Have any of you noticed any degree of censorship when it comes to your posts? I'm not just talking about this message board at all. I am currently having a very bad experience on another message board, where my posts are removed and I am made to vanish from the remaining member's view. I ask the webmaster about it and I get silence. It appears obvious that they want me and my conservative viewpoint to leave. Yet "Open Discussions" is the category in which I participate. Just how "open" it is, is now quite debatable.

We're not talking about banning me for personal attacks or anything like that. I simply provide a strong argument for my values and my opinions and apparently the webmaster can't stand that. On that particular website there is a heavy moderator presence. They steer the discussions and tend NOT to moderate. The mods are really participants and stooges of the website.

Anyway, just curious if any of you have similar experiences, here or elsewhere?

Not complaining, just trying to understand the big picture through the world of message boards.

Thanks,

I haven't experienced this, tfire. My points of view are probably only problematic for the staunchly religious and, should I post my beliefs on a board whose members were aligned in my favor, I doubt that they would be deleted.
I have no doubt, however, that were I to post these same beliefs on a board whose members were not in tune with my beliefs, my posts would disappear.
You might think that your posts are relatively innocuous, but that might not be the persception of the board management.
Don't know what to tell you. I do know that most of your posts here rub me the wrong way because you're religiously inclined and I am not. But, I wouldn't make your posts disappear....

Don't worry, Sallie, we won't "pull a Kenny" on you here.

Chip

You're such a goof, Chip!
BTW: Have you noticed that we seem able to remain cordial, despite a huge gulf of ideology that divides us
We should run for office. We could be those people opposite those other people who still find the people who are opposite not all that bad....
Got it?
Sallie

I had many problems with move-on.org. You either lock-step with their views or get booted.
This is the only message board that I post on these days.
I have noticed there are times when posts of mine become missing on this board. Not sure if it is from user mistakes, from the server becoming overwhelmed or from some moderation.

good cop / Bad cop idea? Left politician / right politician. Might be interesting during votes. vote Yes then no, Yes then no, , Yes then no, , Yes then no. Might drive the vote taker nuts.

Could it be there is something, bigger than our respective ideologies, which unites us?

Got it. If enough of us head to midship, maybe we can keep those rabble-rousers at fore and aft from rocking the boat so much.

Chip

Sallie,

Actually I'm completely aware of how much my posts rub people with certain ideologies (and even those without them) the wrong way. But that's just the point a board/thread called "Open Discussions", isn't it? When the name of the thread is given a functional name then it stands to reason that moderators should police in accordance. But the function in this case (Openness) is what should be protected.

I have no problem with the owners and operators of a message board disliking what I have to say. But when they actually delete posts solely on that basis, then it's problematic in my mind.

The old saying goes something like: I may dislike you, and I may hate everything that comes from your mouth, but I'll die to defend your right to speak.

People in free societies are lucky and take for granted their freedoms. So when we come across certain people who exercise their private right to censor other people's words (on a privately owned website) I think we tend to be stunned. The whole concept of suppressing someone's speech is so foreign to us that we don't have the wherewithall to combat it. At least initially.

What makes you think I'm religiously inclined? My gosh, I'm not religious at all. Did you realize that? I hated church. However, I do believe in God and I do believe that religion is good for the world, in the aggregate. But I think I have been inside a church less than five times since I was 17. I'm 38 now.

Thanks Sallie

Hmmm...

Well, I realize that the concept of "lock-step" is a concern for both sides. However, in my experiences so far, it's far more prevalent coming from the Left. But that's coming from a guy who spends no time on conservative based message boards. I spend all my time with the Libs/Lefties. No point for me to hang out with people I agree with, boring.

Thanks aztekman

are you two getting married?

At 5'9" tall, I might be too short.

Chip

P.S. Already taken, too.

Moderation is the key to healthy living, and that goes for message board communities, too. When the moderators live up to their title, i.e. moderating the discussion instead of dictating it, the board stays healthy. In my experience, this board has the absolute best moderators.

There was another site I tried to participate in, where almost all of the material was a cut&paste redux from CommonDreams, MediaMatters, Truthout, PFAW, ThinkProgress, etc., with very little original thought. Any manner of twisted, vulgar reference to conservatives/Repubs was encouraged, while the slightest dissent from the right was considered hateful and disrespectful. I guess the attitude there was liberals/Dems are so entitled to their outrage that displaying respect and tolerance are optional. When the pillars of liberalism are allowed to crumble, it's rather hard to maintain balance while stumbling around the rubble.

The "world" of message boards. For far too many it is becoming their preferred existence, where the illusion of total control is only a simple click of the mouse away.

