Everyone in this forum please read

[th'FOOL]

You don't have to respect the poster's opinion, just respect the poster.  If you want to refute an opinion, please do so in a mature manner that doesn't denigrate the poster.  If the poster is being a dick, we are asking you not to stoop to their level and be a dick, too.

[Sarkus]

I don't take it as an insult, because you and generally everyone else is not thinking this through to the end.  Think about what it means to respect EVERYONE'S opinion.  That implies respecting EVERY opinion. 

What if that opinion is particularly vile?  What then?  What if a racist showed up and posted a racist opinion, and he didn't otherwise act like a moron?  What if someone posts a negative opinion about gays?  Come up with any hot button topic and take it to its most vile (to you) extreme, and imagine someone posting that opinion in a reasonable manner?  Are you going to respect something that you consider to be vile?

I don't think "respect" is the goal here, it's civil discourse.  It is possible to discuss political and religious issues without resorting to personal attacks.  Nor is the topic somehow unique and deserving of special rules.  The primary goal of GT's message board is for people to be able to discuss issues related to gaming, expressing their opinions, and not have to worry about being called names for it.  That same level of discourse should also apply to political and religious topics, if the board continues to provide a forum for that.  There should be a certain expected level of behavior and posters should be willing to deal with that.

To be honest, this thread has just convinced me that we don't need a P&R section to begin with.  It's pretty clear that at least some people feel like they have the right to go as far as they need to in expressing their political and religious views.  That's fine, but I don't need it at a gaming forum.  Go somewhere else.

[cheeba]

What if a racist showed up and posted a racist opinion, and he didn't otherwise act like a moron?

I would see that as an excellent opportunity, first to learn how someone with intelligence could become racist, and second, to hopefully enlighten someone with facts, logic and sound reasoning.

Are you going to respect something that you consider to be vile?

Depends on the vileness. Unfortunately, vileness usually comes with complete assholeness, so it's really difficult to separate the two. If someone were to be otherwise reasonable and post his thoughts that black people are inferior, I would consider that more flat out ignorance than vileness.

You also tend to react in a way that makes it clear that you don't really respect the opinions of those who disagree with you, and with these topics I also see nothing wrong with that.

There are a few vocal posters on this forum who have frequently attacked me personally (to whom I believe this thread is targeted, actually), so yeah, they get no respect from me. Otherwise, people get respect from me, even if they have a wrong opinion () until they show me disrespect.

[rickfc]

What if that opinion is particularly vile?  What then?  What if a racist showed up and posted a racist opinion, and he didn't otherwise act like a moron?  What if someone posts a negative opinion about gays?  Come up with any hot button topic and take it to its most vile (to you) extreme, and imagine someone posting that opinion in a reasonable manner?  Are you going to respect something that you consider to be vile?

That's why we have mods and the report button.  If someone comes in with that attitude, they have no business on this forum, and I'm sure Ron & co. will do a good job to remind them of that.

Are you going to respect something that you consider to be vile?

I don't respect such people, no.  But I respect the forum and the staff.  They, especially Ron, are the ones that put the CoC in place, and if I were to have a problem with someone other than just civil discourse, I'd report it and let them handle it.  They're usually pretty good about that.

[Purge]

There are a few vocal posters on this forum who have frequently attacked me personally (to whom I believe this thread is targeted, actually), so yeah, they get no respect from me. Otherwise, people get respect from me, even if they have a wrong opinion () until they show me disrespect.

"You're so vainnn...... You probably think this thread is about you, don't you, don't you.... "

As I understand it, this thread is about the nature of all the tattling that has been sent through the report to mod button.

Correct me if I'm wrong KG/Ron, but the issue is that either:

A) - People start giving other people the same consideration we see in every other subforum
    - Stop taking this so seriously; feeling slighted because someone disagrees is wrong.
    - Stop reporting posts to the mods unless there is a clear violation of the CoC and you think it goes way over the line.
    - Understand that these topics generate some heat (based on friction) so cool down before posting messages that may otherwise get you in trouble.

