Considering the "Shrill" minority...

[catdragger]

This forum has been entertaining and informative for me in the last few weeks. But I have discovered one glaring disappointment in the application of rules when it concerns those of us who take a strong stance on pro-life.

If you are feeling so “fair-minded” that you think those of us who have these religious or personal convictions are extreme and borderline crazy (as compared to liberals), then in my opinion, you are not looking at the subject in a fair light. With each member of this forum, I believe you will find an issue that is elevated in importance and unmovable (i.e., supporting the military, flag burning or the right to bear arms, etc…); when that issue is brought up, you might find people are extremely responsive and unmovable. I have not seen any of these posts regulated, nor finger-waggled in the same way.

It’s the choice of this forum’s Administrator to call the religiously pro-life advocates “shrill”, and dismiss us as extreme and detrimental to the cause of conservatism. But as I look back on some of the posts of which he (and other moderators) complain of, I see great conviction, and dedication to sharing the belief that all life is of value. I cannot dismiss my devotion to faith and personal history in order to be more agreeable in a venue intended for the sharing of conservative ideals.

The fact that people feel this strongly about pro-life should not be a reason to suppress their posts, or kick them off the forum. But since this is a privately run website, it is, of course the choice of its Administrator to take a side, and quell those he thinks are troublesome. For this reason, I cannot continue to join in the conversations here any longer. It isn’t because I give up, or I am storming off mad; but because I don’t wish to break the rules or upset the good people here that have been fair and right in every other way.

I’m posting this only to register my disappointment, and explain my absence.
May God Bless you.

[Radical Conservative]

I'm with you Catdragger
I will no longer be posting here as long as the very vocal pro-abortion minority is allowed to set the agenda of the board

[Melissa]

RC, being that you were my first Reagan board bud this news saddens me to no end. Although we have different views on some of the issues I don't think I am out of line when I say that we have a mutual respect for one another.
I hope you sleep on it and reconsider.

And if the Board Administrators or Moderators name called..perhaps they should apologize.
Losing RC is just not right.

[yephora]

Hey guys, it's one thing to have your voices stilled, it's another to still your own voices. One esteemed member didn't like something I said and posted "f*** you" to me on the board. Think I cared? Don't let name calling silence you. Think of the masses who come here to read who will take away something you said whom you might influence for good.
--------------------
"Where there are no Muslims there are no terrorist atrocities."

Have you read http://www.jtf.org this week?

[Melissa]

Originally posted by yephora:
Hey guys, it's one thing to have your voices stilled, it's another to still your own voices. One esteemed member didn't like something I said and posted "f*** you" to me on the board. Think I cared? Don't let name calling silence you. Think of the masses who come here to read who will take away something you said whom you might influence for good.

I'll drink to that!

[The Finman]

I've already stated that I consider myself pro-life, but we had a very small group of people that felt the needed to push this issue to the point where it's been causing problems.

I had preferred that this be more of a private matter, since it's become public then let me state up front that Rad removed himself and mike is simply on a temporary "time out".

We generally agree with their cause as it is ours as well, but it had come to a point that their "in your face" tactics had become as disruptive to the board as some of the trolls that we have bounced for being disruptive.

I'm genuinely very sorry that I have upset some very valuable posters here as that was not the intention...however we have a duty to try an provide as much of a disruptive free environment as possible and a very small group of posters continued posting threads that they knew would deliberately cause flame wars and while we asked those posters to tone it down, they basically thumbed their noses at our repeated requests and unfortunately if allowed to continue would set a dangerous precedent.

I would ask those that are upset to understand two things...first, I didn't take the action I did because of the actual topic of abortion, because I can tell you that I consider myself pro-life, but I can tell that the number of "alerts" we were getting because of the threads created on this topic that were basically created to cause confrontation was getting out of hand and I can tell you that most of the complaints we got were from people who also consider themselves pro-life and I will state again that it was not the subject so much as the confrontational style that had become a disruption...second, no one has been banned for their viewpoints, but one person has exiled himself because he refused to compromise on his confrontational style and another has been given a two week time out for the same reason...both are still welcome and are free to discuss the subject of abortion, but the day in day out threads posted in a disruptive manner are going to stop...I hope people can see the difference between the subject matter and the approach as it's the latter that has become the problem.

Again I'm sorry if I upset some people especially some of the people that have posted in this thread, but this didn't just come out of the blue and after asking the posters that were causing a problem to simply tone down the confrontational approach on this subject, they not only ignored the requests, but thumbed their noses at the Mods and Admins who made the requests...there was a lot more going on behind the scenes through the use of PMs that people who may be upset over the public part of what they saw or one side of the story as explained to them by one or more of those involved and I sincerely hope that those posting who are upset over this matter will understand that it did not have anything to do with the viewpoint as much as the approach.

[The Finman]

Also, I can see how the "shrill" comment could be taken to mean all those that are pro-life and it simply wasn't...and was probably a poor choice of words on my part as I have never considered any of the people who are posting in this to be "shrill"...or in any way shape or form part of the problem...if anything we consider you very valuable and thoughtful posters. I sincerely hope you will reconsider.

[TXNavy]

Its a strange world here, where some people don't realize we all share the same values

[Melissa]

Originally posted by The Finman:
I've already stated that I consider myself pro-life, but we had a very small group of people that felt the needed to push this issue to the point where it's been causing problems.

I had preferred that this be more of a private matter, since it's become public then let me state up front that Rad removed himself and mike is simply on a temporary "time out".

We generally agree with their cause as it is ours as well, but it had come to a point that their "in your face" tactics had become as disruptive to the board as some of the trolls that we have bounced for being disruptive.

I'm genuinely very sorry that I have upset some very valuable posters here as that was not the intention...however we have a duty to try an provide as much of a disruptive environment as possible and a very small group of posters continued posting threads that they knew would deliberately cause flame wars and while we asked those posters to tone it down, they basically thumbed their noses at our repeated requests and unfortunately if allowed to continue would set a dangerous precedent.

I would ask those that are upset to understand two things...first, I didn't take the action I did because of the actual topic of abortion, because I can tell you that I consider myself pro-life, but I can tell that the number of "alerts" we were getting because of the threads created on this topic that were basically created to cause confrontation was getting out of hand and I can tell you that most of the complaints we got were from people who also consider themselves pro-life and I will state again that it was not the subject so much as the confrontational style that had become a disruption...second, no one has been banned for their viewpoints, but one person has exiled himself because he refused to compromise on his confrontational style and another has been given a two week time out for the same reason...both are still welcome and are free to discuss the subject of abortion, but the day in day out threads posted in a disruptive manner are going to stop...I hope people can see the difference between the subject matter and the approach as it's the latter that has become the problem.

Again I'm sorry if I upset some people especially some of the people that have posted in this thread, but this didn't just come out of the blue and after asking the posters that were causing a problem to simply tone down the confrontational approach on this subject, they not only ignored the requests, but thumbed their noses at the Mods and Admins who made the requests...there was a lot more going on behind the scenes through the use of PMs that people who may be upset over the public part of what they saw or one side of the story as explained to them by one or more of those involved and I sincerely hope that those posting who are upset over this matter will understand that it did not have anything to do with the viewpoint as much as the approach.

Finman, do you know what a mensch (rhymes with bench) is? If not, please allow me to explain.

A person having admirable characteristics, such as fortitude and firmness of purpose is a mensch.

You Finman, are a mensch.

Thank you so much for posting this. It is quite obvious to me that your fundamental decency and high principles set the tone for this board.

I am proud to be a poster here. And I appreciate you having me.


Sincerely,
Melissa

[TXNavy]

Ditto