I would like to comment on this post, however I do not feel free to do so as I am unable to predict whether or not my comments will offend.
Paul On Sep 17, 2014 7:01 PM, "Simon Hackett" <[email protected]> wrote: > Gentlepersons, > > The body images posted today on the list in an apparent (but in my view, > misguided) attempt at humour were totally unacceptable, in my personal view. > > Yes, the Internet *is* full of this s**t, but no, this list is *not* a > place to post it. Ever. This list is called 'aus-soaring', not 'misogynist > humour' > > One of the disadvantages of mailing lists (like this one) is that because > they are email, things posted cannot be 'un-posted'. It is one instance > where more 'modern' mechanisms like web forums allow for retrospective > removal of offensive crap - but alas that is not a technical option here. > Email can't really be un-sent. > > What I do have as an option available to me, however, is to change the > rules (or to be more specific, to define them - as this list has gotten > along very very well for many years without any) > > I much prefer not having to have rules of conduct, on the general basis > that civilised people should be able to act in in a civilised manner > without them. > > A distinct disadvantage of setting up participation rules is that (some) > people will then decide to figure out ways to stress-test, skirt, ignore, > or otherwise circumvent them. > > However, I can't let today just pass without doing -something-; and as I'm > the one who paid for this list to exist, there is at least some moral > imperative (and, I would argue, moral right) for me to decide to modify the > environment if it has to be modified. > > So here goes: > > ** There will be, forthwith, zero tolerance of people who send material > via the list that causes offence to reasonable people. Such people will be > removed from the list permanently without further discussion or debate ** > > That isn't merely limited to rude images. Calling names *can* also hurt > people. Don't do that either. Don't offend. Just... don't. > > To be blunt: > > If you want to be a boorish asshole, do it somewhere else. > > The definition of 'offence to reasonable people' is entirely up to the > personal discretion of those who volunteer their personal time to be list > 'owners' ('owners' here is meant in the technical sense of receiving > administrative messages and having to perform administrative functions > related to the list, to make it function). > > Note: No warnings, no second chances, and no arguments about the > definition of what the list owners decide to be something that 'causes > offence to reasonable people'. > > If you want to have an argument about a decision taken by a volunteer list > owner on this basis, on this list, don't do it here. > > Instead, please, start your own list and have that debate there (likely > with yourself and nobody else, if today's exercise is any guide). > > To those offended by the posts today (as I was) - I apologise on behalf of > those apparently too cowardly to do so themselves, for the offence that > those people clearly caused to others. > > I will note that the definition of being offended is ultimately up to the > person who *is* offended, not to the instigator of the offence, to decide > > The role of the instigator in this circumstance is not to say 'toughen up' > (or to say nothing), but rather it is for them to learn from what happened, > to apologise, and then to modify their future behaviour to become more > urbane about their interactions in shared interaction environments... or > else to just leave, if they are incapable of, or disinterested in, being > that caring about the welfare and mental state of others around them. > > It is, sadly, not possible to stamp out boorish behaviour in societies. > Some people are just built that way. I get that. Really, I do. I've been a > participant in social media for decades - for far longer than the term has > existed. > > I have been the direct target of some pretty rugged personal attacks over > that time. In some circumstances I have had to recuse myself from some > discussion spaces for the preservation of my own calm as a result. > > But I do not want aus-soaring to be a place where anyone has to feel the > way that I have been made to feel in the past, in that regard, as the > subject of either personal attacks or as the unwilling recipients of > offensive material via this list. > > Hence the new list participation rule, as noted above. > > Thanks for listening - and I hope that this (somehow) helps more than it > hinders. > > Regards, > Simon Hackett > > > > _______________________________________________ > Aus-soaring mailing list > [email protected] > To check or change subscription details, visit: > http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring >
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