothing interests me I won't read or post for awhile.

This is especially the case when major news events occur. On October 7th a thread popped up with the attack on Israel and that thread very quickly disappeared. When that happens, I kind of throw up my hands and find I won't return for awhile because something that huge can't even be discussed here. If discussion was allowed, I'd hang around.

 

[Magical2017]

I think this is a great idea. My experience participating in debates in an online forum is that they need mods. People often say things when sitting behind a keyboard that requires this moderation. Personal attacks should never be allowed.

 

[Smugpugmug]

The obviously discriminatory posts that have allowed members to be blatant about their intolerant beliefs have no place on the DIS.

This part 100%. To Corey: would this new forum have a no tolerance policy for posts that go beyond debate and edge into bigotry territory? I am not talking about disagreeing with someone's point of view. I am referring to sexism, racism, etc. Over the past couple of months I have reported so many of these posts and would prefer to not have to do that whenever a divisive topic comes up. I'm all for discussing serious topics but without these types of comments.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

As I have scrolled thru the comments I can very much agree with Kitty 34. While I may not shy away from disagreements in my personal and work life I do tend to take a more conservative approach here on the boards. I don't want to get into a keyboard warrior back and forth with someone but I am very interested in ppls viewpoints on the topics we face today.

I'd definitely be interested in a subforum. Like others, I wish some of the topics could just stay in the CB, but understand why they often can't.

My only concern is that even with more open guidelines or rules, it not turn into what some of my local FB pages have of just open hate.

I am concerned about that too. I am on some other forums. Some barely moderated and some are heavily moderated. The one that is heavily moderated (but different than the DIS because many things are allowed) is by someone who heavily leans one way politically. That's not a suspicion, it's public knowledge and there are no secrets about it. But on that particular forum it's very noticeable because things are deleted one "one side" and not on another. Certain posters that align with them are allowed to commit infractions freely while others that go against the moderators leanings are quickly removed for very minor things. Everyone has a bias or a leaning and that's fine but I think if such a forum is to have moderation, it probably needs at least two moderators that come from diverse backgrounds just to make sure that one viewpoint is not favored.

These are some of my thoughts, too.

I wonder if, because it will be “by invitation only”, there will be guidelines for that type of thing. Surely, it’s been a consideration. Because, in a way, it won’t be just an “anonymous“ forum, it will be more ”known” members. If they don’t behave, they can be made to leave [that forum], I suppose. The questions are, will it happen, and how?

As we all know, when things get hot and heavy here, the personal insults start to fly. That’s not something I’m interested in. There’s enough of that in real life than to want to deal with it here, too. (I’ll stick with the song threads. )

I’m interested in hearing peoples’ opinions, but respectful ones. Posters tend to like the lively discussions, though, perhaps especially when they get heated, so there will be a fine line that moderators have to walk.

I’m interested in seeing what the rules will say.

 

[CynBeth]

I would be interested as well.

 

[leahgoogle]

I think that's a great idea!

 

[EACarlson]

This part 100%. To Corey: would this new forum have a no tolerance policy for posts that go beyond debate and edge into bigotry territory? I am not talking about disagreeing with someone's point of view. I am referring to sexism, racism, etc. Over the past couple of months I have reported so many of these posts and would prefer to not have to do that whenever a divisive topic comes up. I'm all for discussing serious topics but without these types of comments.

My concern is that there are a number of posters that believe any dissent from their position is sexism, racism and many other -isms.

 

[Smugpugmug]

My concern is that there are a number of posters that believe any dissent from their position is sexism, racism and many other -isms.

Yeah, I've seen that happen on here to which I don't exactly agree with. To me, those terms refer to people posting blatant intolerant views such as "I hate X, Y and Z" or calling any group a derogatory term. I remember there was someone on here who got banned for posting sexist views towards women and it wasn't debatable that it was 100% sexism.

 

[tink2424]

Love the idea! Very much would be interested!

My concern is that there are a number of posters that believe any dissent from their position is sexism, racism and many other -isms.

Very much agree. If the new subforum is moderated that way then it will go downhill fast. And I would add that calling people racist or another -ist just for a different point of view is also name calling.

