single divers

[CuriousMe]

NetDoc once bubbled...
since we haven't approved a "Married Scuba" forum we obviously don't want them either... right? All you married and single divers need to leave cuz we obviously don't want any of you! Hmnnnnnn, there seems to be a flaw in your reasoning Walter.

So with no ethnically based forums are we asking all of the minorities to leave? I don't think so.

Does the lack of any religious (or even anti-religious) forums mean we don't want them either? Lets hope not! Somehow it seems that not having a forum is not an automatic invitation to leave. It's not even a subtle desire for you to find somewhere else to go.

You are drawing a line in the sand that does not need to be drawn. I can only fathom that your motive is to force the issue. That is not nice and even worse it is counter productive. You are assigning motives and feelings to us that are simply not there. In fact, ALL singles (including Walter) are as welcome as they were before the issue of a single's forum came up. Nothing has changed except the way some people want to define the issues.

People will still be using the regionally based club forums to meet whether there is a single's forum or not, and people will still find their special mate with or without it's existence.

FWIW, I will not be on line at 5:00pm to see the final vote as I have a previous engagement. While it is close, it does not appear that the forum will be approved. If the final outcome changes I will post that here as well, and probably move it to the new forum.

Sincerely...

Respectfully, your point about the other groups would have more weight if those groups had actually heavily lobbied for a separate area on the board as singles have. Obviously, I'm not a moderator and don't know all the requests that come in....but I don't think that any other group (even DIR folks) have been as vocal or drummed up as much support as the singles have for their own space. And really that's what it boils down to, a part of the community looking for their own virtual space.

We obviously don't need a separate forum for every split in the community, but you have set the precedent for sub-groups of the community. We do have a women's forum....we don't have men's forum. I don't think there's a big call for one, and I don't think it sends a message of unwelcome to the men of the board....primarily because men have not been requesting such a thing (aside from the random one off in reaction to the fact that there is a women's forum). You have a women's forum even though not everyone that participates in that forum is a woman. You don't try to regulate who posts....it's just known (through the board structure and patient moderators) that this is a place to discuss things that effect women while diving. To the best of my knowledge, that’s all the singles were looking for.

I'm sorry that the leadership of SCUBAboard doesn't understand how not granting this request can come across to the large singles community on the board. I don't think anyone's trying to assign motives and feelings to the leadership, at the same time...I'm sure that the leadership doesn’t mean to tell me my feelings are wrong. Actions do create reactions....my reaction to this is to wonder how much the singles community can be valued, if the leadership can't see it's way clear to agree with this very vocal request.

I do agree that all singles are as welcome as they ever were on this "family" board...just wondering what that original welcome was.

I don't have an agenda here; I'm just a lowly member. I've have moderated other boards in the past and fully understand that the owners of this board can do what ever they choose. The only times I've gotten involved with non-diving discussions....it's been to come to the defense of the leadership of the board. I'm not saying I'm going to walk away from the board....but it does definitely change how I view it. Like many have said, this board is a community (which I believe is what you've been striving for)....to discount the feelings of a large part of the community does have a message...whether it's the one you intended or not.

Peace,
Cathie

 

[bwerb]

This entire thread reads like a bad soap opera...but it's kinda like a car crash...I just had to look.

It seems to me that the backroom democracy of the site management spent a great deal of time discussing and debating the merits and or concerns with the creation of a new forum and then held a vote. Since I'm not privy to the discussion, nor do I need to be but I am rather adept at reading between the lines and have experience in board management elsewhere, I'd take it that both sides of the discussion were heard and all sides were taken into consideration, then a vote was held, majority rules. Now that the decision has been made why do some of you keep ranting? You can't always get what you want but as part of the community you can either respect the decision (regardless of personal feelings) or you can remove yourself from the community.

I also seriously don't understand the line of reasoning that if a "singles forum" is not created a group of people suddenly feel unwelcome. Huh? There is a cool feature called private messaging and another neat option of putting whatever you want as your signature...use them.

If you feel so strongly that you are suddenly not welcome here then start your own site if you don't like the other available options.

I just seems like a pointless waste of bandwidth to beat a dead horse on a democratically arrived at decision.

 

[Walter]

Sorry Jeff, but I did NOT reveal your vote.

 

[Walter]

It wasn't arrived at democratically. This board isn't a democracy and isn't run like one.

 

[MikeFerrara]

I think each who voted had their own reasons for how they voted. Like any other issues, some concerns are shared and others debated. While the board members aren't represented by people they elected, they have far more voice than if a single board owner just did what they wanted.

Most other boards don't give you any say and don't ask for opinions. IMO, it's a pretty impressive process by a pretty impressive group of people.

 

[Wreck Wench]

Spectre once bubbled...
Ok. Let me ask a few more questions then.....

Spectre...I have no problems with answering these questions however I answered the last question you asked me so I'd really like for you to answer my question now....why was the singles forum as well as the NDI club request turned down?

 

[bwerb]

Walter once bubbled...
It wasn't arrived at democratically. This board isn't a democracy and isn't run like one.

Let me get this straight...a VOTE is held by the moderators, majority rules and that isn't democracy?

The board is not a democracy but...the leadership made a decision by democratic vote of their membership.

We can argue all night about representative democracy etc. but that isn't my point. What I'm saying is that last time I checked on the cool button showing all the moderators...there were quite a few of them of various ages, marital status, country of origin, socio-economic status etc. A very good cross-section of people who for the most part have been shown to be rather level headed and beyond explosive outbursts of emotion. Sure there are exceptions to every rule but again, that's not my point. The mods of this board are the "management" and certainly don't speak with one voice as a dictatorship. Knowing several of the mods personally I can attest to their openness to discuss issues and come to reasonable conclusions prior to making decisions. If the group of mods had a vote based on what they thought was best for the board overall, I have no problem supporting them and the process they used to come-by their decisions.

 

[chrpai]

Uncle Pug once bubbled...
There is at present a singles community on Scuba Board already though without a specific forum just as there are other communities (such as DIR) without their own forums.

First I'd like to say I wish there was a DIR forum so they would all leave the rest of us alone.

Second, what harm could creating another forum really do? I think this one is being over anaylized by people who think they are more important then they really are.

 

[Spectre]

Wreck Wench once bubbled...
Spectre...I have no problems with answering these questions however I answered the last question you asked me so I'd really like for you to answer my question now....why was the singles forum as well as the NDI club request turned down?

The NDI club request was turned down specifically because the NDI clubs are geographically based, and are attempted to be of a geographic size that it is reasonable for participation in the club to meet conveniently for dives, and other social gatherings.

The reason the singles forum was turned down was specifically because a vote was held, the majority voted against it. The reasons for each moderators vote is their own, and not necessarily even voiced to the others. I will tell you that the discussion preceeding the vote consisted of well over 100 posts, of which I don't feel the need, or the right, to outline to the general public.

BTW: I've got some other questions on the table now.

 

[Mo2vation]

chrpai once bubbled...


First I'd like to say I wish there was a DIR forum so they would all leave the rest of us alone.

...sometimes I feel the same way...

You funny guy.

k