Posted by mair on November 8, 2004, at 17:49:17
In reply to Re: Dr. Bob, you consider this thread civil? » gardenergirl, posted by Dinah on November 8, 2004, at 15:54:31
I always concern myself with how people wandering onto this site might react to what they read.
Bear in mind that all the political handwringing and bantering is being conducted by the people who's candidate(s) LOST. We're the minority; we've essentially been declared irrelevant by the press, and the rest of the country. I'm upset because I see my way of life being threatened in a pretty substantial way. Everything I read about the glee with which Christian advocacy groups are viewing the possibility of 3 or 4 Supreme Court appointments scares me to death. I could accept losing tons easier if I had a centrist president. But we don't; we have a fiercely partisan president which is why we seem to be such a fiercely divided country, and which is why you do see so much handwringing.
I know all this cuts 2 ways and I appreciate the extent to which you've attempted to understand the views of those of us who are upset, and I particularly appreciate the care you've taken to try to explain to us a different way of looking at things. It displays nothing but an abundance of intelligence and tact, both traits that seem to have deserted me.
However (and I guess this is really my point) I think wanderers to this site are far more likely to get totally befuddled and turned off by the unrelenting discussions on the Admin Board about the fine line permutations of civility, and about the overly involved attempts to come up with pointless rules which in my view (and only in mine) have very little to do with common sense and consideration for others and everything to do with trying to accommodate one poster's unique way of engaging with other posters.
I call it rule by ambush. Many otherwise very responsible and caring people don't have a clue that they've violated a rule until they've been issued a PBC. And our Moderator seems to have absolutely no clue how devastating it can be to be told that you've acted in an uncivil manner or, as Nikki noted, to have your post brought to the attention of the Moderator so every word can be parsed for an unintended meaning which might offend another.
Mair
poster:mair
thread:412235
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20041027/msgs/413433.html