A Change in Direction

[DVC~OKW~96]

Oh! Please don't be upset! Honestly, I think this thread has served many valuable purposes. It's always a good thing (albeit not always comfortable) to provide a mechanism for people to share their thoughts and opinions (when the issue is important enough to care about).

Not all the opinions here are in agreement, and some of the thoughts are quite direct and clear on multiple aspects of the same issue, but that is a good thing!

I think one of the ways of addressing some of the factors under discussion here is that if any one of us does not like innuendo (for example) then we simply don't participate in it. Now, I'll be the very first to admit, I'm dumber than a doorpost with regard to innuendo and could very easily be missing some of it (or feeding into it!).

I know that the party line is that the DIS is family friendly and that children read these boards. I have to say this and please, it's not to disparage your position on these complex issues at all, however this board is the least of any parent's worry. I can't tell you how many threads I've opened on other forums (trip planning, resorts, transportation, budget, ect.) to find rancor, sarcasm and down right nasty comments. Light hearted innuendo that most likely will go over the heads of most children is not a huge factor emmenating from this particular board. That is not meant to provide an "excuse" for allowing innuendo, rather my perspective on why it's not a threat for children (coming from this board).

 

[PeterPan09]

I'm gonna try to keep this short and sweet.....



Innuendo is not "bad show". In my profession it keeps the magic going! After a day of Disney, the "adults" in the group appreciate a little innuendo..and I think that applies to a lot of us here...life is rough, and we come here for fun and antics!

I just came home tonight and read four new threads, one about a trip to Disney, one about AbFab, one about Ptown, and one about a Honeymoon....all threads were on topic and questions were answered promptly!

Will they be hijacked in the morning?

Sure! You bet ya!

Am I looking forward to reading the hijacking fun! Heck ya!




Am I looking forward to reading this thread any more?





Not so much!



Like Momma used to say....if it aint broke....don't fix it!

You said it better than I could have.

Look, I get that the board is privately owned and whatever the owners want to do is the way it is going to be-but recent events have been very depressing. The micromanaging, the "if you don't like how we're doing it, here's the door" tone from a board that I really thought was a friendly place is disappointing to say the least.

 

[DVCajun]

Based on the overwhelming sentiment to keep things as they are I’m wondering what the reason was for this suggestion. Have there been complaints (about Rosie)? I know we all kid around a lot but for the most part we behave (well, except for Rosie). There’s no benefit to micromanaging so I wonder what caused this (what did Rosie do)? If there were complaints is there anything we can do (hide Rosie’s keyboard)?
Obviously I’m kidding (except about the Rosie stuff) … I’m just trying to find some humor in this.

So I'm confused. Have you received complaints about hijacking on the GLBT board? And if so, exactly how many? One person? Two? Twenty? I know you haven't been a Mod very long so if you've suddenly recieved a bunch of complaints then I think we deserve a clear explanation of how many and exactly what hijacking people are upset about so we know the extent of the problem. And if hijacking isn't the problem but rather content, then why is it suddenly an issue since we've been around a long time. I'm not asking you to name anyone so there's no need to worry about privacy, just a clear explanation of the problem if there is one.

Out of respect for those people that have said things to me in private via PM, I will not name any names as to who has griped in the past. I think that would be counterproductive and take away any trust that people might feel or need to feel in the future if they need assistance from a moderator here in the future. I have not been a moderator here for very long, it's only been a couple of months.

I think this is a valid question, and I don't think it was answered. You weren't asked for names, and in fact the poster was very careful to make sure you understood that confidentiality should be respected.

As Saxton pointed out, even on this thread there has been an overwhelming response in favor of keeping things as they are, thread hijacks and all. When you insist on representing a "quiet minority" it gets a little weird. There will always be a quiet minority, right? : It seems like you're trying to over-represent them to the detriment of everyone else. Everyone else who has been very very happy here. Until a couple of months ago.

Honestly, I am trying my best not to "over moderate", however, I do feel that there could be some improvement in the function of the flow of this board. I would hope that you have read the posts of people that are not very comfortable here or have had issues becoming a participant here due to the current environment, and I am not speaking about just the people put off by the new DIS politics and religion ruling either.

Lindy. Two words: try harder.

 

[Goofyluver]

I'm gonna try to keep this short and sweet.....



Innuendo is not "bad show". In my profession it keeps the magic going! After a day of Disney, the "adults" in the group appreciate a little innuendo..and I think that applies to a lot of us here...life is rough, and we come here for fun and antics!

I just came home tonight and read four new threads, one about a trip to Disney, one about AbFab, one about Ptown, and one about a Honeymoon....all threads were on topic and questions were answered promptly!

Will they be hijacked in the morning?

Sure! You bet ya!

Am I looking forward to reading the hijacking fun! Heck ya!




