delete or not delete......

[TQM]

That's the question:

Sgt. Dipshit, just below has posted this

Let me confirm it loud and clear... I DO NOT LIKE MUSLIMS WHO WEAR TRADITIONAL CLOTHES AND GO AROUND PROMOTING ISLAM IN A CHRISTIAN COUNTRY. I don't think they belong here.

Its straightforwardly racist.

Throughout the thread he plays the usual racist game of pointing out some allegedly bad Muslims and goes on to smear all. It's an old game.

The moderators here have at time deleted posts, rightly or wrongly. Personally, this isn't a freedom of speech issue, because this isn't a public forum. They can do what they want, even if they are wrong to do so.

And personally, I favour keeping posts, so that we preserve the record of who said what. To me, that's important. Weasels have a habit of denying their "crimes" when the evidence disappears. I guess I'd favour a ban the poster, not the post kind of strategy.

What do you think?

 

[lookingforitallthetime]

I agree the post should not be removed and for the same reasons.

I don't think the poster should be banned either. Racism is reality. Rather than hide racists, leave them exposed, no matter how repulsive they may be.

 

[TQM]

so tell me looking,

When you go to a restaurant, and there's a lout at the table next to you making too much noise, do you want the restaurant to deal with it, and if necessary, get rid of the lout?

Racism is a reality, you say. So is loutishness. Most of us won't put up with it in restaurants......... finish the syllogism.

 

[BuffNaked]

Leave it on there for everyone to see his racist views. Let him hang him self on his own words.

 

[lookingforitallthetime]

When you go to a restaurant, and there's a lout at the table next to you making too much noise, do you want the restaurant to deal with it, and if necessary, get rid of the lout?

Racism is a reality, you say. So is loutishness. Most of us won't put up with it in restaurants......... finish the syllogism.

I must eat in better restaurants than you but I don't think loutishness and racism are comparable.

 

[danmand]

I must eat in better restaurants than you but I don't think loutishness and racism are comparable.

Oh, you are wrong, they are compatible.

 

[lookingforitallthetime]

Leave it on there for everyone to see his racist views. Let him hang him self on his own words.

I'm sure if you were to ask "Sarge" if he thought he was racist, he would say no (even though he clearly is).

 

[lookingforitallthetime]

Oh, you are wrong, they are compatible.

Compatible yes, but not comparable.

Hence my reason for using the word "comparable".

 

[danmand]

Compatible yes, but not comparable.

Hence my reason for using the word "comparable".

Don't obfuscate the obtuse. They are compatible.

 

[Asterix]

When you go to a restaurant, and there's a lout at the table next to you making too much noise, do you want the restaurant to deal with it, and if necessary, get rid of the lout?

Racism is a reality, you say. So is loutishness. Most of us won't put up with it in restaurants......... finish the syllogism.

I pay for the priviledge to eat in a reasturant without having to put up with "louts", and would of course expect the owners to intervene on the behalf of myself and the other patrons. We pay for no such priviledge here, and pretty much have to deal with whatever the owners decide is acceptable.

 

[lookingforitallthetime]

Don't obfuscate the obtuse. They are compatible.

Huh?

I suggest you look up the words compatible and comparable. They do not mean the same thing.

 

[TQM]

Asterix, you really are an imbecile.

Of course, we don't pay for this site.

But this isn't a public place, and the owners have every right to want to create and protect a certain atmosphere for posters, just as the restaurant owners want to create and protect a certain atmosphere for eaters.

The fact is, this place is paid for by an advertising model, rather than a user model. Why you think that should be relevant to deleting or banning is beyond me.

Even though I'm a paying customer, it doesn't mean I have a say in getting the lout kicked out - it's up to the restaurant!

Oh, and looking - I just had the most expensive dinner of my life - at a place called The Cliff, in Barbados. As for you claims of incomparability - in what way aren't they comparable?

Both are annoying, boorish. An abundance of either makes you want to not be around. Both are abusive. Why do I have to explain these things?

 

[danmand]

Huh?

I suggest you look up the words compatible and comparable. They do not mean the same thing.

. LOL.

 

[papasmerf]

When you go to a restaurant, and there's a lout at the table next to you making too much noise, do you want the restaurant to deal with it, and if necessary, get rid of the lout?

Racism is a reality, you say. So is loutishness. Most of us won't put up with it in restaurants......... finish the syllogism.

