Freedom of Speech is Dead

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tag @ May 11 2007, 05:15 PM) [snapback]440243[/snapback]</div>

From Efusco:

"He's been asked and declined. We don't find that his avatar is vulgar or inappropriate and will not remove it or force him to do so. You may PM him and politely plea your case if you wish .....we dont' want to start being judges of minor things that a small handful of people are bothered by."

So much for the attacks on the moderators as being censor happy.

And what did I get for my polite request?

"Wow - what a TYPICAL liberal response..
I thought you people were supposed to be accepting of different cultures..
AT least that's what you preach - looks like you are close minded and shut down as a neo-con.
Good job representing....
HYPOCRITE!"

"YOUR avatar Offends *ME* -
I'm scared of BLACK DOGS - your avatar should be taken down - because ITS OFFENSIVE TO A SMALL MINORITY OF THE POPULATION.
Typical liberal - ... isn't it fun being labeled? Wimp."


Gee, maybe we should have a poll to see how small a minority is actually offended by black dogs....or jiggly parts. At what point does a small minority become large enough to be taken seriously?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Devil's Advocate @ May 10 2007, 07:41 PM) [snapback]439581[/snapback]</div>

Why is the desire to offend, more important than wish to *not* be offended...?

Why isn't it enough that, if someone mentions that something you're doing is offensive, and it's no big deal to you...well, why not just *not* do it...instead of turning it into a battle?

Wouldn't you find it unsettling if you knew that something you were doing was offending someone with whom you conversed more or less on a regular basis?

Why is this about "free speech" and not about civility?

Where are your manners?

That's what this is *really* all about.

Manners.

 

Why are the male posters rights to offend more important the the female posters wishes not be offended?



Pinto Girl: Not offensive enough.
It's not an avatar that everyone is forced to look at whether you're on ignore or not.
And it doesn't jiggle.

 

I think it's more a matter of the way men's brain's work. Nothing sexual offends them. That's why most pedophiles are men. I'll bet it's men commiting bestiality and men that get off on snuff films too. Probably why most serial killers are also men.

But question their politics and they get all in a huff.




And of course, to a man's mind, unless it personally offends *him* it's not offensive.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ May 27 2007, 06:05 PM) [snapback]450737[/snapback]</div>

Hey, I was only trying to push that sheep through the fence. Honest.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ May 27 2007, 03:05 PM) [snapback]450737[/snapback]</div>

Godiva, why are you sinking down to the level of our antediluvian members?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ May 27 2007, 06:36 PM) [snapback]450759[/snapback]</div>

Because that is now the commonality of this board. Lowest common denominator and all that. I have to watch bouncing boob avatars. So I'll post what I like. I've used no profanity and no nudity so I can do as I please. Unless of course there's a double standard and only the male posters have that privilege.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ May 27 2007, 08:32 PM) [snapback]450788[/snapback]</div>

You could always just leave if you dislike it so much. Yet you don't. Odd.

Apparently men don't have a monopoly on being obnoxious and winded, so you have that going for you I guess.

 

I'm guilty of my fair share of sexually-related content, so you may feel I'm not entitled to speak to this issue. Still, I can understand the objections to the avatar and how it is viewed as offensive.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ May 27 2007, 05:32 PM) [snapback]450788[/snapback]</div>

There is a simple solution.

Go into My Controls and select Board Settings. In the Board Display Settings area go the the "Do you wish to view members avatars when reading topics?" question and select No from the drop down menu. Make sure to follow by clicking on Change my Account Options before you exit that page.

Voilà! No more avatars.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ May 28 2007, 01:45 PM) [snapback]451061[/snapback]</div>

Thank you. I never knew that was there.

I'm going to miss the penguins, Bill Merchant and others. I think it's unfair I have to give up so many creative and original people's because of a few juveniles who revel in being inconsiderate, obnoxious and intentionally offensive. But it's better than being denied the enjoyment of reading all of the posts I'd like to view in case those juveniles reply to those posts.