Am I looking forward to reading this thread any more?





Not so much!



Like Momma used to say....if it aint broke....don't fix it!

Si, hombre.

Zactly what I was thinkin'.

Now on with the fun and antics!

 

[rpmdfw]

You know, I love coming to the GLBT board on the DIS and reading through the conversations. I love participating in them as well.

However, I can't say that I'm all that fond of the new trend to discuss what we should and shouldn't be discussing.

Have you ever gone somewhere with a group of people and the host laid out some ground rules for how to hold conversations? And then runs around enforcing them? No. Because it stifles discourse. It inhibits the free exchange of ideas. And it doesn't sound like much fun to me, either.

While I understand that there need to be some overall guidelines for the DIS in general, I don't know that the GLBT board needs any above and beyond that. We all get along and don't resort to personal attacks. We're MUCH more functional than most other discussion boards. Why aren't we celebrating that accomplishment instead of constantly focusing on what's "wrong"?

Can we please close this thread? I think it's served its purpose. The horse is dead, we need to stop beating it.

 

[DVCajun]

While I understand that there need to be some overall guidelines for the DIS in general, I don't know that the GLBT board needs any above and beyond that. We're all get along and don't resort to personal attacks. We're MUCH more functional than most other discussion boards. Why aren't we celebrating that accomplishment instead of constantly focusing on what's "wrong"?

 

[wallyb]

: It seems like you're trying to over-represent them to the detriment of everyone else. Everyone else who has been very very happy here. Until a couple of months ago.

It's called spin.
Providing an interpretation of an event or campaign to persuade
public opinion in favor or against a certain organization or public figure.

 

[OrlandoMike]

Can we please close this thread? I think it's served its purpose. The horse is dead, we need to stop beating it.

I came close to locking it last night, for selfish reasons! Honestly.....this type of thread is the last thing I want to come home to at the end of the day.....

But, when it comes right down to it, I am still a firm believer in discussion, and freedom of speech. As long as their are no personal attacks...I guess we should be able to discuss our feelings about this subject.

 

[zeitzeuge]

I came close to locking it last night, for selfish reasons! Honestly.....this type of thread is the last thing I want to come home to at the end of the day.....

But, when it comes right down to it, I am still a firm believer in discussion, and freedom of speech. As long as their are no personal attacks...I guess we should be able to discuss our feelings about this subject.

Couldn't agree with you more.

 

[Timon-n-Pumbaa Fan]

I came close to locking it last night, for selfish reasons! Honestly.....this type of thread is the last thing I want to come home to at the end of the day.....

But, when it comes right down to it, I am still a firm believer in discussion, and freedom of speech. As long as their are no personal attacks...I guess we should be able to discuss our feelings about this subject.

Thanks for leaving this open. I think that it's about run it's course. I hope that maybe it has opened some minds to the idea that there is always room for improvement.

To answer the question of how many people have PM'ed me, I can tell you that it was a number less than 5 that have spoken up, but that's in only 2 short months. Most of them have weighed in on the issue in the course of this thread, heck a couple of the people that spoke out really surprised me. Anyway, I am proud that they felt that they could speak up about the issues that had only previously been discussed in PM's.

I have been a moderator before my current gig here on the DIS. I created and ran a usenet group for lesbians that was behind a firewall, but the company that owned the space we had doesn't exist anymore, so it's gone. We had a very detailed FAQ. It was a very busy group for the time that it existed. I miss it in many ways, but I still have friends from the group, so that helps. I learned there that as a moderator, you must think of EVERYONE's feelings and consider the few people that do speak up in PM's as being equal to being spoken to by many more that just don't know what to do in order to have a voice.

My goal as a moderator here may be from time to time to shake things up a bit and attempt to get people to look at things that are outside of the status quo. Sometimes we all are selfish individuals, but I believe the the good hearted ones among us will be changed, when they read the struggles and disappointments of their fellow posters about the way that things have been going here. If we can't stand up for even the weakest among us and allow their voices to be heard here on a GLBT Disney messageboard, then how the heck can we ever expect that our fellow Americans are going to give us all a fair chance out in the real world?

 

[wallyb]

I hope that maybe it has opened some minds to the idea that there is always room for improvement.


... Sometimes we all are selfish individuals, but I believe the the good hearted ones among us will be changed,...

So ... If I don't agree with your paticular SPIN on this issue I ...
1 - have a closed mind.
2 - need improving.
3 - am selfish.
4 - am not good hearted.

Feels like a veiled attempt at name calling to me.

 

[TuckandStuiesMom]

Looks like I picked quite the week to go AWOL...

Anywho... Here are my 2 cents (Really -- I'm not supposed to be typing so it will be short) I read through about half of this thread kinda going back and forth.

I love our board -- the sense of community and family is unparalleled elsewhere.

