Forum Suggestions & User Assistance - censorship

Whats the point in you guys censoring if people just go like this ***** or a$$. We all no what they are saying so just let them spell it out if they do this.

Originally posted by dz_3283
Whats the point in you guys censoring if people just go like this ***** or a$$. We all no what they are saying so just let them spell it out if they do this.

Your point being?

Originally posted by dz_3283
Whats the point in you guys censoring if people just go like this ***** or a$$. We all no what they are saying so just let them spell it out if they do this.

I'm with you on that one

Ahh thats a crock of ***** and a pain in the a$$ :D

Originally posted by dz_3283
Whats the point in you guys censoring if people just go like this ***** or a$$. We all no what they are saying so just let them spell it out if they do this.


IMHO:

For one thing it offends some people. I am one of them.

What is the point of using that type of language to begin with? Most if not all the cyclists in this forum are more than capable of articulating without resorting to foul language.

thats what im sayin... why do they censor one but not the other. It should be both or none. I think both should be censord

ps.
what imho?

Originally posted by dz_3283
thats what im sayin... why do they censor one but not the other. It should be both or none. I think both should be censord

I look at it as a happy medium. :D

In My Humble Opinion (IMHO).

Originally posted by Gus Riley


I look at it as a happy medium. :D

Um... I'm young here so you'll hafta explain this. Whats a happy medium? A happy whitch or sumthin? Haha j/k. But seriously What do you mean?

A good compromise.

Originally posted by Dirtgrinder
A good compromise.

Thanks Dirtgrinder.

It might also be be thought of as a halfway position between the two parties. Halfway between those that want no inference to vulgarity at all (like you) and those that want to put foul or vulgar language in code or symbols. Using $ fo "S" for example. :)

Originally posted by dz_3283
Whats the point in you guys censoring if people just go like this ***** or a$$. We all no what they are saying so just let them spell it out if they do this.

'ken oath.

As most regulars know, I'm not averse to a bit of judicious cussin', and when I want to do it, no frikkin nanny software is going to stop me from making my meaning clear. I reckon the nanny software is redundant and should be gotten rid of, but the normal codes of conduct in posting still apply.

Cussing can be a useful method of voicing anger, but I generally wouldn't direct it at a fellow forum member. If I really wanted to flame someone, rest assured that I could do just as effective a job without the use of a single verboten word.

If you're offended by cussin' let me ask you this: what do you think is going to happen to you simply because you read a 'naughty' word?

It doesn't bother me to see the $, @, etc. substitutions; maybe it's kind of silly, but I have discovered I have bigger things in my life to be concerned about....

What interests me, though, on much the same subject, is how words you can hear in any bus or on the street every day, cannot be printed in most (not all) newspapers. I find this intriguing, as the media's shying away from common (if vulgar) language does nothing but reinforce the power of those same unprintable words, conferring a kind of talismanic or magical quality on them.
If they were just printed and used as routinely as any other words, they'd be like the emperor's new clothes in no time.

By the way, I use the words I'm referring to in my own speech and in my private writing freely, but I don't use them here even in disguised form because I don't want to offend other members.

I guess if those words became INOFFENSIVE somehow, new ones would have to be made up that would be "forbidden."

Some of us are here because we got tired of all the foul language and other stuff on USENET and other NG's and listservs.

I find it personally objectionable. The substitutions serve the purpose of letting us all know that we are dealing with inappropriate language. Anyone who can't make their point without the use of foul language (or even substituted foul language) has extremely poor control over their use of language.

By the way, a "happy medium" is a fortune teller who just ripped someone off for about $1,000.00

I see written language and oral language as two distinct sides of the same coin: one is formal and one is informal. Here on the forum we have a mix of both: those who write as though it were for publication and those who write as though they were talking to close friends by using street slang.

I, personally, take no offense at the latter if used as just the right adjective for emphasis of a point; but if it is used meerly for shock or because of ignorance, then I feel saddened for that individual, especially if they have an interesting idea to share.

I abhore censorship, and hope Joe will not allow the few prudes to dictate to the rest of us.

Particularly in a written medium such as a public e-forum, one's choice of words reveals much about the poster's civility, decorum, sensitivity, and maturity -- the very qualities that protect us on the road and in society.

I occasionally resort to character/letter substitutions to imply something much stronger than a double exclamation point, e.g.: "I am fighting an overwhelming urge to use profanity here, because of my strong emotional reaction to this news story, experience, etc." Since I am not speaking to you personally, I cannot convey emotional intensity with my tone of voice, facial expressions, and gestures. I will also use substitutions when quoting profane remarks made by another person, just as a newspaper editor might.

Having said all that, I personally do not support censorship.



All seriousness aside, if a 5-foot-tall fortune teller escaped from jail, how would you write the newspaper headline?

"Small Medium at Large"

Originally posted by John E

All seriousness aside, if a 5-foot-tall fortune teller escaped from jail, how would you write the newspaper headline?

"Small Medium at Large"

The reason you don't get many cows as Mediums is because that would make them a 'Medium Rare'...

Seriousness on:

Personally, I very very rarely swear in speech, and see no need in print, but I'm against censorship in principal, although I support the right of a private publisher to censor material they are publishing.

