Freedom of speech

[imasinker]

Flame me but!....I think it best to have it stopped, It was only going to continue as rants and attacks and was doing nothing to help anyone. the only thing it was going to prove is that there are sick demented people in the world, and we already know that, just turn on the T.V. Same reason I got into scuba and come here....to get away from that!

 

[Puffer Fish]

Maybe the mods were afraid one of y'all would run outta air and get knifed ... :shocked2:

Shouldn't this be in the Whine and Cheeze forum?

(Personally I think that bit about the knife was a troll anyway ...)

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Yes it should... and hopefully will be.

 

[jeckyll]

What this country needs is more free speech worth listening to.
- Hansell B. Duckett

I'm a mod on a different board, once those threads go a certain way there no use to letting them go on.

For more read:

Charles' Rules of Argument - The Fishbowl

 

[redrover]

Why is my outrage/indignation considered more offensive than the original premise of the OP - that if an OOA diver grabs his primary that he is within his right to respond by using a knife on that person. This seems perverse to me.

I wish I knew what you did say. What is left of OOA question. Who is teaching to give your main unit? - ScubaBoard is quite benign, rather silly I think (on someoneÃÔ part.)
Maybe it was personal, ya outta see how this one ran. Would you dive with someone who wouldn't share air if you were OOA? - ScubaBoard
Not recalling any one getting pulled or banned. Maybe just a guess I have seen one person hit the report button (far too easily riled IMO) and sometimes the whole thread was dammed as out of control. Censorship is a judgment call on someoneÃÔ part.
Personally I dislike censorship. Freedom of speech offers the opportunity to know more about a person - what they are willing to put forth publicly. I wonder if we could have talked to OP into moving that thread into the Pub. I learned some truly disturbing things about people there during the election. Most I would have never considered them capable of.
And too, IMO there are people suffering from inadequate sense of humor, I pity them.

 

[Reg Braithwaite]

A monk and his novice were walking through the forest. They come to a stream. On the bank there was a beautifully dressed woman, crying. The monks asked her what was the matter. "I am on my way to a wedding. I have to cross the stream to get there, but the bridge has been washed away. I was searching for a place to cross where I wouldn't ruin the dress, but I can't find one and if I don't make it across soon, I will be late."

Without a word, the elder monk scooped her into his arms, waded across the stream, and deposited her on the other side. Ignoring her thanks, he waded back and the two monks resume their walk. They continued on their journey, but the younger monk was agitated and obviously had something on his mind. The elder monk stopped and asked him what was the matter.

"Elder, I am confused. Our vows prohibit us from fleshly contact with women, yet you embraced that woman in your arms. How can this be?" The elder monk eyed his novice with kindly concern. "Novice," he asked, "I left her on the bank of the stream. Why do you still carry her?"

 

[El Orans]

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[Guba]

I vaguely remember the thread. I also remember that I stopped reading it somewhere about page three or four. By that time I pretty well had the gist of the thread and could see where it was heading, so I did what I do with my TV all the time...I got out of the thread and "changed the channel". Life is too short to sit and watch folks whack and thwack each other verbally. While clever barbs and humurous tweaks are often fun, "bashing" and "flaming" has all the subtility and entertainment value as hogs rooting for grubs (at least for me). We see enough of that type of drivel in other media, and that's why I come to this boar--for a breath of fresh air and to learn a few things as well. I, for one, appreciate the efforts to keep the environment friendly and productive and...for better or worse...free of the nastiness that is pervasive in many segments of society.
Just an opinion...but then, aren't pretty much all the posts in this forum just that?

 

[The Chairman]

Whilst respecting the terms of this forum, I find it amazing that 'flames' can be considered more offensive than the original highly offensive premise.

As TS&M has stated... attack the idea all you want, just not the person with the idea.

What then, is freedom of speech? Is it free speech when the neighborhood bully is screaming at you so LOUDLY that you can not make your point? Is it truly censorship to quiet the bully so others can speak? I am sure the bully surely thinks so! The others are simply grateful to hear others for once. Sometimes, it's not just one bully, but a crowd.

To be frank, I never saw the thread in question or even the reports that were made about it. I certainly don't need to.

ScubaBoard is a place where we want EVERYONE to be able to come and express their questions, their fears and even their opinions. When personal attacks are leveled, it stops the flow of ideas. While YOU may think in terms of winning a debate, this is a discussion forum. There is no need to "win", even though our egos often make us feel that need.

FWIW, there are two and only two ideas which we will expunge if they are ever mentioned here on www.ScubaBoard.com:
Advocating the learning of Scuba without an instructor.
Advocating the learning of penetrating an overhead environment without an instructor.

That's it. Everything else is open for civil discussion and even a bit of debate.

Now, if you EVER think that a Board Guide, Moderator, Advisor or any other staff member has overstepped their boundaries, then PLEASE either PM or E-Mail me. You can use either NetDoc@ScubaBoard.com or Abuse@ScubaBoard.com as you see fit. I take criticisms to heart and make a conscientious effort to resolve issues as they arise.

You can also see, that unlike MOST forums, we aren't nearly as sensitive about you dissing ScubaBoard. We allow complaints about the moderation and the staff in general to stay. We feel pretty good about our track record here. HOWEVER, the only staff member that you can attack publicly is me! I am not inviting it, but I won't stand for having individual staffers, who do this on a volunteer basis, to be castigated because you feel that they have somehow wronged you by their pruning. No, that shouldn't stop you from questioning a decision in the proper forum, or even expressing your anger. I only ask that you respect those who spend time trying to make this a wonderful place!

 

[scubagoldmc]

I don't post often but I read a lot. I read the thread in question in its entirety. It was a terrible thread, I agree.

I don't understand John being banned from it. I think it would have been more appropriate if his language was not acceptable to ask him to edit his post. If he was unwilling to do this then fine remove them and ban him from posting in the thread. I don't see this as what happened.

I respect Rick a lot as I do a large number of posters and moderators or scubaboard.

Rick, could you please explain your rational.

Thanks,

Mike

Edit: If he wasn't singled out and it was just closed then it is a different matter.

 

[InTheDrink]

I have apologised to Psychobabbage for using personal insults rather than ideas to persuade him that his plan was both flawed and highly unacceptable. I have also advised him that he has a moral duty to advise any divers he is with that in an OOA situation that he could decide to pursue to the course of action he discussed. That way perhaps they could stay well away from him. So I hope I have made up for my infantile behaviour.

I would still maintain however, that discussing potentially knifing someone whilst at the same time making an embarrassing picture of yourself publicly available mitigates my actions. It was just too funny. That combined with the wine... well, the perfect storm etc...

Thanks y'all. I know I didn't do much to further the progress of the human race in my posts. I let the offensiveness of the premise get in the way of my better judgement. Guess I just didn't realise there were people out there, even from Texas , that would think such things never mind openly admit them. Here's to hoping he learns. And works on his portrait portfolio