Getting to know you folks through threads both serious and silly, has raised my consciousness and helped me find my voice in speaking out for equality. (I never much liked the knee-jerk reaction the term "gay rights" seems seemed to provoke in some people but -- Hey -- it wasn't my ox that was gettin' gored so I kept my mouth shut and my opinions to myself.) Now, thanks to you folks , I can't do that.

Would I have stuck around long enough to have experienced this change if the little corner of cyberspace hadn't proved to be so much random fun? I'm thinking probably not.

Thank you everybody for being positively, precisley, absolutely the people you are.

 

[Timon-n-Pumbaa Fan]

So ... If I don't agree with your paticular SPIN on this issue I ...
1 - have a closed mind.
2 - need improving.
3 - am selfish.
4 - am not good hearted.

Feels like a veiled attempt at name calling to me.

Wallyb, you are an adult. You are going to read into a post whatever it is that you want to read into it. In other words, the "spin" is all yours. I have no need to sink to the level of name calling, veiled or otherwise.

I feel that we have a great bunch of people here. Some of the people are fine with the way that things are and others have problems with it. It's my job to attempt to stand up for EVERYONE. I am not here to win a popularity contest. laughing: Yeah, I just imagined the words coming out of your mouth after you read that one. )

 

[MAF]

I hope I"m not beating the dead horse any further, but I can see both sides of this argument. As a relative lurker, I have noticed that this forum is extremely "clique-y" and its almost impossible to try to break into the conversation or to even follow them sometimes. I mean I whole heartedly disagree that people should be told what they can and can't post on here, but it would just be nice if newbies and lurkers could feel like they could actually contribute to the discussions going on. Just my two cents.

 

[rosiep]

I It's my job to attempt to stand up for EVERYONE. I am not here to win a popularity contest. laughing: Yeah, I just imagined the words coming out of your mouth after you read that one. )

Sorry, I don't think it is. As you said-we're adults...people can stand up for themselves....

 

[Timon-n-Pumbaa Fan]

Sorry, I don't think it is. As you said-we're adults...people can stand up for themselves....

You are entitled to your opinion.

I believe that people did stand up for themselves. I just gave them a chance to speak by speaking up for myself. Hopefully, we can work out some minor changes that will make everyone a bit happier.

 

[jamieandben]

You are entitled to your opinion.

I believe that people did stand up for themselves. I just gave them a chance to speak by speaking up for myself. Hopefully, we can work out some minor changes that will make everyone a bit happier.

Or make you HAPPY?

 

[Holly]

Thanks for leaving this open. I think that it's about run it's course. I hope that maybe it has opened some minds to the idea that there is always room for improvement.

To answer the question of how many people have PM'ed me, I can tell you that it was a number less than 5 that have spoken up, but that's in only 2 short months. Most of them have weighed in on the issue in the course of this thread, heck a couple of the people that spoke out really surprised me. Anyway, I am proud that they felt that they could speak up about the issues that had only previously been discussed in PM's.

I have been a moderator before my current gig here on the DIS. I created and ran a usenet group for lesbians that was behind a firewall, but the company that owned the space we had doesn't exist anymore, so it's gone. We had a very detailed FAQ. It was a very busy group for the time that it existed. I miss it in many ways, but I still have friends from the group, so that helps. I learned there that as a moderator, you must think of EVERYONE's feelings and consider the few people that do speak up in PM's as being equal to being spoken to by many more that just don't know what to do in order to have a voice.

My goal as a moderator here may be from time to time to shake things up a bit and attempt to get people to look at things that are outside of the status quo. Sometimes we all are selfish individuals, but I believe the the good hearted ones among us will be changed, when they read the struggles and disappointments of their fellow posters about the way that things have been going here. If we can't stand up for even the weakest among us and allow their voices to be heard here on a GLBT Disney messageboard, then how the heck can we ever expect that our fellow Americans are going to give us all a fair chance out in the real world?

The weakest among us?

You know, that is an odd argument and one that can easily be turned around against the one that I *think* you are trying to make.


Have you noticed a lot of members ganging up on others in here? This has always been a laid back and easygoing forum.


I hope that you make an announcement of any official changes you are making because right now I think some people are confused and not sure what we are allowed to post. Are you implementing new rules based on this thread?

 

[npmommie]

well I am just one of those csp's so not sure my opinion matters, but I would hate to see this board go to a strictly planning board, its fun over here,
no one ever bashes one another, its strictly good conversation, yeah there are disagreements, but always respectful from what I have seen.
i personally enjoy the wit of Wally , and I LOL at Rosie all the time.........
I agree, if it isn't broke don't fix it

 

[Timon-n-Pumbaa Fan]

No worries everyone. Go back to situation normal. As of right now, I am no longer a moderator here.