BB CENSORSHIP - OPEN DEBATE

[Deleted User]

For those unaware, I deleted my own post thread late Wed. night which took out all posts under my topic. I recieved some heat for that under "censorship?" by B.O.E., because it removed a member's posts that were contrary to mine. I've have explained part of the reason it was removed under B.O.E.'s post....because my thread had turned to a counter-productive personal affront, distractive to the original intent of the thread. Since I have now recieved some additional e-mail opposing any form of censorship I will now add another very BIG reason that the posts were removed; and then open up the BB censorship policies for debate under this thread to get a good slice of member opinion.- The unmentioned additional reason for the removal was that the person who affronted me also had a sensative (due to the rally timing) and uncalled for derogatory comment about a well known Native American who has been in the news many times in past years for breaking fish netting laws in protest. I won't mention the Indain's name but the person's quote within the thread that I removed was ".........and he's not 'so happy' and is likely to scalp any of you that get near his property or their netting activity". Very uncalled for and not good if the Indians that will be near our rally have access to the net. Let it be known to Native Americans that the sentence DID NOT reflect the views of the majority of this BB's members. Most of us do not have a problem with Indian take of some of this year's abundance. Our rally will be to express that the sportfishermen have not gotten any consideration for a fair share or even a small quota of these fish, and that we deserve a Col. mainstem quota NOW and for next year's even bigger run. --- Back to the issue of BB censorship. Reread the the standardized BB format and policy statements to see that the BB Administrator (Jennie) and the BB Moderator (RT-me) reserve the right to delete any post deamed out of line with the intended purpose of this BB format or any post that is overly derogatory or confrontational. We had a lot of that type of stuff on the old DB and some of it got deleted. I don't recall any complaints about their removal; only compaints about some people's rude demeanor in occassional posts. So I will state that I am personally against blatant censorship unless there is due cause for it. That is unlikely to happen often but will have to be dealt with on an individual case judgement. So please post your reply opinions within this thread conerning this subject and how you would like to see things handled on this BB. Thanks, RT "Board ****" (jk) http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif .

[Deleted User]

I see this post thread as being about board policies so I will say something about the rally in other posts. I agree that you should not delete posts unless they are really offensive. Maybe even leave those up for a day before deleting them. Some people get angry and can ruin their own mesage affectivness so give them a short chance anyway then delete the offensive stuff. My .02 ,,,, HEY Dogfishboy as I said I only think offensive stuff should be removed but you are way overblowing it by harangin RT over something that not such a big deal! Lighten up! He had decent reasons for deleting his thread. He has done a very great job for free for all of us and you shoud appreciate it.

[This message has been edited by Instigator (edited 05-12-2000).]

[Deleted User]

DFB- Good to debate. OK for rebutal? - Yesterday B.O.E., Mike H, & you were openly critical of me for deleting my post thread, not knowing the reasons why I did. Later yesterday and here in this thread you have found out legitimate reasons why it was done. The reasons may be debatable - I think they were justifiable - but I must say that I am suprised that those reasonable reasons have left you so bothered! You seem to want to hold me to awefully high standards. As I once told another reader; if being a BB moderator ever means I can't be myself.....I'll quote Ricky Nelson in his "Garden Party" song.....then "I'd rather drive a truck.- But it's alright now. I've learned my lesson well. You see, you can't please everyone so you've got to please yourself". - Keep the opinions coming. ---EDIT: I recieved an e-mail from David (dogfishboy) this morning (5/15) stating that he deleted his posts under this thread because he said he didn't intend to berate; and now prefered e-mail communication for such things. Thank you David- that leaves me feeling better. Take care, Steve

[This message has been edited by RT (edited 05-12-2000).]

[This message has been edited by RT (edited 05-15-2000).]

