<EOM>

I voted yes to all. But I don't think they can limit bigoted comments. 1. that would be really hard, but 2. most other posters will react with appropriate condemnation of the comments. One thing they shouldn't do is come to the defense of people who make those comments, as I've seen lately.

I want them to limit sexual comments in non-sexual discussions. That might be nice. I hate having to proof my comments so that people can't make lowbrow sexual jokes out of my wording. It's like having a conversation with a young kid who just learned about sex.

While the bigoted comments can get a bit old, I really wish we were allowed to just flame away at those people. Or people who make snarky comments to everyone about everything....and then delete them.

okay granted i am new and haven't gone through all 57k pages, but i don't remember seeing much sex talk racial hatred

Ah yes, censorship. The great American way. I can do without the religion, but everything else is fine by me. I get pretty tired of reading about God or Allah, but I scroll past it. So should everyone else if they come across a topic they don't care for. The same amendment that gave us freedom of speech also gave us freedom of choice. Don't like it? Don't read it. Next....

Rave on Brother Platy, Im right there with ya. Some folks are just begging to have a midget follow 'em around with a tiki torch.



LOL, you havent been to MENA yet, then.

Im all for a certain amount of decorum, but lets face it, without some amount of nonsense we wouldnt have any locked threads. And who can resist a good train wreck? We all flock to those locked threads just so we can see who sniped whom.

or watching beavis and butthead but without the knowing irony, or without actually be funny

My sentiments exactly!

I don't think censorship is a valid argument regarding internet forums - there's no expectation of unlimited free speech, its not a democracy.

The sexual stuff is pretty lame, and not just the jokes - I really don't care to know in any detail what other people get up to in their bedroom, especially when this is combined with pictures of the couples involved, who lets say aren't all that easy on the eye. Given that most of us are, ultimately, complete strangers from each other - I don't think there's anything wrong with keeping a little back. After all, its not like we have these kinds of conversations with our actual family and friends so I'm not sure why strangers should get the "treatment". I really, really, really don't want to know about people's sex toys, sex aids, or arsehole training experiments.



I agree with that. IMO its more about forum politics than actually defending the comments involved. I've read some absolutely outrageous defences of outrageous statements, usually from people who have a tendency to agree with... or banter with... that person on other issues.

must be a slow day in vj, the troll has to combine 2 polls

i am really not a fan of censorship............

It's a message board. It's not the Washington Post. There's no guarantees of free speech.

A message board that represents people from all over the world, of all colors and religions, shouldn't tolerate racial or religious hatred. Some things should simply be 'zero tolerance'; not allowed; stopped; banned; ended.

I don't have a problem with the sexual innuendo, even when it is sophomoric. But some of the men around here get a little wound up if the sisters exhibit a brain. Quite annoying.

Me neither, brother, me neither. Liberate VJ!

Sad but true RJ. Some of the sisters are just as bad tho.

This man could not care less. I am hardly offended by a clever woman's comments. As for zero tolerance, that is an absolute that can not exist over the whole spectrum. There are almost always exceptions to the rule. The only rule I can see here that needs to be in place absolutely would be, e.g., not allowing child porn.

As I said before.....don't like it, don't read it! Move on.

So we have to be silent & accept it?

Well many people don't read it - but the poll was questioning whether people would enjoy the forums more if there was less sexual content and less prejudice toward certain groups.

Its not asking much, IMO, to expect people to display a little good judgement in what they post - especially considering the international, and multi-cultural/multi-racial makeup of the members.

wrong thread.

I agree. I'm more offended by comments from unintelligent women. Of course, some will say that I'm frightened of intelligent women simply because I don't agree with every single one of them on the board. Sorry....most of the intelligent women are fine, but some are bitchy, obsessive, rude, self-absorbed, easily offended drama queens. THOSE offend me. By their very existence and consumption of the world's oxygen supply.

I can't imagine who you are talking about!

VJ's polls are always kind of interesting..... he never leaves room for something in the middle.. it is either yes or No

Jeffrey -

You're kidding, right? I mean, I agree with you about the kiddie porn. But we should allow racial and religious commentary that is clearly posted to inflame?

Sometimes I think people take comments to heart more then they should. I've seen so many comments I found offensive on this site and another I am on. Many have been directed at me. You have to develop thick skin and learn to say you have no clue what the hell you are talking about and move on.

