SITE RULES...

[medusacoils]

Agreed. But the general perception is shifting toward requiring the environment to be kid friendly, rather than that adults keep kids away from the unfriendly environment. It's probably good for us to be reminded that kids do come here (and I don't mean under 18 hardcore herp lovers) & to moderate our language to avoid anything unsuitable.

Of course, I hope we don't ever have to deal with adults who feel that discussing breeding behaviors in snakes is inappropriate!

When it comes to language, cussing or swearing, I have found it easier to explain to my children about how I feel about such things, rather then trying to censor it. Both of my children are pretty good about understanding the rules I have set, when it comes to this subject. They know what is right and wrong.

I think if you instill strong fundamentals and set guidelines for your children to follow, they learn respect and to be respectful.

I can't be with my kids, every second of every day and with the way words fly from the daytime TV or Radio, it's almost impossible to completely sanitize situations or language. Not to mention what they learn on the school playground? So I don't worry about such things that much. I guess I pick my battles.

Wayne

 

[dionythicus]

Based on this statement, the "N" word is acceptable to use in some contexts, as long as I am not directing it specifically at an African American!?!?

Thanks for clarifying!

Wayne

They use it towards each other. That's one context. I use several homosexual slang terms around my gay friends, who don't care, but I wouldn't just call someone on the street a "fag". At some point, I think we'll lose the orginal source meaning and it will likely join other once offensive terms in modern use. We're a few generations past the original use of "moron", "idiot" and "retarded", so in a few more generations, yep, I think the N word won't be such a bid deal. Right now, I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole, nor would I use the word "retarded" towards any one person. I do say "Wii-tard" or "Narutard", as well as moron and idiot, and dumkopf, etc. At what point do we decide to burn books rather than accept that we don't have to be threatened by words? Its the same principle to me. I had to grow a thick skin as a kid, I was terribly picked on in junior high, there were some brutal comments made towards me for a physical trait I couldn't help. I knew that the person making the comment was the one who had the problem, not me, but it still hurt like hell. Its the intent, not the word, that stings.

 

[danielle]

I like mewtard= mutant retard

 

[LBoz]

I like mewtard= mutant retard

I've ASKED you to stop calling me that, Danielle. :nope:

 

[Lucille]

I think this is an apprpriate time to post the lyrics of 'Smut' by Tom Lehrer:



I do have a cause though. It is obscenity. I'm for it. Unfortunately the civil liberties types who are fighting this issue have to fight it owing to the nature of the laws as a matter of freedom of speech and stifling of free expression and so on but we know what's really involved: dirty books are fun. That's all there is to it. But you can't get up in a court and say that I suppose. It's simply a matter of freedom of pleasure, a right which is not guaranteed by the Constitution unfortunately. Anyway, since people seem to be marching for their causes these days I have here a march for mine. It's called...

Smut!
Give me smut and nothing but!
A dirty novel I can't shut,
If it's uncut,
and unsubt- le.

I've never quibbled
If it was ribald,
I would devour where others merely nibbled.
As the judge remarked the day that he
acquitted my Aunt Hortense,
"To be smut
It must be ut-
Terly without redeeming social importance."

Por-
Nographic pictures I adore.
Indecent magazines galore,
I like them more
If they're hard core.

(Bring on the obscene movies, murals, postcards, neckties,
samplers, stained-glass windows, tattoos, anything!
More, more, I'm still not satisfied!)

Stories of tortures
Used by debauchers,
Lurid, licentious, and vile,
Make me smile.
Novels that pander
To my taste for candor
Give me a pleasure sublime.
(Let's face it, I love slime.)

All books can be indecent books
Though recent books are bolder,
For filth (I'm glad to say) is in
the mind of the beholder.
When correctly viewed,
Everything is lewd.
(I could tell you things about Peter Pan,
And the Wizard of Oz, there's a dirty old man!)

I thrill
To any book like Fanny Hill,
And I suppose I always will,
If it is swill
And really fil
thy.

Who needs a hobby like tennis or philately?
I've got a hobby: rereading Lady Chatterley.
But now they're trying to take it all
away from us unless
We take a stand, and hand in hand
we fight for freedom of the press.
In other words,

Smut! (I love it)
Ah, the adventures of a slut.
Oh, I'm a market they can't glut,
I don't know what
Compares with smut.

Hip hip hooray!
Let's hear it for the Supreme Court!
Don't let them take it away!

 

[danielle]

Is there another pet name you prefer?

 

[medusacoils]

They use it towards each other. That's one context. I use several homosexual slang terms around my gay friends, who don't care, but I wouldn't just call someone on the street a "fag". At some point, I think we'll lose the orginal source meaning and it will likely join other once offensive terms in modern use. We're a few generations past the original use of "moron", "idiot" and "retarded", so in a few more generations, yep, I think the N word won't be such a bid deal. Right now, I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole, nor would I use the word "retarded" towards any one person. I do say "Wii-tard" or "Narutard", as well as moron and idiot, and dumkopf, etc. At point do we decide to burn books rather than accept that we don't have to be threatened by words? Its the same principle to me. I had to grow a thick skin as a kid, I was terribly picked on in junior high, there were some brutal comments made towards me for a physical trait I couldn't help. I knew that the person making the comment was the one who had the problem, not me, but it still hurt like hell. Its the intent, not the word, that stings.

i don't mean anything personal toward you, so please don't think or take it like that.

