Posted on 01/04/2004 7:55:31 PM PST by Lead Moderator
Edited on 01/04/2004 8:43:28 PM PST by Lead Moderator. [history]
Hello everyone.
I've been talking to some long time Freepers via email for several weeks (one in particular). His concern was over the immigration threads and how they turn out on Free Republic.
Many times these threads turn into flame wars. There appears to be a lot of pent up hostility that various factions have developed for each other which ends up coming out, over and over, and the result is that the threads turn into a lot of crap. The moderators get hit with dozens of abuse reports over personal attacks and other silliness. Eventually, it becomes more work than is really worthwhile, and the threads get moved to the backroom so we don't have to deal with it.
This is an OK status quo when it occurs just occasionally. But when it happens frequently, it is not OK. That means that there is a problem.
So we are going to try to fix the problem.
There are sincere people on both sides of the debate who have gotten too into the battle that they are no longer being constructive. The goal will be to help them get back on track.
But we have two groups of people who are completely not sincere.
One group is those who really have no other goal other than to try to fracture conservatives and turn them on each other. One group is those who think that those most concerned with immigration are really just bigots and want to shout them down.
The good news is that both of these groups are very, very small. The bad news is that lots of people are firmly convinced that many of those who are just riled up sincere Freepers are actually part of one of these small groups. In other words, a lot of suspicion of motives has come about.
We're going to have to overcome that.
One of us tried something with a topic which had developed a similar problem, the Creation/Evolution threads. We'll give that type of approach a try for the immigration threads.
So here is what is going to happen. Starting tomorrow, when I see an immigration related thread go up, I am going to post immediately a warning that this would be a very bad thread to engage in insulting or flame baiting. When I see someone ignoring the warning, I'll address them personally telling them to knock it off.
What we need those who are serious about the issue to do is to act responsibly during this time. Engage in debate, without the insults. Post arguments, not ad hominems. Post facts, not innuendos. If you don't like someone, figure out a way to not have it get in the way of your postings. If you want to be disagreeable, do so without being needlessly disrespectful and instigative.
What will happen is, over time with this approach, those who are just trying to stir up crap, and those who are unable to help themselves, will stick out like sore thumbs and will get the axe.
And once that happens, then more direct involvement will not be needed, which I think everyone will agree is the preferred way.
So ping those who you know are interested in debating the topic to this thread, so they can see what is coming.
Thanks
I'm sure you have read some of my legion of posts on catastrophism. I read Bryson's book in one sitting and found it most interesting as it seemed to hit most all of the high spots.
The difference between things like immigration and super volcanoes, BFRs and climate catastrophes is that the latter don't require that blame be assigned and that one solution is probably as ineffectual as another.
Have I caught your interest yet?
The eruption of the Toba Super Volcano about 80,000 BCE.
Just deport all Democrats and grant amnesty to all illegal Republicans - problem solved.
The real debate is over left vs right. Lefties just can't be right, unless they're shooting with left-handed guns, then they might be right.
Yep, you should check out that left-handed gun thread -
The Left-Handed Gun
seems a little violent to me. ;>)
BUT: if the hits are high, get the hell out of the way. The people have spoken by virtue of the hits, and when you fry the post you only get hard feelings as a reward. So long as no large memory images are in the thread, you should let the battle rage. We will deal with lib disruptors and their tactics.
Trust us, we are more qualified than you with regard to what constitutes a garbage post.
Watch for threats and bad language; otherwise, sit back and enjoy.
| A theory is that another of the biggies (I don't remember which one), cut down to homo sapiens to a few thousand on the entire planet, a number at which they remained for a long time. The theory goes on as to that is why the genetics of homo sapiens are so remarkably unvariegated, indeed less variegated across the species as a whole, than one nuclear family of apes. Have I caught your interest yet?
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That seems very reasonable. I've often seen baiters just trying to end the discussion --- they often succeed.
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May I be so audacious as to offer a suggestion? When you post your warning on the threads, can you add a blurb about not taking arguments/hostilities/discussion/wise cracks/etc to unrelated threads? I am dumbfounded at the way some people work hot topics like this into threads on completely different subjects ... even onto prayer threads at times.
There are some people who either ignore or are unaware of the rule about carrying disagreements from one thread to another. A reminder at the top of potentially volatile threads might help with that situation.
Thanks.
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