okcjeeper

I have been told by other staff members they have received PM's from members stating they can talk how they want and they support freedom of speech and that we can't stop them from using language we feel is not family friendly. Well now that I have had time to think on it and get my family stuff out of the way I have a few words for the members and this is not be directed at anyone specific but the users as a whole.

To post on this site is a privilege and not a god given right nor is their any federal or state statute or law that guarantees you the right to post here. So throwing the Freedom of Speech issue out there is pointless and has not bearing on your rights and privileges on this site since this site is a private site and held by a private company/individual/s. The only right you have here it to be treated with respect and basic human rights that each and everyone one of us deserve. Beyond that the only other right you have it to leave.

So with that being said no one and I mean no one is allowed to curse or make use of adjectives I or the staff feels falls outside of the Family Friendly realm. That means if my 7 year old should not be reading it then it does not belong anywhere but the CF Underground. So yes we do have some wiggle room and but bottom line if I feel my 7 year old or anyone elses should not be reading it it's going to get removed and you are going to get told to stop and if you talk back like a 2 year old you will get a time out like a 2 year old. We are all mostly adults and I expect everyone to act as such and if you can't then you need to leave now. I do realize not everyone will share the same views and opinions and will argue about them and so on which is perfectly fine as Tech based debate is healthy for all and often a learning experience as long as we keep it clean, respectful and within the basic set of guidelines the site has.

Now I know that all seems harsh but apparently we have members who can't seem to comprehend basic ideas and concepts well enough to follow some basic rules. I have no issue being your best friend or the person you hate. Granted I'd much rather be everyone's best friend and so forth but I am not afraid to kick anyone off the site and it can be done permanently if need be and you won't even be able to view the site.

So with that said all I ask is follow some basic rules and guidelines, act like adults and respect our wishes and we will all have a great time discussing and enjoying our hobby. Leave the sailor talk at the bar where it belongs.

OnlyInMyXJ22

Not arguing or anything because I could personally care less and refrain from swearing most of the time, but why not just use a filter that changes or blocks certain words. It's done on plenty of other sites.

5-90

Makes perfectly good sense to me. Also, while I cannot remember the citations in case law, it's actually been upheld that private fori (rather like this one) can maintain its own standards of conduct and speech - since membership in this forum (or any other private forum, in fact) is entirely voluntary, those who are complaining about the standards of langauge are perfectly free to leave.

If you want to swear up a blue streak, you can always head over to Pirates of the Rubicon - but your skin had better be awfully thick.

On most open fori, I figure to keep my own tone somewhere in between "classic Disney" and "cable TV." I may use an occasional "damn" (or variant thereof) or "Hell" - but it's to make or reinforce a point, not to swear just on GP.

Yes, I'm perfectly capable of swearing - volubly, vehemently, at length, and in several languages. I'm an old ABN Master Sergeant - that's something they teach us in NCO school - and I've been to three levels of that.

I usually do not need to - although I think my kids would sometimes have competitions between themselves to see who could get me to swear in Arabic or Russian first (they're such lovely languages for profanity - even just conversing in Arabic can make you sound awfully upset. I think it's all the gutterals and glottals that does it.)

Considering I'm also a moderator on another "family friendly" forum, I understand your position. I often have to take official notice of things that I personally don't care about - but officials just about anywhere are the same way (unless you're just a bureaucratic pinhead with delusions of Godhood - like most of the yo-yos that work for the City.)

Now that I think about it, I didn't even swear much when I was still going to bars (before it got too damned expensive to tie one on anymore - between the rising costs of booze, the rising cost of taxis, and the fact that cops are crankier about you walking home drunk, I'll stick to drinking at home. Cheaper that way.) Granted, I was still trying to socialise a bit at bars - and I was going to actually decent bars, not hanging out in the wharf bars where you find all the steves after shift (not that that sort of place can't be fun - but I'm not that into bar fights anymore.)

But:
1) This is a private forum.
2) Private fori can be moderated to whatever standard the forum owner wishes.
3) This has been upheld several times in the last fifty to sixty years.
4) Membership in a private forum is strictly voluntary.

"Freedom of speech" includes responsibility - as has often been said, it is not OK to shout "Movie!" in a crowded firehouse. The converse of "right" is "responsibility" - you have the responsibility to exercise your rights in a manner that does no harm to another. Since it's feasible that minors could be on these boards as users, it is our responsibility to protect them, and that means that we have to ensure that others exercise their responsibility as well.

Yes, that means that a "right" may be limited - but it is proper, in some cases, that this is done. However, it should never be done by an act of Law - merely an act of Common Sense.

okcjeeper

We do have word censors but there are and always will be ways around them by use of symbols shorthand and so on. Since I figure most members are adults or old enough to be able to follow some basic rules I nor the owners are going to go through all the various forms used to type certain words. In the end members can either follow the basic rules or they can leave.

I hate to be harsh but I also hate treating adults like 2 year olds. I deal with the talking back an trying to push the limits from my 6 year old enough and I won't deal with it from adults. I no it seems harsh but quite frankly I am to the point I just don't care. I just think it's truly sad I had to actually post this, it's something I'd expect to say to my son not a site full of adults.

BlueXJ

Well said I concur!!

MontanaXJer

okcjeeper

Thanks for the support gang..

Also if anyone has an issue please feel free to post your thoughts and opinions here or you are welcome to PM me. I don't mind discussing it at all, but I have to be honest I don't see anyone convincing me to budge on my stance..

EvilBlackXJ

Mommy, what's a post *****???

OnlyInMyXJ22

True.

Works for me, since I don't swear in my posts even when I really want to.

5-90

The advice I tend to give vulgarians is this (most often borne of frustration with a tech issue):

"I understand your frustration, but we're trying to keep the tone down. I'd like to mention two things that might help you in future:
"1) Profanity does not get your post answered any quicker. It's more likely to get it deleted, and you're starting over again.
"2) If you're having a knotty tech issue, type it all out but do not hit the 'Post' button. Go have a sammich and a cuppa - just do something else for 10-15 minutes. The delay will not cause you any trouble. Then, come back and re-read your post. Clean up the bits that need it, type in the details you forgot, and then submit the post. Something you forgot is probably what we need to help you, and that gives you a chance to edit out profanities, vulgarities, epithets, blasphemies, or just about anything else that will end up with someone like me nuking your post.
"If you have a little patience, you'll find your problem can get solved much more quickly, and you'll get back in service that much faster. Yes, including the ten-minute break for a sammich and a cuppa - which you probably need at that point anyhow!"
" -Mod"

I'm not even going to try to convince you to budge. 1) I see no reason to. 2) I often have to take the same stance myself. While I could probably put in a good show for it (if I hadn't already jumped out and supported you...) it's just not worth the effort. Stay strong - we're behind you!

XJ Stryker

Thanks OKC!

OverlandZJ

:applause:

winston427

Well stated OKC, there is no reason for the admins and mods to constantly police every thread and every post within. This is a family friendly site and should remain that way for all ages of Jeep enthusiast to enjoy.

bigbadxj

I do not agree, but I do understand that this is a private club that everyone here has asked to be apart of there for I will obey the rules.

okcjeeper

Hey I appreciate it.

I personally do not have an issue with cursing but it's just not appropriate for this site. Now I also run a local hunting site and I have no issue with light cursing at all. We don't have kids coming around and all my members which are local guys that I know all know the atmosphere and handle it accordingly. This site started as a family friendly site and that's how Nathan and Jon want to keep it so that's how we're gonna run it. I figured most everyone would be ok with it so I figure it shouldn't be an issue but needed to make an official post so it's documented.