Troubling times and a decline in civility
Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2013 5:43 pm
To say that we’re living in troubling times would be a gross understatement. Hardly a week goes by without some revelation about the Obama administration’s thumbing its nose at the constitution and Americans’ civil rights, or blatantly lying about events. Couple that with the irrational hate-mongering response to the Zimmerman verdict by racists such as Al Sharpton, Eric Holder, and Houston’s own convicted felon Quanell X, and the stage is set for the posting of emotionally charged threads on various topics on the Forum. In some cases, the response to these issues is as troubling as the issue itself. It is understandable that Americans are operating at a higher stress level than we have seen in decades and Forum Members are no exception. Nevertheless, it is troubling that there seems to be a general decline in civility among some of our Members. While it remains rare that posts are violating Forum rules against personal attacks, many are coming very close and their overall tenor is insulting and antagonistic.
While some of our Members making such posts are relatively new, many have been part of the Forum family for years. This needs to stop. The fact that emotions are understandably running high on many issues is not justification for diminishing and ultimately destroying the community atmosphere that has existed on the forum for over eight and one half years. The Moderators have been discussing this issue for some time now and we are in agreement that a problem exists. Rather than attempt remedial action, the consensus is that we should bring this issue to our Members and ask those are making posts that are less then statesmanlike to tone it down.
While we’re making this heartfelt plea, I want to be perfectly candid and I’ll start with a confession. I have had to delete two of my own post in the last week because I found myself responding in kind. While I did not violate the black letter rules of the Forum, I certainly violated the spirit of the rules. Since neither I nor any of the Moderators are above the Forum rules, you can be assured that no Member is either. It is abundantly clear that some members have joined solely to be antagonistic, insulting and either start or transform threads into a hate-filled diatribes on any number of subjects. To those who fit this description, leave now; your antics will no longer be tolerated.
LEO threads: Forum Rule 9 prohibits blatant COP-bashing, but it does allow discussions of specific events. Until recently, this rule seems to have worked quite well. Unfortunately, there is a trend developing that is troublesome. Threads are being created concerning events involving law enforcement officers from other states. Some of these threads serve little if any legitimate discussion purposes and appear to have been posted solely to tarnish law enforcement personnel in general. These threads invariably invite one or more posts that are in violation of Rule 9. Equally troubling are the responses from a very few members who are obviously in law enforcement and who always take the officer’s side of any event either with insufficient evidence to make a decision one way the other, or in spite of evidence making it clear that the officer’s conduct was inappropriate or unlawful. Such responses are transparent on their face, but more importantly they tend to escalate the rhetoric in the threads in which they are posted.
There’s no particular desire to prohibit or limit discussion of interaction with various law enforcement personnel, as these discussions have tremendous educational value. However, if there’s not a marked change in the type of threads that are being started and the tenor of the discussions they generate, then something will change in the future. Already under consideration is a rule change that will limit such threads to Texas law enforcement personnel, but such a change will be a last resort. Please do your part in not letting us reach that point.
Please consider the points raised in this post and help us maintain the sense of community that you our Members have created over the last 8+ years. Remember, if the thrust of your post is targeting a Member rather than the issue, then you are on thin ice.
Chas.
While some of our Members making such posts are relatively new, many have been part of the Forum family for years. This needs to stop. The fact that emotions are understandably running high on many issues is not justification for diminishing and ultimately destroying the community atmosphere that has existed on the forum for over eight and one half years. The Moderators have been discussing this issue for some time now and we are in agreement that a problem exists. Rather than attempt remedial action, the consensus is that we should bring this issue to our Members and ask those are making posts that are less then statesmanlike to tone it down.
While we’re making this heartfelt plea, I want to be perfectly candid and I’ll start with a confession. I have had to delete two of my own post in the last week because I found myself responding in kind. While I did not violate the black letter rules of the Forum, I certainly violated the spirit of the rules. Since neither I nor any of the Moderators are above the Forum rules, you can be assured that no Member is either. It is abundantly clear that some members have joined solely to be antagonistic, insulting and either start or transform threads into a hate-filled diatribes on any number of subjects. To those who fit this description, leave now; your antics will no longer be tolerated.
LEO threads: Forum Rule 9 prohibits blatant COP-bashing, but it does allow discussions of specific events. Until recently, this rule seems to have worked quite well. Unfortunately, there is a trend developing that is troublesome. Threads are being created concerning events involving law enforcement officers from other states. Some of these threads serve little if any legitimate discussion purposes and appear to have been posted solely to tarnish law enforcement personnel in general. These threads invariably invite one or more posts that are in violation of Rule 9. Equally troubling are the responses from a very few members who are obviously in law enforcement and who always take the officer’s side of any event either with insufficient evidence to make a decision one way the other, or in spite of evidence making it clear that the officer’s conduct was inappropriate or unlawful. Such responses are transparent on their face, but more importantly they tend to escalate the rhetoric in the threads in which they are posted.
There’s no particular desire to prohibit or limit discussion of interaction with various law enforcement personnel, as these discussions have tremendous educational value. However, if there’s not a marked change in the type of threads that are being started and the tenor of the discussions they generate, then something will change in the future. Already under consideration is a rule change that will limit such threads to Texas law enforcement personnel, but such a change will be a last resort. Please do your part in not letting us reach that point.
Please consider the points raised in this post and help us maintain the sense of community that you our Members have created over the last 8+ years. Remember, if the thrust of your post is targeting a Member rather than the issue, then you are on thin ice.
Chas.