[Bait O' Eggs]

The bulletin Board is a wonderful tool we all learn from, teach others, post opinions and vent. I may speak a blue streak in certain situations, but if it hits the BB in print it should be removed. We have ladies and those that dont appreciate it, reading the BB. We all should refrain from cursing etc... in certain situations. My wife enjoys reading the post but would be very offended and turned off if 4 letter words appeared. Censorship on the BB should be reserved to Jen and RT. If anything foul appears I trust they will remove it, and quickly. The deletion of a post because you may not agree with the opinion is wrong. You must live with it, we all have opinions. With everybody who starts a thread retaining the ability to erase the thread it is not a good idea, because somebody will erase in the future because they are being disagreed with. It would be a shame to get a good debate going and lose the strand because somebody felt like they were being attacked. This may sound like a slight conflict to my original jab at our (****) Moderator which started all this conflict. It never occured to me when I started jabbing, the string I wanted to re-read deteriorated. I just wanted to reread what was removed, for what appeared at the time to be for no reason. What I thought was a childish way to end an arguement was actually a pi**ing match going nowhere. Wish I had seen all of it. (kind of like how 2 shad crossed The Dalles Dam while 1 shad crossed Bonneville, The solution to the problem is not as it may seem). Censorship is not a good thing. I think Jen needs to change the erasure policy to limit those who can delete. Have fun at your rally, I cannot make it.

[Osprey]

BOTTOM LINE IS IF YOU POST IT YOU CAN DELETE IT!!!Personal attacks are not nessasary or name droping in a negative manner.I beleive the protest is well founed as long as it does not turn negitive or racial.It's about our rights and return on or license fees and such,I do not beleive in censorship as long as we keep to the content hand in there Hitler http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif

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Row quietly and fish a Cataraft !!
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[This message has been edited by Osprey (edited 05-12-2000).]

[Osprey]

RT ,as moderator you have the control and the power.....and the problems basicly damned if you do... Damned if you don't,you can't win Good Luck Mike http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif

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Row quietly and fish a Cataraft !!
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[dawhunt]

I joined this post to learn more and maybe share what little,I know about fishing as fishing is a constant learning exp.I don't think its right to berate someone who thought he was doing the right thing,I also don't believe that the reason for this board is to be calling anyone names or be derogatory towards there race.We have a real proplem faceing us and thats the right we have to fish.If we don't start pulling together and quit getting in each others face over differant opinions and beliefs we'll all be sitting around doing yard work and honey does for the rest of our lifes,while the gillnetters and the indians get to fish.I don't know any of you people,I did meet RT and JEN. at the rally.I find it hard to believe he deleted that post just to p-- you off if it is his job to be moderator
then he has to make decisions that will affect us ,so the best think to do is keep the foul talk,and berating of races down.Lets talk fishing and what we can do to try and keep what little rights we have not lose anymore.I'm retireing in two years ,I didn't work for 37 years to sit around and do yard work and honeydos,I don't want to have to go to alaska or canada to catch a fish.I never said I could spell so if my long winded post has spelling and other errs. I would apoligise if I knew how to spell it.I mean no offense to anyone in writeing this.LETS FISH http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif

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Bob Dawson

[This message has been edited by dawhunt (edited 05-15-2000).]

[happybrew]

RT: Don't let anything get you down. You are a good moderator. But as a moderator, you must moderate, and not everyone is going to like that. In my line of work, I have to sometimes lay down the law to an employee, and tell them things that they don't want to hear. I do it for the good of the company. I need to protect the company's finances and reputation, and the rights of customers and other employees. I can't let any one person threaten that because they feel like being a dork. You're simply doing that here. You need to protect the reputation of the BB. Racist postings therefore have no business here. Heaven forbid that one of my employees would talk like that to customers. I would fire the person on the spot. You also need to protect the sensibilities of the majority of people on this BB. You have done that. In the restaurant business, if I let a customer get out of line and make an ass of himself, it's bad for business. Therefore, I can't allow customers to engage in disruptive behavior. They will drive away all the good customers, and all I will have left will be disruptive ones, and the restaurant will go out of business. So on occasion I have to give a customer the boot. I totally agree with you. You exercise good judgement, and your motives are ethical. Keep up the good work.

happybrew