Speaking of juveniles, we're supposed to watch our language because we are told this is not an adults only site but one where minors could register and read. Yet none of the moderators seems to feel that bouncing boobs are inappropriate for these minors to see. So...adult content pictures OK, adult vocabulary a no-no. Yet another inconsistency.

 

Well, don't I feel stupid.

I didn't realize that Prince Andrew's midsection was still part of my reply...!

I was feeling all saucy, posted the image for all to see (a selfish act), and then kind of sheepishly removed it (or so I thought).

-------------

RE: the bouncing breasts avatar...thinking about this on a purely hypothetical level now:

Most of us, to one degree or another, would admit that the bouncing breasts is kind of pushing the limits of decorum. But --speaking for myself now-- I value the opportunity to express myself and...well, I also like PC just as it is.

So, I guess this is my attempt to take the 'high road' as they say. It seems that, on a purely philosophical level, the standoff comes down to either:

(1) My having to continue to endure seeing BigMahma's avatar
(2) Forcing BigMahma to remove it

Option (1) doesn't require anything of us. I suppose that, yes, I could either filter (as was suggested above) or --more likely-- tolerate/seek to understand BigMahma's point of view. I can't say that BigMahma's avatar makes my PriusChat experience any more pleasant...on the other hand, I'm sure the same can sometimes be said about me.

Option (2), on the other hand, likely entails new rules and procedures, and the institution of some sort of more formalized 'standards of decency.' We all know where this would lead; likely a PC very different from what we all enjoy now.

What it comes down to is, if it's a choice --hypothetically-- between:

(1) My being a little offended/leaving PC the way it is, or
(2) Creating and enforcing rules which would tend to limit expression/make more work for the moderators/potentially change the nature of discourse on PC

I'd rather cringe now and then, than make all of us suffer, just because I'm a bit offended.

So, I choose option (1).

Does that make any sense?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ May 28 2007, 03:53 PM) [snapback]451081[/snapback]</div>

Lighten up, Francis.

I am sure people find your avatar offensive too.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Swanny1172 @ May 29 2007, 06:20 AM) [snapback]451378[/snapback]</div>

That's why Godiva chose the avatar she did. If one offensive avatar is OK, then another should be just fine as well.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Proco @ May 29 2007, 08:42 AM) [snapback]451401[/snapback]</div>

Seems a bit childish to me -- "I can't get my way, so I am going to act out too." :blink:

Of course, the irony of someone with the user name of Godiva complaining about breasts is beyond funny to me.

 

The big problem, IMO, of the bouncing twins isn't necissarily one of decency. Yes, i think it's crude, but at the same time it something you tend to expect once in a while on the internet. The problem is one of viewership. It's not appropriate to view items like that in the work place. It's not appropriate to view items like that in any public place, IMO. It's not appropriate to have items like that posted where minors can see them (regardless if there's even worse that minors can see whenever they want on the internet). Having an avatar like that severely limits other people's freedoms viewing freedoms on this board, forcing them to take actions to avoid offending others who may walk past their monitor.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ May 29 2007, 03:07 AM) [snapback]451377[/snapback]</div>

It's the first sensible thought that's been expressed in this thread. Thank you.

Mark Baird
Alameda CA

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eagle33199 @ May 29 2007, 10:19 AM) [snapback]451434[/snapback]</div>

That is a good point. While there's nothing wrong with me surfing on PC if I'm on a break at work, technically I could be in violation of the sexual harrassment policy if someone walked by and saw bouncing breasts on my monitor. As someone pointed out, you can change your settings to block all avatars, but it would be nice if members were considerate of people's working policies and kept potentially problematic images off voluntarily.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Swanny1172 @ May 29 2007, 08:55 AM) [snapback]451405[/snapback]</div>

From her signature, I'm guessing that Godiva chose her name because she likes chocolate, not riding horseback in the nude.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(larkinmj @ May 29 2007, 07:13 PM) [snapback]451717[/snapback]</div>

Like it matters. Godiva was founded by chocolatier Joseph Draps and is named in honor of the legend of Lady Godiva. So, at best, the irony is one step removed.