It doesn't happen very often, but we recently had a situation where two posters were deactivated for breaking those rules listed above. The cries of outrage began immediately. Just so everyone is on the same page, I have outlined S.O.P. for the board. Since I can't ban myself, I have to be especially careful to hold myself in the same standard as everyone else. If I fail to follow posting protocol myself, I expect to be reminded, and I won't be offended if you do. None of us will be perfect all of the time -- we are only human, but everyone here has the ability to edit his/her own posts when a cooler head prevails.
Here are the two biggest complaints I get when someone has been banned:
"I just don’t see the need for totally banning someone when the moderator has the ability to pull the trigger on any post at any time."
The moderators will delete posts, move them, edit and/or otherwise keep the board respectable however they see fit, but it is NOT the moderator’s responsibility to run around after members cleaning up their messes. This is too much like babysitting, and nobody has time for it. We are supposed to be adults here. If you think you can get on this board and talk to others any way you wish – say what you want and we will run along behind you catching what’s not acceptable, think again. If we find we have to clean up after you a lot, then you will be banned for a time or indefinitely, depending on the seriousness of the offenses.
Also, persons banned from the board are not banned for a single incident. Everyone has bad days. It is the policy of this board when considering a ban to review all posts by the member to determine if it is an isolated event, or if they've shown it to be an established pattern to treat others badly. So you see, every consideration is given before drastic measures are taken. This is not a democracy, and nobody has a God-given “right” to be on this board. Petitions and protests about others getting banned will fall on deaf ears. Please stop cluttering up the board with it and go back to talking dogs.
“…they booted him off for giving his opinion,”
This never happens. It never happens if someone disagrees with an opinion either. This is a biggie, I hear it all the time, so please study these examples and try to learn the difference between the two.
OPINION
Member: "I have to disagree with you. I don’t think deer-running is inherited at all; instead, I think it’s a lack of training when they are young."
NOT AN OPINION
Member: "You are so full of crap. It’s obvious you don’t know anything about deer-running. It’s a training issue, not genetics."
ALSO NOT AN OPINION
Member: "Oh, I get it. Dogs aren’t genetically predisposed to run deer because the Master of all beagling said so."
The last two crossed the line from being an opinion and became a personal attack instead, rivaling those most often found on a grade school playground. Debates are good and encouraged, but if you cannot post or reply without bashing the other poster, then don’t post, just read. If after reading the examples above you still don’t know the difference between an opinion and personal attack, don’t post, just read. If you continue to harass abuse, denigrate or otherwise bash your fellow posters just to get your point across, (or reign supreme in your attempt to bring entertainment to the board at others’ expense), I or the moderators will make it so that you cannot post.
Threads in which beaglers are busting each other's chops in the spirit of fun do not apply in this instance. Believe me, we know the difference.
The purpose of this board has always been to bring beaglers together, not divide us or alienate others. People have moved across country to be closer to friends who were made on this board! When it started, it was just a news board to find out when the next ARHA trial was to be held. I’d say it’s grown since then. It became the launching pad for The American Beagler, and then certainly evolved into its own entity.
Now we have forums to meet every need – from beagling to political to spiritual. We are here for each other as an extended family should be. You are never just “on your own” as long as this board exists. I may have made the board available way back when, but the good folks who joined and keep coming back -- sharing their knowledge, their prayers, asking questions, offering solutions, or just sharing their days are the ones who make this board what it is today. I wouldn’t hesitate to say this board is the most visible, highly-trafficked beagle board on the net. Let’s never let it deteriorate into an embarrassing mess that would make even Jerry Springer cringe.
Thank you and enjoy the board.