OR

B) This sub-forum (which is less than a year old and has mods popping antacid like it was candy) will end it's run.

[rickfc]

B) This sub-forum (which is less than a year old and has mods popping antacid like it was candy) will end it's run.

Seriously.

I don't understand why people have such a hard time acting civil, especially when it ain't your house.  Ron owns this site and the forum, and as far what I have seen, he's a fair guy.  It's not the place of his guests to bitch and moan when he asks them to do something.  If it really bothers you that much, and you want lawlessness, host your own forums.  Otherwise, do as you're asked by the site owner and the people he's trusted to fairly moderate its forums.  Simple.

P.S. The report button should be used only to point out a violation of the CoC, not a situation that could potentially become one.

[Kevin Grey]

There are a few vocal posters on this forum who have frequently attacked me personally (to whom I believe this thread is targeted, actually), so yeah, they get no respect from me. Otherwise, people get respect from me, even if they have a wrong opinion () until they show me disrespect.

"You're so vainnn...... You probably think this thread is about you, don't you, don't you.... "

As I understand it, this thread is about the nature of all the tattling that has been sent through the report to mod button.

Correct me if I'm wrong KG/Ron, but the issue is that either:

A) - People start giving other people the same consideration we see in every other subforum
    - Stop taking this so seriously; feeling slighted because someone disagrees is wrong.
    - Stop reporting posts to the mods unless there is a clear violation of the CoC and you think it goes way over the line.
    - Understand that these topics generate some heat (based on friction) so cool down before posting messages that may otherwise get you in trouble.

OR

B) This sub-forum (which is less than a year old and has mods popping antacid like it was candy) will end it's run.

That's exactly correct. 

[naednek]

There are a few vocal posters on this forum who have frequently attacked me personally (to whom I believe this thread is targeted, actually), so yeah, they get no respect from me. Otherwise, people get respect from me, even if they have a wrong opinion () until they show me disrespect.

"You're so vainnn...... You probably think this thread is about you, don't you, don't you.... "

As I understand it, this thread is about the nature of all the tattling that has been sent through the report to mod button.

Correct me if I'm wrong KG/Ron, but the issue is that either:

A) - People start giving other people the same consideration we see in every other subforum
    - Stop taking this so seriously; feeling slighted because someone disagrees is wrong.
    - Stop reporting posts to the mods unless there is a clear violation of the CoC and you think it goes way over the line.
    - Understand that these topics generate some heat (based on friction) so cool down before posting messages that may otherwise get you in trouble.

OR

B) This sub-forum (which is less than a year old and has mods popping antacid like it was candy) will end it's run.

A is the correct answer, B is the side effect

Correct me if I'm wrong KG/Ron, but the issue is that either:

And how dare you forget me

[Mr. Fed]

Whether political topics are suited to a form depends not just on the attitude of the community of forum members, but on the attitude of admins and mods.

It's entirely possible that R&P is not suited for this community for either or both of those factors.

Frankly the subtitle of the forum is not an encouragement.

[Jaddison]

Lurker here so my opinion may not count for much.  I have never understood why people take supposed insults on the internet so personally, to paraphrase that zen classic Road House "just because someone calls your mama a whore doesn't make her one".  It is up to the individual to let some remark or comment be an insult right?  Boorish or rude behavior does not automatically mean it must be responded to with attack or hurt feelings.  It is within us all to choose how we respond to things.  Or is that just leaving a rude or obnoxious post unanswered is perceived as some sort of cowardice?

It would seem that everyone has it within their power to "walk away" from attacking or rude posts.  At some point when discourse devolves or when you know a certain person is never going to be persuaded but is only going to continue to attack and ignore then it clearly is an option to leave that post unanswered.

I am probably missing something critical about this issue.

[Sarkus]

No, that makes sense.  The problem is when people get personal and start treating people differently because of an argument.  There's nothing quite as frustrating as when someone you argued with in P&R starts taking shots at you outside of P&R.  When that happens it's very hard not to want to respond.

A lot of people can't seperate the two.