I swear, I use foul language and often profanities unbecoming a gentleman.
I do make an effort not to swear around elders, and definitely control myself around children. It's much like when I first started smoking. 15 years ago, my good friend Mike (the alien) would discuss the ethics, behaviors and attitudes of smokers in public. We came up with our own little code of conduct for public smoking and I've tried to live by these rules ever since. Mark the word tried; I'm still human.
since then, the province of Ontario has banned smoking in all public places, even at bars, one must step outside to light up. Bar/tavern owners have gone out of their way to provide outdoor patios for smokers in order to extend the area for drinkers, that way we don't have to keep paying the cover charge, or leave our drinks inside. This is good business.
Getting back to foul language. I realize that Yahoo feels the need to censor their users of inappropriate language, photo's and discussion topics. But why would they just delete thousands of threads & photos for the words and postings of 2 people incapable of self control?
would it not have been more productive to block those individuals, or blank out the inoffensive material and post a warning to admins? It WAS a monitored thread was it not?
and what was with the twitter comment made by the person responsible for the censoring? "I hate your freedom". That sounds very messed up; almost like she had a personal grudge against the group, or even the idea of free speech. It also reminds me of many political actions both here in North America and around the world, people in positions of authority rubbing out statements (or people) that don't fit their ideal society.
China was responsible for the deaths and disappearances of countless freedom speakers. The Nazi party also was responsible of propaganda and killings. When and where do governments/corporations get the right to do this? One deleted comment here, One nuked community there... should I expect to find dead bodies next?
Yahoo overstepped their authority. This is the plain and simple truth. On the other hand, people need to learn some self control. Becoming a member of a monitored community is the first step. By putting their work into the hands of the community admins they are respecting the decisions and ethics of those admins. In other groups, it's the general population that makes the decision to block or censor content that they deem inappropriate. Nowhere in that model does the corporation have the right to blast into non-existence anything without at least multiple warnings and possibly banishing the few people involved. We the people are quite capable of dealing with our own. We don't need Big Brother holding us down until we call "uncle". I agree that we do need to show a little more self control, but that's our problem. As for people who sniff around trying to find something to be offended with? Those self appointed censors can show a little more appropriate behavior as well.
After Ontario passed the no public smoking bill, they did not send cops into bars and shoot the smokers dead. There were warnings, pressure was applied to tavern owners and fines were placed on smokers and owners alike for ignoring the laws. But mostly, owners sent smokers outside and many patrons took it upon themselves to point smokers to the door. This is appropriate. Only when a smoker was behaving stubbornly and refusing to accept the needs of the community should the authorities be called in.
In my own opinion... I've never liked Yahoo. I stopped using geocities as soon as Yahoo bought them up, and I refuse to use any of their services (accept Yahoo mail which I use only as a dummy account to send junk, a fitting use in my books). I am quite capable of controlling my indiscretions, and I approve of my fellow humans mentioning to me personally and privately if something seems inappropriate. That's where discussion, debate and consensus comes from.
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Friar Greg
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