Chip

P.S. The ignore capability has obvious benefits, but on balance I'm starting to see it as a cop-out.

Board is very fair and open to letting ideas flow. That is my experience. I think the far left/right extremists hurt their parties and the country for that matter. But it is obvious too many far left has been doing a better job of hurting dem party. I have a feeling dems are in for a big suprise come election 2006. Leftist extremes get more vocal right before election time and turns off many of middle america. Just my take, like I said dem for a long time but just tired of the moore's and move on people controlling the party.

I agree with your assessment and I hope the left wakes up come 2006. Too many posters feel that the right wants to rule. Both sides want power and rule, IMO. I am not about to vote for someone, just because. I look for varying opinions and ideas. And that is probably the biggest reason I am here on this board.

I've never experienced anything like that here, and my opinions are more extremely conservative than many. In fact, I've never experienced on ANY Lefty board. Freepers, on the other hand, will render you an Orwellian unperson so fast it will make your head spin, if you ever diegn to deviate from the position of the HiveMind.

Just my personal experience .....

I am cool with the liberals keeping up with what they are doing. It's working so well for the conservatives. Their leaders have no idea where to stand on anything!! Wherever the polls blow them..... it's funny.

The republicans should not win one seat if the liberals had their wits about them and the libertarians had any money.

I've had several posts removed.
Substantive criticism of Ed is not allowed.
Apparently he, even as a public figure, is above any criticism.
Like criticizing him for promoting gold investments and at the same time denouncing privatizing, even partially, Social Security. (I posted that last night and now it's gone.)
Or seriously criticizing the Left's hitorical base -- Marxist/Leninist and trying
to find out where he would be like to be placed with the historical Left.
Some things are not allowed here -- pushing the philosophical envelope on Marxist thinking.
The self-appointed demi-gods censors on this board go way beyond simple management of civility. There's some serious viewpoint management on a supposedly open forum.
The Left regularly shows its true colors -- an inability to deal with issues straight-up. Right now I've got an Admin picking a *fight* with me.

Cheesehead

I gave you a chance to ask any of your questions directly to me and you ran. I will continue to delete your nonsense until you take advantage of the opportunity that I provided to you.

You may be right, but I have posted a number of issues about Ed's past and to my knowledge they are still up.

Ed is a salesman. It's not any more than that. He’s doing fine at it too. He’s a Bison fan as long as the check comes in. He’s a liberal for as long as his checks come in. If/ when they start to dwindle, he’ll be back to his old conservative/ Sioux (then Bison again) ways. If you don’t like that or realize that, it’s not his fault. More power to him.

Ran?
Is this board some sort of competition?
Or is it really a private forum for your own pleasure?
The first deletion came last Fall when I first started posting.
Lefties accused me of being someone else. Their lies weren't censored.
But I start criticizing the Left and it's history and philosophy --
so a whole thread gets pulled.
"... continue to delete your nonsense," you say? That's not your job in an open form. And it's why I criticize your behavior.
By your own words the term "demi-god" is apporpriate.
You should be removed from your position for such irresponsible behavior.
Or at least change your handle to Water Boy.

Cheesehead

***************************

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot
lose"
-- Jim Elliott

First rule of message boards: Don't insult the hosts.

Chip

Insult, fight, or pointless argument, never.

Criticize, certainly.
Challenge, most definitely.
Discuss rationally and reasonably, that's what I'm looking for.

Unfortunately I was challenged by the producer (of all people),
which is something to decline.
An invitation to discuss a point would be great.
I hope Holmey is willing to accept this direction.
Civility rules.

Cheesehead

You ran around the board taking little pot shots at the show, I give you a chance to ask me anything about the show, and you are asking me for civility. You are a passive aggressive sort, aren't you?

And you run again.

This is a perfect example of what Conservatives can’t stand about the Ed Schultz Show.

For years you guys have been running around saying what you want unchallenged. Up pops Progressive Talk Radio and you still think we need to play by your rules. You might be able to intimidate some other shows or boards, that ain't happening here. I will treat all of you the same way you have and will treat us. I never mind debating issues, in fact I like that more than anything on this board. When you take shots at Ed or Team Fargo, and I give you a 1 on 1 chance to hash it out, don’t run away with your tail tucked like Cheesehead has done, or you will meet his same fate. Holmey don’t play like that.

Do have a TV?!?!?!?!

That's a pretty broad brush there Holmey. I'm about as conservative as they come on most issues. I'm also a listener.

Really broad.
I'm also conservative/evangelical and listen (periodically).