new song from Queen, Another Thread Bits the Dust

[Bamagan]

I would like the site owners or their designated forum moderators do a much better job of making clear to us the rules for regulating threads and when they decide to shut them down.

I agree fully with this as a basis for eliminating someone's post to a thread:

[No personal attacks or trolling - including creating accounts for this specific purpose. Heated discussions are fine, even welcome. However, personally attacking / kink-shaming a fellow author or reader is not allowed within the Author's Hangout. Threads which devolve into the exchanging of insults will be closed and repeat offenders will be given a timeout, per the AH rules.]

But this rule is not applied clearly or fairly or evenly. In the case of the thread to which everyone is referring, the OP's opening post did not fall under this prohibition. There's a big difference between kink-shaming a fellow author or authors, on the one hand, and asking a general question about the appeal of a particular kink, on the other. The latter should be permitted. I strenuously disagree with those who feel that stories that indulge the fantasy of nonconsensual sex should not be allowed, but I see nothing wrong with allowing discussions about the subject. It's an important, and very interesting subject. Discussion of this subject allows us to get to the bottom of why this uncomfortable subject is an appealing kink to many. That's a legitimate subject.

The OP's comment to another poster in the thread, however, was inappropriate and rightly deleted. In my opinion, the Site should shut down personal insults and attacks immediately. Doing so in no way impairs people's ability to engage in a debate on the merits.

But why should a post like that cause a thread to be closed down? Some of these discussions are interesting and worthwhile.

Maybe in the hope that people would step back, take a deep breath, and calm down?
After all, nothing is stopping the ones who want to continue the debate from starting another thread, with hopefully less baggage.

 

[MillieDynamite]

The Native Americans suffered from changes in attitude toward them every 4 to 8 years. Coinciding with the changes in the White House, attitudes in Congress followed, as did the rest of the country. Assimilate, destroy, move them (against their will), put them on reservations, eliminate, negotiate, destroy their food supply, and herd them to reservations. Reeducate them, take away their way of life. So on, so forth.

It's hard for people to be reminded of what terrible things their race, sex, group, etc. is capable of.
Last July 4th, I was at a get-together with neighbors, and a woman began spouting about how wonderful it was for America to fight for their freedom and create a country based on it. I remarked off-handedly that it would have been even better if they could have done it without enslaving millions of Africans and committing the worst mass genocide of a native people, in the history of our planet. I'm fairly certain I won't be invited back next year. I kinda killed the festive mood.

 

[AchtungNight]

Alterations are on the second floor. Refits, rearrangements, and redux are on the third floor. And there are other sites you can post on.

Also, disturbing experience I’d rather not revisit. Let’s just say my primary imaginary friend at the time (a pansexual Angel elephant) became a South African apartheid survivor at around the same time to help me relate to him and move on.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I don't mean to tell you the way to recovery. But talking about it, writing about it, and expressing my anger was what helped me put it behind me.

Also, disturbing experience I’d rather not revisit. Let’s just say my primary imaginary friend at the time (a pansexual Angel elephant) became a South African apartheid survivor at around the same time to help me relate to him and move on.

 

[AchtungNight]

I don't mean to tell you the way to recovery. But talking about it, writing about it, and expressing my anger was what helped me put it behind me.

Yeah, same here. I’ve done that too. Probably the same reason I had a young actress I admire use taekwondo to take down a groper in one of my early stories. Someone needs to cast this actress in more action roles! (If anyone cares, you can see the actress in action in HBO’s Westworld or the earlier written Rendezvous Ch. 5 from me- how Hollywood disregarded someone earning a taekwondo black belt as a teenager and cast her in shock sex dramas and comedies instead I do not know).

 

[jaF0]

I would like the site owners or their designated forum moderators do a much better job of making clear to us the rules for regulating threads and when they decide to shut them down.

I agree fully with this as a basis for eliminating someone's post to a thread:


But this rule is not applied clearly or fairly or evenly.

