I've been a registered member for four years, have been much more of a reader than a poster, and have gotten much useful information from this site. For that I thank all of you who have either knowingly or unknowingly provided it. But make no mistake about it: the overall quality of the discourse in this forum has slowly degraded in the past two years or so (to the point of generating threads like this). I have my own theory for this social phenomenon and shall reserve it for myself, but the degradation I've witnessed and speak of has been - IMO - instigated by a very small number (counted on one hand)
of individuals. It's certainly gotten to the point where I spend less time here.
That said, lets not make the mistake of equating removal of comments made in violation of clearly established forum rules (or, in extreme cases, removal of members) with "censorship". Again - IMO - measured, evenly meted moderation is a very useful tool to maintaining the integrity of a forum such as this. In fact, it's critical. However, if oblique, political snark is going to be allowed here on Agon......then count me in. I love a good political snark-fest as much as the next guy, and believe me when I tell you - I can throw down with the very best of them. And I have read some relatively recent comments of a political bent that I would have LOVED to have taken a blowtorch to (yes, it's permissible to end a sentence with a preposition). I would simply ask that any ensuing moderation be even-handed. Should this be the case, it doesn't take a genius-level IQ to conjure up the very swift devolution of Agon discourse in one's mind.
If, OTOH, it is to be avoided at all cost and considered a violation of forum rules (which is, frankly, how I've understood the Agon State of Affairs to be all along) then by all means treat it as such. If some members simply can't communicate in any way but a clearly offensive manner (be it politically offensive, religiously offensive or personally offensive - and lets be honest - as adults, we can recognize "offensive" when we see it, and distinguish it from "ambiguous", so no need for games) then perhaps a timeout is in order for a remedial, Interpersonal Communications 101 course - regardless of how much they think they know or what wealth of information they benevolently "provide" this space.
My 0.02.
That said, lets not make the mistake of equating removal of comments made in violation of clearly established forum rules (or, in extreme cases, removal of members) with "censorship". Again - IMO - measured, evenly meted moderation is a very useful tool to maintaining the integrity of a forum such as this. In fact, it's critical. However, if oblique, political snark is going to be allowed here on Agon......then count me in. I love a good political snark-fest as much as the next guy, and believe me when I tell you - I can throw down with the very best of them. And I have read some relatively recent comments of a political bent that I would have LOVED to have taken a blowtorch to (yes, it's permissible to end a sentence with a preposition). I would simply ask that any ensuing moderation be even-handed. Should this be the case, it doesn't take a genius-level IQ to conjure up the very swift devolution of Agon discourse in one's mind.
If, OTOH, it is to be avoided at all cost and considered a violation of forum rules (which is, frankly, how I've understood the Agon State of Affairs to be all along) then by all means treat it as such. If some members simply can't communicate in any way but a clearly offensive manner (be it politically offensive, religiously offensive or personally offensive - and lets be honest - as adults, we can recognize "offensive" when we see it, and distinguish it from "ambiguous", so no need for games) then perhaps a timeout is in order for a remedial, Interpersonal Communications 101 course - regardless of how much they think they know or what wealth of information they benevolently "provide" this space.
My 0.02.