Richard

In alt.coffee (or something), a newsgroup my friend frequents, Folgers is a swear word. I immediately thought of this thread when he mentioned that. Sounds like Ford for the F word and J.H.Chrysler.

i just don't see why they don't censor ***** when the censor what it substitutes

Speaking of censorship, the Schwinn collectors' forum has disappeared again. This may be simply a server problem, or it may reflect another round of censorship.

Frankly, I want to keep this forum as professional as possible. I don't see that happening if I don't have some kind of guideline against foul language. The "censorship" is a reminder of that guideline.

As for your original question, there's dozens of ways to get around the censorship, im not going to go and add a$$ to the list, as its a waste of time. If you need to make a point, and the only way to do it is by using an exclamation point rather then an i, then go ahead and do it. Just don't make it a habit, and use that trick in each of your posts.

As noted in the forum guidelines:

Vulgarity and Sexual Explicitness...As a community with a diverse variety of members and readers, we ask that our members to post without using vulgarity. Vulgarity not only includes vulgar language and pictures but also sexist, racist, anti-religious and homophobic language which may offend other members. In addition, the "masking" of vulgarity by inserting * or another keystroke in place of one or more letters in a vulgar term is unacceptable in most cases. We realize that there's a "grey area" of judgement with vulgarity but we ask that you'll respect others by avoiding vulgarity.

And I, for one, am sincerely glad that the policy prohibits such action.

Thanks Joe.

It just makes sense to keep things civil whenever possible, so that users can approach the Forums with a sense of pleasure rather than dread. Dread of the junk I'd see on newsgroups is what keeps me from visiting them. Any policy that helps preserve the positive experience without diminishing meaningful content is welcome!

I too am against censorship, mostly. But in this type of enviroment you must have guidelines and some sort of order to maintain a family type atmosphere and make it available for all to read. In alot of situations you have the oppotunity to just leave if you don't like the speakers type of language, but here you don't know what is going to be there until you read it. It's kind of hard to explain what I am trying to say, but I think most of you will understand.

In my everyday life I use profanity, not necessarily in anger, but just in everyday conversations and joking around with fellow workers and such. Plus it should only be used in the "right" conditions and company. I don't have a problem with it, but you must know when to use it and when to respect others as well.

Does this make any sense at all?

Originally posted by midwestmntnbkr
Does this make any sense at all?
Yes, I think it does, since it's exactly my point of view! :thumbup:

Just as you don't wear cutoff jeans to a fancy restaurant or sing out loud in the library, so you have different modes of speech for different situations. It's called respect--and common sense. I use language talking with my friends that is simply out of place here, so--I don't use it here! (And anyway, if I did, it would get censored, and I'd probably get banned. :D )

Why don't we look at this from a different perspective.

First of all, the first amendment does not apply on private property.

If a vandal sprayed graffitti on the side of a privately owned building he is not protected by constitutional "free expression" rights, even if that building is something like a grocery store that is freely accessible to the public. The owner of that property has every right to remove the graphitti.

This forum is private property and spam and obscenity are the online equivelant of graphitti. The owner of the forum has every right to remove it. Does that harm anyone's ability to express themselves? No, not at all.

Deleting someone's post because you don't like their opinion is censorship but removing graphitti is NOT. If you want to excercise your free expression rights, go create your own website.

I agree with John. Swear words are hardly ever necessary. The times needed are rare. I hope I am always under control. But also, ocassionally understand the rare need for them.
They say once in awhile, "enough to make a preacher swear."
Well, the Toyota pick up in the bike lane the other night, trying to force another truck into an oncoming lane from the bike lane,had me on the verge. I think we all intuitively know the best swear words appropriate to such situations.

Well, it seems to me that most folk here practice reasonable self-censorship, which is really the ideal that any community should aim for. It also seems to me that a bit of judicious cussing doesn't really offend the majority. It is also apparent that any posts that are actually abusive towards other members, are in the first place rare, and in the second place can be readily dealt with by a moderator (that is why the forums are moderated isn't it?).

So, remind me again why we need easily cicumvented nanny software to 'bleep' out so-called unsavoury words.

Another point I would ilke to add to Bob's post is that the first amendment, and indeed the entire US constitution, doesn't apply to a lot of members in this international forum. I'm not sure what that means in the discussion at hand, but it's a point nonetheless.

Personally, I think the difference between A$$ and the word "***" that the software makes (for me at least) is if your smart enough to get by with the creative workaround, then you're probably less likely to throw the words around. The software is usefull for weeding out ten-year olds who would otherwise toss words like sh1t and b1tch in every third word or so.


I also noticed that the software has trouble with run-on words like the classic George Carlin line: "********helldamn**********mother****erandtits"

First of all, the first amendment does not apply on private property.
Bob- I understand what you're trying to get at, but the above quote is not quite true. Graffiti is vandalism, just like breaking a window on the aforementioned store and is a crime in itself. On the other hand, my first ammendment right follows me wherever I go within the US. I could walk up to the store owner as he's cleaning off the graffiti and tell him his mother wears army boots. I could park a large truck in front of his store displaying a sign that said the same. Granted, the store owner would probably look for some parking violation to remove the truck, or ask me to leave his store because I'm tresspassing, but he cant tell me I have no right to say what I want while I'm waiting for the tow truck.

IMHO, As far as a privately run message board, if you agree to the rules when you sign up, then you agree to be bound by them, including your behavior.