I agree with Ingrid and surfer boy. I also agree with everyone's right to post opinions, whether they love or hate a setlist or whatever. What we have seen lately, though, is a series of increasingly harsh, sarcastic, and mean posts. Most are directed toward MK's setlist. Some are directed toward Guy, who puts in so much time for the sake of fans, and some are directed toward other members.
Honest and even strong disagreement here is allowed. But there has been a string of posts that seek to rile up others. Those posts directly go against our rules. Shangri-La posted them here to remind us that flaming and inciting posts will not be tolerated. I feel that some posts have reached this point. Free speech--yes. But the limit is reached with personal and inflammatory insults.
Now we have members reporting each other to the editors. "This guy insulted me." Often the person reporting has been insulting others, and when other members come back at him, even mildly, their posts get reported. This has happened several times in the last few weeks. If you're going to fling mud, you're going to get some back in your own face. If you dish it out, you have to take it too.
But, my point is: Please stop the meanness. Criticism is valid and accepted. But personal wars have started to develop in this thread and in others. When some of the warriors are asked to tone it down, they get even more sarcastic and inflammatory. Several people have tried in a nice and decent way to tone these threads down, and they get flamed for it.
No, we don't want censorship, but we do not want abuse either. I am saying this: These threads are going to be actively moderated. In the past, members whose posts have been removed have been courteously told why. In return, the editors have been flamed and personally attacked.
Go over the line, and posts will be removed. If you are taking this personally, perhaps you should. If you want to react with flaming, try it, and your post will be deleted.
It takes a lot, an unbelievably lot, to get a member banned. But it has happened. The last thing the editors want is to ban members. But it can happen when a member continually makes others unhappy because of hateful posts. The abusive member will be warned--once. Then he/she will be banned.
Now I know I'm going to get a lot of reaction from a few members. Just try to look in the mirror before you get too angry at what I'm saying here.
I am appealing to reasonableness and basic courtesy here. We can all be that way, can't we?