The OP's comment to another poster in the thread, however, was inappropriate and rightly deleted. In my opinion, the Site should shut down personal insults and attacks immediately. Doing so in no way impairs people's ability to engage in a debate on the merits.

But why should a post like that cause a thread to be closed down? Some of these discussions are interesting and worthwhile.

There is a line between public information/education/thread calming and Public Flogging. I prefer to post a general caution or quietly nuke a post or thread than to call out a specific post or member.

Not sure which thread they came from, but I can see several posts that were moved from a thread here and they're quite nasty and worthy of action.


As far as shutting stuff down quickly, remember, we do eat, sleep and take potty breaks. I have much less of a life than others and tend to spend quite a bit of time here, but even I can't actively monitor every thread and post on my boards. I kind of wish Laurel would expand our roles and coverage, but she seems to prefer no more than one per board in most cases.

 

[SimonDoom]

Maybe in the hope that people would step back, take a deep breath, and calm down?
After all, nothing is stopping the ones who want to continue the debate from starting another thread, with hopefully less baggage.

You might be right about this. But this is my thought about it, and I hope the site/moderators are reading. There's a problem with shutting down an entire thread because one or two people in that thread cannot control themselves. The solution is to shut THEM down. Make it clear that personal attacks are not allowed. When a thread on a worthwhile subject is shut down because of a few bad actors, it sends a chilling message to those who aren't bad actors: talk about these subjects at your peril. That's a bad message for a site that prides itself on dedication to free speech.

 

[Bamagan]

You might be right about this. But this is my thought about it, and I hope the site/moderators are reading. There's a problem with shutting down an entire thread because one or two people in that thread cannot control themselves. The solution is to shut THEM down. Make it clear that personal attacks are not allowed. When a thread on a worthwhile subject is shut down because of a few bad actors, it sends a chilling message to those who aren't bad actors: talk about these subjects at your peril. That's a bad message for a site that prides itself on dedication to free speech.

I can only speak for myself, but I do not feel imperiled, chilled, or anything similar at a thread being locked from further comments. The majority of the thread is still there for viewing, so it's not like anything is being hidden, aside from the comments that got deleted. Possibly some of those were questionably removed, I can't make judgments on the content I didn't see, so I can't speak to the fairness of everything, but I know several of the things that are gone were justifiably scrubbed. So yeah, I don't feel very worried, but maybe I'm an outlier. Wouldn't be the first time!

 

[AH_Mod]

You might be right about this. But this is my thought about it, and I hope the site/moderators are reading. There's a problem with shutting down an entire thread because one or two people in that thread cannot control themselves. The solution is to shut THEM down. Make it clear that personal attacks are not allowed. When a thread on a worthwhile subject is shut down because of a few bad actors, it sends a chilling message to those who aren't bad actors: talk about these subjects at your peril. That's a bad message for a site that prides itself on dedication to free speech.

I have no faith that removing the disruptive posts every couple of hours would have remedied the situation. I believe the existing evidence that deleted posts failed to serve as a deterrent makes it clear that the thread would have been a problem for its entire life.

There comes a point where any value a thread has is lost beneath the constant back and forth of a couple of members, and that thread had reached the point of no return. There was no hope of bringing the thread back to subject and having it continue, as the narrow focus of the thread was the heart of the disruptive argument.

 

[Duleigh]

I wrote about my real rape in a forum on another site and was told I was fear-mongering. Most women never experience rape or sexual abuse, and making them afraid it would happen to them wasn't productive. Take a guess what sex the person with that attitude was.

I would love to have a chat with whomever wrote that, I'd love to drive home the destruction it did to my marriage with a ball peen hammer.

 

[lovecraft68]

I'm impressed this thread is still open.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

I have no faith that removing the disruptive posts every couple of hours would have remedied the situation. I believe the existing evidence that deleted posts failed to serve as a deterrent makes it clear that the thread would have been a problem for its entire life.

