A Plea to Long Time, Level-Headed Members Who Still Post Here

[The_Dude 1,142]

I just want to comment that since this thread started there seems to be more civility in OT. Not perfect but a big improvement over just a few days ago.

There are several people simply sitting out of that forum now.

[Darnell 8,478]

avoided OT because of the handful of posters who've made it less enjoyable to have reasonable discussions about a lot of topics that deserve some serious thought.

Here is a repeat of the original post of this thread.Who in this non-OT thread is fitting into (or not helping supersede) the qualities in the bolded statement above?

Ya, that's my point, really. Folks who habitually participate in such activities as

--flaming

--baiting

--racial slurs

--bigotry

--name calling

==carrying grievances from prior topic into a 'current' topic

fall into that category of 'handful of posters'

and IMO, should be gone. G O N E Gone. (Man I must be upset, I'm a spellin... )

The OP raised a valid point, but IMO, it will be hard to have 'that other krewe' return to play in the OT sandbox, until that handful o folksen are gone. Seemingly, the 'other krewe' have left because of the 'that handful' a spewing...

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

Ya, that's my point, really. Folks who habitually participate in such activities as

--flaming

--baiting

--racial slurs

--bigotry

--name calling

==carrying grievances from prior topic into a 'current' topic

fall into that category of 'handful of posters'

and IMO, should be gone. G O N E Gone. (Man I must be upset, I'm a spellin... )

The OP raised a valid point, but IMO, it will be hard to have 'that other krewe' return to play in the OT sandbox, until that handful o folksen are gone. Seemingly, the 'other krewe' have left because of the 'that handful' a spewing...

Darnell, you are well intentioned, but you may as well be speaking to the wind.

[Darnell 8,478]

Ya, maybe, but with a wind funnel, I can generate electricity (seriously).

[Captain Ewok 1,857]

More to come, but I have revised the Mod Guide pinned in this forum to give more guidance on "specific" times for suspensions. I will add even further clarification and guidance soon. I understand also that there are many opinions from everyone on OT. I will consider items (and read the several hundred posts) and get back. Reading time...

[The_Dude 1,142]

More to come, but I have revised the Mod Guide pinned in this forum to give more guidance on "specific" times for suspensions. I will add even further clarification and guidance soon. I understand also that there are many opinions from everyone on OT. I will consider items (and read the several hundred posts) and get back. Reading time...

I still think that public statement in each thread as to who breached the ToS and in what capacity for a closure is the best course of action. It would give us a better indication as to what you can and cannot get away with. For example, from time to time, I get a nice PM from Kathryn about my use of the word "retard". However, I see many many people use the truncated version "tard" and the politicized term "**" or "Retardlicans" with impunity. What is the difference there? At a minimum, standards should be uniformly enforced.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I don't go into OT that much anymore because I really don't need to read another iteration of the same threads about illegal immigration, Obama and what not, but is Paul & Vanessa the new Amby there? Every morning I have checked in there at least 1/3 of the threads have been started by him/her.

[TBoneTX 43,194]

...what you can and cannot get away with. ... my use of the word "retard".

Then, obviously, use "retard" only as a verb. One can always "get away with" restraining one's language in order to be polite and respectful to others at all times, and apologizing after a slip-up. THAT needs to be the overriding standard. Edited May 28, 2010 by TBoneTX

[sjr09 155]

I don't go into OT that much anymore because I really don't need to read another iteration of the same threads about illegal immigration, Obama and what not, but is Paul & Vanessa the new Amby there? Every morning I have checked in there at least 1/3 of the threads have been started by him/her.

But that's how he rolls @#!$%^^#&**$

[elmcitymaven 9,711]

But that's how he rolls @#!$%^^#&**$

That's right, call out possibly the most literate sig on VJ. In my opinion, there is not enough swearing on VJ. I think the level of discourse might actually increase if we were entrusted with the precious bounty of our best Anglo-Saxon epithets.

[The_Dude 1,142]

I really don't get the whole complaint with OT. If you don't like it, then don't read it. This isn't like a scene out of A Clockwork Orange where you are being forced to read it. I do agree that it gets a bit out of hand at times, but you are not compelled to read it. There are other threads you can read if you want to enjoy OT.

How often do you really find a genuine new member who accidentally wanders in there and is offended? If you think VJ's OT is over the top, you really must be new to teh interwebz. Check out 4chan.org, more specifically, the /b channel.

[Peikko 1,575]

I don't go into OT that much anymore because I really don't need to read another iteration of the same threads about illegal immigration, Obama and what not, but is Paul & Vanessa the new Amby there? Every morning I have checked in there at least 1/3 of the threads have been started by him/her.

Amby? She never posted more than 4 threads a day or so, and they were always light hearted fun stuff, not political and never with a target audience in mind. Why pick on Amby? There are many more people who have posted a number of new threads a day and you pick on her? You seem to have unresolved issues there

[Ban Hammer 12,857]

mc gets a +1!

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

Calm down people! Amby used to start numerous threads - I remember logging in one morning and every single thread in OT had been started by her. Then I log in this morning and P&V has started practically every thread. It was an observation, that is all!

[TBoneTX 43,194]

I really don't get the whole complaint with OT.

Some people can't see the forests or the trees.

How often do you really find a genuine new member who accidentally wanders in there and is offended?

The real issue (si, man) is whether anyone (with a brain) wants to RISK that a genuinely new member wanders into OT and is offended. The fact about VJ OT is that the most basic standards of decency & respect in communication are being flouted, by the same gaggle of posters who either have no self-control or don't want any. With glimmers of occasional exception, OT is a juvenile cesspool courtesy of the offenders, most of whom have likely been warned or disciplined over & over & over, yet they still relapse. Some even post public pleas to be given guidelines on what they can and cannot "get away with," which speaks volumes regarding their intent to apply decency and restraint. Their actions are a very, very poor reflection on the entire VisaJourney site. How many repetitions does it take before it's clear that certain people are unwilling to exercise restraint or are incapable of it? Now perhaps does it sink in what's wrong with OT?