I have a problem, when a kid decides to use that word, in the context, he used it in. I have a right to be uncomfortable with it. It's not funny, the statement isn't funny and there is no place for it, in a public forum like this.

Now, if you want to go and use words, that others may find offensive, with your friends, then that's your business.

If so much is going to be made about profanity and respect, then there can't be a double standard. If your going to light someone up for saying something, that may be considered profane by some, not all, then derogatory or degrading statements should be prohibited, as well.

I'm sorry, but I can't understand how anyone, whether you are the parent of a speds child or not, can't see how this statement isn't offensive?

Internet arguing is like the special Olympics you may win but you are still retarded!

Wayne

 

[LBoz]

I find that statement incredibly offensive and told him as much. To his credit, he did apologize.

 

[dionythicus]

I'm not taking it personally. And I hope you know I'm not picking on you. I love to debate. :dancer:

I've learned to let things go and pick my battles. I could be offended a hundred times a day if I let everything find its way into my personal sense of right and wrong. Do I find that particular statement offensive? No. In poor taste, sure.

I truly feel that PC has gone overboard. You can never know what people will find offensive, even something you wouldn't imagine ever could be. I do my best to not be mean to other people, but for goodness sake, some things are just not important enough to get your panties in a bunch over. There, now someone will be offended by my reference to women's underwear. :crazy02:

 

[Rich Z]

Can we have some sort of warning system, like a PM or visitor message before an infraction until we get a feel for exactly what's expected?

Just a note here that the infraction system IS a warning system. It is generally used by the mods to warn a member that their actions are not in keeping with what we desire from participation within this site. The infraction itself is NOT a punishment. The temporary, then permanent, bans ARE the punishment that can result from a member failing to respond properly to the warnings the infraction points are designed to inform that member about.

As for trying to put something like "profanity" into a black and white definition, sorry, but that just is not possible to do. I've faced this problem since day 1 with all of my sites. So I simply give my mods basic guidelines to go by and hope they have the common sense necessary to realize that the purpose of a site like this is for us all to have fun and make this a place that people enjoy coming to. If there are some people who try to inhibit that goal by their choice of words that seem abusive, abrasive, or offensive to many of the members, well the mods can choose to warn them via the infraction system that that are going against the grain, and to continue traveling on that road can incur the penalty of being removed from this site for the sake of the comfort of the majority of the other members.

Bear in mind that each and every mod will have their own definition of what constitutes profanity. I prefer to err on the side of caution in such things, but there will be mods much more stringent in their own definition. Pretty much my own definition is that if you are not likely to see your statement printed as a headline in the local newspapers because the words or context are offensive, then quite likely that statement will not be well received here as well.

 

[snakewispera snr]

Most of us full time users haven't got that much to worry about, I don't think IMO....
We are all still posting away, having a cybertastic time, and no warnings for our behaviour....... So we obviously are staying within any guide lines that have been made...
These rules are made for new members that have been at other sites that play by different rules.... Even disagreements are fairly civil over here... LOL
I wouldn't worry about the size of the playing field, just enjoy the game and play away.... IMO

 

[medusacoils]

I find that statement incredibly offensive and told him as much. To his credit, he did apologize.

I would love to see where he apologized, because that thread(post 113) was closed almost immediately after that comment. :shrugs:

Wayne

 

[medusacoils]

I'm not taking it personally. And I hope you know I'm not picking on you. I love to debate. :dancer:

I've learned to let things go and pick my battles. I could be offended a hundred times a day if I let everything find its way into my personal sense of right and wrong. Do I find that particular statement offensive? No. In poor taste, sure.

I truly feel that PC has gone overboard. You can never know what people will find offensive, even something you wouldn't imagine ever could be. I do my best to not be mean to other people, but for goodness sake, some things are just not important enough to get your panties in a bunch over. There, now someone will be offended by my reference to women's underwear. :crazy02:

And I agree! That's why I mentioned earlier, about choosing my battles, with my children. I take that same approach with things I find offensive.

But as far as the part I highlighted in red, this is one subject that gets my panties all tangled into a tight ball!

Most of us full time users haven't got that much to worry about, I don't think IMO....
We are all still posting away, having a cybertastic time, and no warnings for our behaviour....... So we obviously are staying within any guide lines that have been made...
These rules are made for new members that have been at other sites that play by different rules.... Even disagreements are fairly civil over here... LOL
I wouldn't worry about the size of the playing field, just enjoy the game and play away.... IMO

Sir, well said, as usual!

Wayne

 

[Snakes Incorporated]

These rules are made for new members that have been at other sites that play by different rules....

Though true I find that somewhat bias me thinks. :bang: