Benny, this forum doesn't drive out members because they have different belief systems. People on this forum come on and share their opinions about various things. Sometimes, they agree. Sometimes, people don't like what they hear and they leave, but the forum doesn't remove or ask anyone to leave because of controversial opinions. Yon left because he "didn't care." Right?

Yon was here to create conflict...from his 'libtard' mantra to his negative comments on women. He looked for reactions and got them.

Now he watches to see if he's still a presence on the forum...and he is. Mission accomplished...he wanted attention, he got it...and he's still getting it.

(April 11, 2019 at 10:18 pm)Shell B Wrote: Dude was definitely sexist. I never saw anything racist.

(April 12, 2019 at 7:14 pm)Shell B Wrote: Benny, this forum doesn't drive out members because they have different belief systems. People on this forum come on and share their opinions about various things. Sometimes, they agree. Sometimes, people don't like what they hear and they leave, but the forum doesn't remove or ask anyone to leave because of controversial opinions. Yon left because he "didn't care." Right?

Yeah, I guess.

I've been in his shoes plenty.  Talk about any issue that matters, and if you're not in the majority view, you get dumped on pretty hard.


My view is that if people are honest, we're all prejudiced, and not weakly so, in a variety of ways.  There's nothing wrong with being a little racist or sexist or -ist in other ways, so long as it's not being used as a tool to oppress or belittle others systemically.

I've seen people rail against racism and sexism, and in the next breath say "fucking white patriarchy," with a perfectly straight face.  That's a pretty clear indication to me that people aren't against -isms.  Rather, they've absorbed those -isms with the exact same effect that we've always seen: those in the "right" offer mutual support, and those on the outside are not extended the protections (or courtesy) accorded to the majority.

I don't think we've reached a superior position as a society-- it's really just another flavor of the same old primate instincts that we've engaged in since the start of time. "You wont' say ZHE!? I'll fucking CUT YOU!"

bennyboy Wrote:Even in the case of a bona-fide KKK member, or a rapist or murder or child-molester are full-on woman or man-hater, I'd want the person to be able to make comments, so I could have a chance to interact with them-- how else will I really understand? I wish these forums would be less tribal, and hold more sincerely to the value of free speech.

I have a hard time believing that you are this ignorant of what free speech really is.

Yon was free to say whatever he wanted and other members were free to say whatever they wanted to say too. This is exactly what free speech is. This forum didn’t shut Yon down. We didn’t refuse to allow him to make his posts and we didn’t tell him to leave.

(April 12, 2019 at 8:43 pm)Losty Wrote:

bennyboy Wrote:Even in the case of a bona-fide KKK member, or a rapist or murder or child-molester are full-on woman or man-hater, I'd want the person to be able to make comments, so I could have a chance to interact with them-- how else will I really understand? I wish these forums would be less tribal, and hold more sincerely to the value of free speech.

I have a hard time believing that you are this ignorant of what free speech really is.

Yon was free to say whatever he wanted and other members were free to say whatever they wanted to say too. This is exactly what free speech is. This forum didn’t shut Yon down. We didn’t refuse to allow him to make his posts and we didn’t tell him to leave.

My compliments to AF for standing up to those principles. I agree with them whole-heatedly intellectually but I despised Yon so much I don't think I could have stayed true to those principles if this were my forum. I regretted that he/she/it had not provided us with a high-resolution photograph of him/her/it self so that I could copy it and paint a likeness at the bottom of my toilet.

(April 12, 2019 at 10:56 pm)AFTT47 Wrote: My compliments to AF for standing up to those principles. I agree with them whole-heatedly intellectually but I despised Yon so much I don't think I could have stayed true to those principles if this were my forum. I regretted that he/she/it had not provided us with a high-resolution photograph of him/her/it self so that I could copy it and paint a likeness at the bottom of my toilet.

I still very much want to know in what way Yonadav was trans, and if this informed his views on women in some way.

(April 12, 2019 at 10:58 pm)bennyboy Wrote:

(April 12, 2019 at 10:56 pm)AFTT47 Wrote: My compliments to AF for standing up to those principles. I agree with them whole-heatedly intellectually but I despised Yon so much I don't think I could have stayed true to those principles if this were my forum. I regretted that he/she/it had not provided us with a high-resolution photograph of him/her/it self so that I could copy it and paint a likeness at the bottom of my toilet.

I still very much want to know in what way Yonadav was trans, and if this informed his views on women in some way.

I'm less of a glutton for punishment than you are. All I know was that the creature was a human turd and I hope to never see it post here again.

Clearly, I missed all the drama involving this individual.

(April 12, 2019 at 11:27 pm)AFTT47 Wrote: I'm less of a glutton for punishment than you are. All I know was that the creature was a human turd and I hope to never see it post here again.

I really think people have to be careful with this kind of language. Even if someone is offensive, using this kind of language without knowing their background is dangerous.

For example, if Yonadav is really post-op MTF trans, and knowing the stats about suicide for that group of people, is it really necessary to go that far with your language? I think "I really don't like many of the opinions he expressed" should be sufficient. But to go from X DID to X IS is to go from disagreement to demonization or dehumanization. It really isn't necessary, and I'd suggest being more politic.

Another example-- I've been called a piece of shit several times in these forums. I understand why people have said that-- they disagree with me on issues that are deeply personal and important to them. But my mother also called me a piece of shit extremely often, and I was passed from family to family like a hot potato, an experience I found deeply dehumanizing. Given my struggles with mood, and increased tendencies toward suicidal thought-- I'd ask, am I hated enough that the eagerness to put me in my place is really that important? I know that for at least some here, the answer is yes, and in my opinion it shouldn't be.

All the misfits and twisted souls that end up on the internet-- you don't know what humanity is behind those comments or those positions. I really would recommend erring on the side of restraint, rather than using those people as your target for venting.