 

[Wubar]

Politics, for sure, that can be controversial.

But I would hope that everyone would be for human rights and against gender inequality. What's so controversial about those?

I know, I know. Cans of worms, touched nerves, etc.

 

[longboard55]

A totally open forum will never work, there will always be some jerk posting 100 times a day with the same drival.

 

[leebee]

First, I'd like to thank you for letting some of the current threads go on a bit longer than they had been. While I disagree with name-calling and nastiness, assuming we are all adults here, it's nice to see that we are allowed to carry on conversations about potentially controversial topics to some extent, at least. I remember the Debate Board and also the Republican/Democrat boards. They'd get pretty heated, and sometimes downright nasty, so I understand why they were terminated.

I like your idea of a more-controversial, access-only board sounds like a great idea.

 

[leahgoogle]

A totally open forum will never work, there will always be some jerk posting 100 times a day with the same drival.

It can definitely work. Just scroll by or block the person you don't want to see.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

Politics, for sure, that can be controversial.

But I would hope that everyone would be for human rights and against gender inequality. What's so controversial about those?

I know, I know. Cans of worms, touched nerves, etc.

Agreed, I thought the thread title was depressing, that human rights and gender equality are considered controversial. Alas, that’s the world we live in.

In any case, I personally can’t wait to get into that new board and finally tell all of you exactly how I feel about you.

 

[sam_gordon]

A totally open forum will never work, there will always be some jerk posting 100 times a day with the same drival.

As opposed to the current CB that has someone (I won't use the word 'jerk') posting the same drivel 100 times a day?

If you post was meant to be sarcasm, sorry, my detector is out for repair.

 

[Ms.Minnie]

I would very much like to see this idea put in place and NO I don't think you are crazy. If a person doesn't like the way things are going, they don't have to view or participate in any of the discussions. That seems pretty easy to me. Don't like? Don't look.

Please count me in if you do move forward with this idea. As others have said, the Community Board has been pretty boring to me for the past several months. I would love to see some discussions on current events. There have been so many things happening lately that we aren't allowed to talk about, and the coming year is sure to be very interesting.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I like the idea...it's sort of like my family at Thanksgiving. I can only sit and listen to Uncle Charlie go on about his political and gender beliefs for so long, then I leave the table and sit with the people who want to discuss the lighter stuff.

I used to participate in the 'heavier' threads a lot more than I do now. I find that as the pandemic and the world situation wore on and on and on andonandonandon, I had less of an appetite for debating or whatever. I wanted some escapism from my daily worries. I just would see a thread title, say to myself, 'Nope,' and try not to read it. I still do that to some extent.

I'd like to see this hypothetical new board and be a part of it when I choose to be a part of it. My only fear is that it would become a platform for intolerance. That I would not like, but I hope that if this new board is created, there would be self-moderation. I'm not talking about people being shouted down for their opposite beliefs, I'm talking about those who engage in blatant racism or intolerance or whatever being told that it isn't okay. Having just wrote that, I see where it would be difficult to decide what this is at times.

I think what I'm saying is that I'm cautiously optimistic about the idea, but I'm cautiously pessimistic as well.

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

Hello, everyone!

You might have noticed a more lenient approach, like threads staying open longer than usual, comments deleted without infractions applied. This was all part of a test I've been conducting over the past few months and gathering feedback,

Here is the question… Would you find it beneficial if I created a sub-board where we can move and allow "hot topics" for a semi-un-moderated discussion?


Thanks,
Corey

I wouldn't find it beneficial to have a sub-board. I like your "test" approach.

Those two feedback points do put more pressure on Mods though, because you can't let things get out of hand. so I see the dilemma you have.

 

[greeneyedchick]

A non-debate board debate board?

I kinda like it all on the CB, personally.

I agree. I like it all in one place. I don't know why moderators have to shut down discussions. We're all adults. If someone doesn't like the topic or the way the conversation is heading, they can ignore the thread.

 

[nw6675]

Everyone saying we are all adults clearly have missed out on some interesting threads.

And it's one thing to have a different opinion and another to spew hatred and bigotry. Not to mention intentional pot stirrers (hi guys! I see you on the thread! )