So Why Would a Thread Be Deleted ?

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by capngeo

PERFECT! As mentioned earlier, I was merely offering a suggestion to "oil the waters" where the subject of guns and self defense aboard seemed to spike adversity.

A bit of a rhetorical question though is WHY do people who obviously disdain weapons of any kind feel the need to opine in a thread that the OP is seeking information from those that have actual experience with weapons?

Slightly off topic but to answer your question firstly gun carry adherents tend to eulogise, just as much as the antis and hence this generates debate. There's simply no way it isn't going to, it's a very emotive subject. ( especially to an international audience) it's like abortion etc.

As to why the mods zoom in on gun threads I never understand it may be the commercial aspect of this forum that causes that . It very unclear as others have said constant references to the " community rules" without any explanation has become Orwellian in nature here. I am reminded of the Daleks in Doctor Who

Dave

[s/v Moondancer]

One of my posts was deleted...The moderator threatened censorship and I wrote:

"Censorship is a very dangerous two edged sword." or words to that effect and it was censored for being off topic.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by TaoJones

Can you (or the other member you mentioned) please direct my attention to an example of the sort of braggadocio you claim? Please do so in a PM. Thank you.

TaoJones

I've made a comment in the distant past... with tongue in cheek that it seemed something I'd posted had the effect of closing a thread... but it was not 'Braggadocio'.... it was more of a lament for a thread I was enjoying..
My post may have been the straw... but I reckon a fair load had been piled on before I arrived... or it would have just been my post deleted

[Blue Stocking]

Originally Posted by boatman61

I've made a comment in the distant past... with tongue in cheek that it seemed something I'd posted had the effect of closing a thread... but it was not 'Braggadocio'.... it was more of a lament for a thread I was enjoying..
My post may have been the straw... but I reckon a fair load had been piled on before I arrived... or it would have just been my post deleted

Well, mate--I just want you to know, I hang on your every word, --and often plan my daily philosophy around your pearls of wisdom.
In the words of Bob Dylan, "keep on, keepin on"
Have a good holiday.

[Pblais]

"Censorship is a very dangerous two edged sword." or words to that effect and it was censored for being off topic.

If you expect to have moderation done in private you have to leave it there or discuss it there totally at your option. You chose not to discuss it. We assume that if you didn't want to discuss it that the matter was settled. We would not throw away the reply if you had comments or questions.

When we protect your privacy we sort of expect you would care about it too. In that light it is a two-edged sword. We don't publicly humiliate you about your post and you don't whine about it in public. I see it as privacy protection of your mistake. Your public remark makes it sound otherwise yet we protect your privacy once again.

Aside from a thread like this people come here to talk boats and cruising. The rules of the road here try to keep that idea as the primary one. Unlike other social networking sites that don't really care what you talk about as long as you are not a child molester or a stalker.

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Slightly off topic but to answer your question firstly gun carry adherents tend to eulogise, just as much as the antis and hence this generates debate. There's simply no way it isn't going to, it's a very emotive subject. ( especially to an international audience) it's like abortion etc.

As to why the mods zoom in on gun threads I never understand it may be the commercial aspect of this forum that causes that . It very unclear as others have said constant references to the " community rules" without any explanation has become Orwellian in nature here. I am reminded of the Daleks in Doctor Who

Dave

Moderators don't "zoom in on gun threads," and we certainly don't act based on "the commercial aspect of this forum." I'm not even sure what is meant by that phrase.

Our imprimatur is to maintain a peaceful gathering place and to promote a cordial sharing of information, experiences and points of view among boating enthusiasts from all over the planet. In addition to preserving a collegial atmosphere for these discussions, our focus is on keeping CF as non-commercial as possible . . . because that's the way the members want it.

Through long experience, we have learned where the land mines are buried - you know the ones: guns, multi/mono, piracy, anchors, young sailors chasing records and fame, etc. To the extent that members can discuss these hot-button issues without undermining the peace we work so hard to maintain, we have no reason to get involved. Unfortunately, even the most narrowly-focused thread-opening post on any of the above subjects can quickly get knocked off course by just a single post in which a thoughtless remark, even if it's intended to be humorous, dramatically polarizes the discussion and readers react emotionally.

That, the introduction of emotionally-driven opprobrium, usually of a personal nature, is the problem - not the subject of the intended discussion. As long as a discussion stays on-topic and violates no rules, it continues. When, not if, it turns into a snarky contest of wills between those with diametrically-opposed, deeply-held beliefs who feel they must answer what they emotionally perceive as a provocation, the moderation team is compelled to step into the brawl and restore the peace.

Why do we refer the combatants to the Rules in the aftermath of such an intervention? Because it is the violation of a rule, or rules, that leads to Official Warnings, then Strikes against member accounts. If a member accumulates three strikes, he / she is banned from Cruisers Forum.

It is amazing to the site staff that more than 95% of our thousands of members can read the rules, agree to abide by them and do so, yet a tiny minority acknowledge that they, too, have read the rules, have also agreed to abide by them, then ignore them, mock them, belittle them, flaunt them . . . all in the interest of forcefully expressing a deeply-held view about an emotional subject to a complete stranger they will never meet, in the mistaken assumption that they will change the mind of that faceless stranger who holds equally firm beliefs from the opposite perspective.

The absurdity of it is simply astonishing.

So when yet another gun thread, or piracy thread, or . . . well, you get the drift . . . pops up on Cruisers Forum, we know where it's going to end, because they always end badly. It isn't a question of whether we should get involved, it's a question of when we should do so.

TaoJones

[sailorboy1]

Hey Mods - do you think maybe you are fanning the flames on this thread giving the "anti's" more stuff to respond to. You made you points and peple are going to go with it or not no matter what else you say. Let it go and have some peace of mind.

[boatman61]

So basically whats being said is... a visit to CF is somewhat akin to venturing out for a sail... the thread is a boat we posters.. as crew steer along to reach a given destination but navigation skills and thought is essential, and are needed by each person conning the helm during the passage through the 'reefs' aka 'Rools'...
Dodgey navigation/helmsmanship will result in bumps against the coral (Rools)resulting in a small hole... not enough to sink her.... but enough holes and she will go down ever faster...
The Mods are basically TowBoat US or whatever.... they either patch it and haul it back to safety... or decided its beyond salvage and commit it to the deep...

I dedicate/blame this post to Blue Stocking who got me on an 'Ego Trip'.....
Have a gud un yerself...

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by TaoJones

... It is amazing to the site staff that more than 95% of our thousands of members can read the rules, agree to abide by them and do so, yet a tiny minority acknowledge that they, too, have read the rules, have also agreed to abide by them, then ignore them, mock them, belittle them, flaunt them . . . all in the interest of forcefully expressing a deeply-held view about an emotional subject to a complete stranger they will never meet, in the mistaken assumption that they will change the mind of that faceless stranger who holds equally firm beliefs from the opposite perspective.

The absurdity of it is simply astonishing...

Indeed.

[Andy R]

No need to keep this thread going, it's run it's course.

Please move on and talk about cruising. If you want to talk about how to manage a forum you can visit the Admin Zone.

If you want to find another cruising forum that might be more lenient then Cruisers Forum when it comes "heated debates" then please try one of the many other Cruising forums.
CruiserLog World Cruising Forums
SailNet
Anything Sailing Forum
Redirect to the Sailing Main Index
Scuttlebutt: Sailing Forum

Also, consider this a notice that other threads on this topic in the near future will be cause for them to be merged into this closed thread. Isn't that ironic?