I recall a time years back I was in a restaurant. It was a Sunday afternoon and a family restaurant. At a table near me a family was seated, mom, dad a toddler and sister or brother (I can no longer recall which). The toddler, a young boy maybe 14 months was in a high chair and teething.........Dad was drunk and not a nice drunk at that. Now the boy was tired and cranky of course he was fussing. Dad began to yell at the boy to behave, his voice was not that stifled yell we all have used. After a few moments he slapped the boys face. As his hand wound up for the second slap, I grabbed it and set my other palm on his opposite shoulder. I told the lout the boy had enough and advised him that he was not hitting the child again. He asked me who the hell I thought I was and I informed him I was the boys guardian angel and the man about to shatter his arm if he continued...........Oddly every one in my section applauded me and not only myself but his family enjoyed a quiet meal............Oh yea my party of 8 had the check picked up by another table.

I guess what I am saying i if you don't like what someone is spouting stand up and be a man........Don't expect the management to toss someone because you disagree with them.

 

[capncrunch]

I recall a time years back I was in a restaurant. It was a Sunday afternoon and a family restaurant. At a table near me a family was seated, mom, dad a toddler and sister or brother (I can no longer recall which). The toddler, a young boy maybe 14 months was in a high chair and teething.........Dad was drunk and not a nice drunk at that. Now the boy was tired and cranky of course he was fussing. Dad began to yell at the boy to behave, his voice was not that stifled yell we all have used. After a few moments he slapped the boys face. As his hand wound up for the second slap, I grabbed it and set my other palm on his opposite shoulder. I told the lout the boy had enough and advised him that he was not hitting the child again. He asked me who the hell I thought I was and I informed him I was the boys guardian angel and the man about to shatter his arm if he continued...........Oddly every one in my section applauded me and not only myself but his family enjoyed a quiet meal............Oh yea my party of 8 had the check picked up by another table.

Nicely done. Next beer's on me.

 

[Asterix]

Of course, we don't pay for this site.

But this isn't a public place, and the owners have every right to want to create and protect a certain atmosphere for posters, just as the restaurant owners want to create and protect a certain atmosphere for eaters.

The fact is, this place is paid for by an advertising model, rather than a user model. Why you think that should be relevant to deleting or banning is beyond me.

Even though I'm a paying customer, it doesn't mean I have a say in getting the lout kicked out - it's up to the restaurant!

You brought up the restaurant bit, not me. I simply thought it a weak analogy. Restaurant owners have a very direct incentive to make sure those in their establishment don't have to put up with some jerk at the next table, lest their customers walk out without paying, and more importantly, decide not to return. Here, as long as the advertisers aren't bothered, and I doubt many if any of them even wander into this forum, there is far less incentive to control what is said or the type of inane venom spewed. This should be obvious considering the number of racist comments that are allowed on a daily basis. This forum was split off originally as a sort of asylum for discussion, or behavior, that was considered somewhat inappropriate in the lounge.

 

[Asterix]

...it doesn't mean I have a say in getting the lout kicked out - it's up to the restaurant!

Exactly. So what was your point in starting this thread in the first place?

 

[Never Compromised]

There is a reasonable expectation that when dining at a restaurant, one will be able to enjoy a quiet meal.

On this board, there is a reasonable expectation that people will feel free to express themselves.

It is a condition of a liberal democracy that we allow free speech, which means that we have to tolerate differing opinions.

"It is sometimes said that toleration should be refused to the intolerant.
In practice this would destroy it...
The only remedy for dogmatism and lies is toleration and the greatest possible liberty of expression."
-- Joyce Cary
(1888-1957)

 

[CapitalGuy]

I too think the restaurant analogy is not apt in this case. In a restaurant, one cannot escape the distractions of a boor. On TERB, one can choose to not read the offending post, or to place the poster on ignore. Yes you still have to live with the knowledge that the racist continues to post and that the offending thread continues to exist, but if you spend your time stressing over the existence of opinions you disagree with, your life will be long and painful. Just don't read (or re-read) the offending post, and let others enjoy the debate if they so choose. In a restaurant though, the distraction cannot be so readily avoided, and if the boor is clearly annoying other clientele, the owner should take action to end his shenanigans.

 

[Aardvark154]

To think, and I believe even here on TERB, I said that the U.S. House of Representatives was mistaken in voting for the Armenian Genocide Resolution (for politico-strategic, not historical reasons), given some of these comments perhaps I was mistaken.