There comes a point where any value a thread has is lost beneath the constant back and forth of a couple of members, and that thread had reached the point of no return. There was no hope of bringing the thread back to subject and having it continue, as the narrow focus of the thread was the heart of the disruptive argument.

This is a very arbitrary statement. You couldn't have possibly known how the thread would have progressed further. As far as I have seen, only two members were insulting each other and bickering, and the rest of us were discussing an important issue. You can say we were going in circles as is often the case, but still, I don't think it is your job to stop our discussion if you get an impression that it is going nowhere.
Imagine the following situation: A couple of trolls invade every thread and start insulting each other and then you close every thread using the same logic that was utilized here. If you wield your moderator hammer without subtlety it solves some problems but it also creates a whole bunch of new ones.

 

[jaF0]

I don't think it is your job to stop our discussion if you get an impression that it is going nowhere.

In fact, it is.

Again, some of us aren't here all day, every day, so closing a thread before it gets out of hand is sometimes the better option.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

In fact, it is.

Again, some of us aren't here all day, every day, so closing a thread before it gets out of hand is sometimes the better option.

I disagree. The rulebreakers can be dealt with without nuking the valid discussion.

 

[jaF0]

There are steps involved in editing or moving posts and resolving reports. One, two, three posts may not be so bad. Twenty or thirty can be more involved if sending notices or cautions are added. And that can mean the need to more closely monitor a thread for additional issues.

Locking a thread is one or two steps.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

There are steps involved in editing or moving posts and resolving reports. One, two, three posts may not be so bad. Twenty or thirty can be more involved if sending notices or cautions are added. And that can mean the need to more closely monitor a thread for additional issues.

Locking a thread is one or two steps.

Well I certainly appreciate the fact that the moderator position is a volunteer gig but it's quite a shame that valid open discussion loses out to sheer convenience.

 

[MillieDynamite]

He got his ass banned from the site, but like any good troll, reappeared with a different handle

I would love to have a chat with whomever wrote that, I'd love to drive home the destruction it did to my marriage with a ball peen hammer.

.

 

[AchtungNight]

He got his ass banned from the site, but like any good troll, reappeared with a different handle


.

I recommend you watch the movie Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, it gives excellent insights on dealing with internet trolls.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I recommend you watch the movie Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, it gives excellent insights on dealing with internet trolls.

I guess I’m an honorary Jersey Girl, but loved Kevin Smith even when back home. Dogma is my favorite. A big influence on Over the Shoulder.

All you motherfuckers are gonna pay. You are the ones who are the ball-lickers. We're gonna fuck your mothers while you watch and cry like little bitches. Once we get to Hollywood and find those Miramax fucks who are making that movie, we're gonna make 'em eat our shit, then shit out our shit, then eat their shit, which is made up of our shit that we made 'em eat. Then you're all you motherfuckers are next. Love, Jay and Silent Bob.

Em

 

[AchtungNight]

I love the film Dogma too. As any viewer of my fanfic of similar themes featuring cameos from Dogma (Counseling, Passion 4) should know.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I love the film Dogma too. As any viewer of my fanfic of similar themes featuring cameos from Dogma (Counseling, Passion 4) should know.

Serendipity .

Em

 

[MillieDynamite]

I recommend you watch the movie Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, it gives excellent insights on dealing with internet trolls.

Mr. Hammel, why do they call you cock-knocker?

 

[AchtungNight]

Regarding those internet critics, you aren’t going to stop them. At least not short of showing up at all their houses and beating the crap out of them.

You know, the money we’re making from our movie can buy a lot of private investigators and plane tickets….

How many people want to kick some ass?

 

[MillieDynamite]

Been there, done that, avoided prison, but only just.

Regarding those internet critics, you aren’t going to stop them. At least not short of showing up at all their houses and beating the crap out of them.

You know, the money we’re making from our movie can buy a lot of private investigators and plane tickets….

How many people want to kick some ass?