How Could Anyone Accuse DU or its Admins or Mods of censoring anyone or anything?

[Mike03]

This is really ridiculous. I am beside myself reading some of the posts that are going up recently.

The whole reason that DU has become such an ordeal is exactly because the administrators are allowing combat here. Yes, it is uncomfortable. Yes, a person with mild paranoia could imagine that there is some sort of conspiracy going on here. But this is just the nature of the human mind. My God, just to speak personally for a moment, I am AMAZED I have not been tombstoned or chastised for comments I have made here. The Admins are being extremely tolerant. We are the ones who probably need to take more responsibility for the things we write here.

This place is like a zoo. It can't possibly be easy to decide who or which opinions gain prominence over others, and in fact the site seems designed to favor momentum and quantity over less momentum and less quantity--and this, obviously, would lead to a dis-proportion in one or another direction. Folks, come on.

DU is the final refuge. If it gets ruined, it is because WE have ruined it; not because the moderators or administrators have ruined it.

EDIT: The bottom line is that I think the DU admins and mods are doing a hell of a job during what is an unprecedentedly difficult and unpredicatable period in U.S. history.

I feel really glad and grateful that this place exists. And I would not want to be in the seat of an admin or mod right now, when things are so heated. They are doing their best.

So give them a fucking break.

[jody]

1. I’ve nominated you for the “Augean Stables” award.

[ixion]

2. having served as a mod, I can vouch for the tolerance...however, in all truth,

some censorship occurs. The site is not wide-open in that regard. I'm not saying this to cause trouble, simply stating what I see as the truth.

[JosephSchmo]

3. this thread really needs to be locked

[jody]

5. Why, what DU rule does it violate? n/t

[Hissyspit]

10. One of the reasons threads get locked is because people don't read the rules. Another is...

is the leeway mods have on what constitutes flame-bait. Mostly it's people not reading the rules. The mods HAVE read the rules.

The Moderators and Administrators

Treat the moderators and administrators with respect.

Do not post messages attacking the moderators or administrators.

Do not publicly accuse the moderators or administrators of bias.

Do not send rude messages to the moderators or administrators, by email, by private message, by use of the "Alert" function, or by any other means.

Do not publicly post correspondence you receive from moderators and administrators, and do not share it with other members of this message board.

If you have any questions about the rules of this message board, please contact the website administrators by sending an email. The administrators of this website are Skinner, EarlG, and Elad.

Questions about Democratic Underground policies should be emailed to the administrators. Discussion topics pertaining to specific enforcement actions by the moderators are categorically forbidden. Discussion topics relating to Democratic Underground policies, procedures, enforcement, etc., are sometimes permitted if they are respectful and not disruptive to the administration of the website. We reserve the right to lock or delete any such topics for any reason.

Inflammatory or Flame-Bait Discussion Topics

Do not post "flame bait" discussion topics. While there is no clear line regarding what constitutes flame bait, the moderators have the authority to shut down threads which they consider too rhetorically hot, too divisive, too extreme, or too inflammatory. Please use good judgment when starting threads; inflammatory rhetoric does not normally lead to productive discussion.

Do not start a new topic in order to continue a flame war from another discussion thread.

[ConcernedCanuk]

11. As I suspected - nice profile!

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[Buzz Clik]

4. You have got to be kidding. I have had dozens and dozens of posts deleted.

Threads disappear. Threads get moved to obscure locations.

I'm not complaining in the slightest; I'm just dumbstruck by your naivete.

[truedelphi]

15. We share a similar experience.

Once someone brilliantly offered a full definition of Progressivism vs Democratic policy - and that brilliance wa struck from these boards.

Can't have intelligent discourse unless it clearly favors the democratic rule

[Mike03]

6. I can't even believe that my post here is controversial.

Maybe if some of you have had threads locked, it was for a good reason. I've had a couple of threads locked, and it was for a good reason.

[walldude]

8. So you're saying you posted threads that deserved to be locked?

Then why post them in the first place?

[Clovis Sangrail]

12. well that's really it isn't it?

threads getting locked or disappeared for *any reason is form of censorship.

Acknowledging it doesn't mean it's a bad thing, however.
I've been very happy on more than 1 occasion when the mods shut somebody down.

Moderating an online community of any size is going to result in censoring somebody at some point.
If it wasn't done the threads would contain nothing but Viagra ads and the community would dissipate.
It's a tough job and I think DU's success is evidence that they are good at it.

[Clovis Sangrail]

7. because it *does happen?

without getting into the validity of any particular decision, there is no doubt that, on occasion, threads get locked or disappear entirely.
I have seen sub threads and entire threads disappear.

However, the way I see it is that, ultimately it's a private board and it can be moderated as the admins see fit.
Overall, I think they do a pretty good job at it.
:shrug:

[Mike03]

9. Caveat

Yes, there are rules set forth during the Registration Process that should not be violated. That is natural. And I would just remind everyone that some of them have been violated, yet the Moderators have permitted incredible laxity and latitude on these matters.

[rosesaylavee]

13. WE do not own this site.

WE are allowed to participate if we follow the rules. There are no promises made that posts will not be censored. WE have volunteer mods for crying out loud... who knows what kind of hell that volunteer job is on some days or during primary season like the month of February '08. I have had some posts disappeared but have cut them some slack for not understanding or maybe I didn't understand fully what was implicated.

This is Skinner's site. It's not perfect. I don't know of any place that is. There is a constant attempt to be fair within certain bounds and I appreciate that effort.

At this point, I am happy to be part of this imperfect community and happy that it exists at all.

[Beausoir]

14. It has to be a really thankless job...with all the sewage that is flowing here right now.

I think they are doing fine.

[question everything]

16. Like spoiled kids. Throwing tantrum when cannot get what they want, and now

K&R

[NoPasaran]

17. Locked threads and deleted posts are like fouls in basketball

If you don't get a few, you're not playing the game hard enough.

[AZBlue]

18. I couldn't agree more!

Being a mod or administrator here can't be easy at any time, but the job they are doing right now is mind-boggling!

[rosetta627]

19. Since you asked, they censor discussion of the JFK assassination

Big time.

Since you asked.