That being said, many of the things people say have merit and should be judged on their own individual comments. Things do happen to people that can be used as guides and warnings in these visa relationships.

I do not believe in censorship. People should have the right to say what they like. You can choose to ignore them.

You have to consider the entire context of the specific issue. If a member says, "I don't like a person that is (place gender, race, religion, sexual orientation here)." It should be allowed. It is their generalization and opinion. They should be allowed to state it. It's no, true, big deal. Don't agree with it? Then take a stand. Defend your position or ignore the poster. There is a reason VJ has a "block" function. Use it if you can't take the heat. Of course, I do not want to see a member personally attack someone, e.g., "(Place member's name here) is a (place foul word or racist remark here) and should die and rot in Hell!" Personal attacks should be dealt with appropriately. I don't believe in censorship and I don't believe in zero tolerance (except in extreme / severe cases.)

Have you actually seen what happens to sites that allow that? There is no shortage of racial/religious supremacist message boards on the web, please check them out and tell me if you really feel that's the direction you'd like to go.

For every rebuttal that an offensive and inflammatory comment may generate, some non-zero multiple of that is the number of people who are so turned off by the mere existence of the comment (and the ensuing flame war) that they don't bother coming back at all.

I welcome openness and truthfulness. I'd rather know how you feel. than have you hiding away silently planning my demise because you don't like something about me. I used to love the old Phil Donohue shows that had the KKK or Nazis on stage. I say give these people their forum! It exposes them for just how ignorant they are. Censorship sucks!

Um, Jeffrey....

After you've had somebody on here come after you in PM with threats that could be construed as real and based at you because of a hatred they have against you (in my case it was my gender) then you get back to me if you think it should still be allowed.

I am sorry that happened to you. You appear to be quite an intelligent woman to me. You and I agree on personal attacks. I've had some personal attacks, in my past, too. And, yes, I could have taken them a potential real threat. But I don't want to see generalized posts censored in adult public forums because of this.

this forum really has foundation in "family" more that "adult". just sayin'.

Generalized posts is what started it, though.

For the record, I wan't the only one he went after and Admin handled it. The guy is now gone.

I can honestly say though I wish it had been handled earlier. IMO there were plenty of warning signs on the boards with many people. Perhaps it was partly my fault for not bringing it to the Mods attention sooner.

Whatever or whoevers 'fault' - at the end of the day it doesn't matter. I felt very unsafe - truly. I have been fairly open with my identity in this community and I don't believe I would be that hard to locate if someone really chose to find me.

This board is quite large. 44K plus registered members. We rank in the top 5 in google hits for immigration. We attract all sorts of people, including whackos. The safety of members should be uppermost at all times, IMO. If that takes censorship, then too bad.

When's the last time you read a post from a kid here? This is VJ not MySpace.

that wasn't what I meant. ah well, no biggie.

Kazan - getting argumentative with a mod? i admire you, you got balls. i suck up to them.

i think LaL is the greatest (for example)

Couldn't help it! I say what's on my mind regardless of rank or seniority!

kids might not post on VJ but they might be reading it...

You're Fired!

Well, if that's true, then why are people allowed to post cartoons of two chicks in bed with each other and no one says, "boo" But, oh my, someone makes a nasty remark and it's jumped all over!

buttsnorkler.........

I make no apologies. Moderator a s s is a good place to be.

I'm not sure I like where this thread is going....

wow, i have not seen that much azz kissing since anal honeymoon

have you told william this?

Wow.....I'm so sorry someone did that too you.

I have been the target of someone on another site and it was not fun.

I'm so sorry.

I generally agree with the don't like it, don't read it sentiment. If you see the title of a thread and it looks like something you wouldn't like, don't bother going in. I'm always confused as to why people get all crazed about something in a thread they knew would press their button. HOWEVER, you can't always get away from the junk that might be objectionable when it lands in a thread that started out having nothing to do with it. Misplaced sexual content is one of these things. It's not always about ignoring the threads you don't like. Yanno?

Zactly...

Sometimes these things are like a red rag to a bull. Going by the other poll - if you're a muslim or a jew and you keep seeing thread topics with controversial titles about Israel/Palestine or how your religion is "evil", you're bound to reply to it, if anything to refute the claims.

Don't read it... Sure. But also have better judgement when posting topics. Half the political threads in O/T seem (to me) to be deliberately intended and phrased in such a way as to provoke an argument, with thread titles that would do a tabloid newspaper editor proud.

ya think?