A message from a webmaster re: Covid-19, politics, reporting posts

WebmasterKathy

Administrator
Administrator
Joined
Mar 9, 2002
We are trying hard to let people participate and vent and share during this crazy time, but PLEASE remember:

The mods and admins here are VOLUNTEERS.

We are also personally dealing with all the fallout of the current crisis- job loss, illness, isolation and uncertainty, financial disaster.

We want to keep the DIS a place of refuge and civil discourse, but spending every waking moment monitoring the boards and cleaning up messes really is not what we need to be doing now.

I have a great amount of respect and gratitude for our members, who have been GREAT about supporting each other and keeping most conversations respectful and safe!

PLEASE use the “report a post” link to alert us to any truly problematic, profane, attacking posts so we can take care of them. Also, please think before reporting posts that are not really problematic but that may be just something that you do not agree with.

“Political” is a very gray area right now as our government response is very entwined in all issues dealing with the virus pandemic, and we (admins and moderators) have to use a lot of personal judgement when trying to balance allowing conversation and drawing a line preventing political debate and insult. DO NOT insult other posters directly by attacking them for their views or words. Try to discuss IDEAS, not slam other posters. Don’t rage about political parties or philosophies, but mentions of what government figures may have said or done are not necessarily going to be forbidden now.

The reason we had to make politics a “no go” topic years ago is because PEOPLE WERE ATTACKING AND ARGUING. So do not do that, okay? As a team, we get accused of protecting liberal views, conservative views, any views that do not align with a specific poster’s views. The truth is that we are a collection of people with political views all over the spectrum. Just like the membership here. Share your ideas respectfully and we’ll all get through this still being friends.

And if you find your blood pressure rising and temptations to respond harshly to others here or to report LOTS of posts because you do not agree with them, take a break. Turn off the computer. Go sit out in the sunshine and listen to some happy music. Unplug for a while.
 
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Thank you for stating this so eloquently, WebmasterKathy.

Also want to thank our community that have really been trying to stay within the guidelines while posting, and to those who've been providing good information, or trying to help lift each others' spirits during this time.
 




You are making a mistake to allow some politics, but not some politics. You either do or you don't. Will not be right to issue any points or bans, since you are allowing some. Too much of a grey area.
I feel the same... as diificult as it is to monitor political posts.... to allow some “selective “ political opinion would only be a nightmare. That old slippery slope and all that.... I think the total ban on political talk works, as time consuming as it is to moderate ..
 
You are making a mistake to allow some politics, but not some politics. You either do or you don't. Will not be right to issue any points or bans, since you are allowing some. Too much of a grey area.
I feel the same... as diificult as it is to monitor political posts.... to allow some “selective “ political opinion would only be a nightmare. That old slippery slope and all that.... I think the total ban on political talk works, as time consuming as it is to moderate ..
I honestly haven't seen any examples of any mod censoring posts to comply with one political point of view or another. I have no idea if they have handed out any points, and I seriously doubt they have banned anyone, lol.

Moderating any discussion board -- even one as civil as the DIS has always been -- is never easy. Conflicts arise over all sorts of issues, huge and tiny right down to microscopic. And of course politics get a lot of people cranked up.

Yes, moderating threads with some level of political comment --even silly comment that is completely off-topic -- is difficult.

It's easy to sit on the sidelines and criticize those actually doing the work. There's always a nit to pick.

I've never seen any mod claim they were perfect, but I think they do an amazing job -- especially in these crazy times.

Thanks mods!
 
You are making a mistake to allow some politics, but not some politics. You either do or you don't. Will not be right to issue any points or bans, since you are allowing some. Too much of a grey area.

I feel the same... as diificult as it is to monitor political posts.... to allow some “selective “ political opinion would only be a nightmare. That old slippery slope and all that.... I think the total ban on political talk works, as time consuming as it is to moderate ..

 
There shouldn’t be a gray area. Too many times here lately someone has talked bad about say the governor of Mars. Most of the mods might agree with that person. Than someone saids the governor of mars does a great job. Than a mod will step in. Ok to say someone is doing a.bad job but not ok for someone to say that person is doing a good job. Just because it’s the way that mod feels either he/she goes left or right.
anyway just my 2 cents keep up the great work
 
I got points for saying the lockdowns were decisive and “could be” political. No political parties or names were mentioned. More guidelines would be great.
 

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