Another Voice Of Reason Is Silenced

[letzrockexpress]

You know him... We all do. Like all of us who have perused or passed through these hallowed threads, Dougster Travels has had to do his share of deflecting those who attack his opinions as well as attack those opinions which differ or diminish in some way his own outlook. As all of you know, sometimes we get a little heated and speak out or "type" out before we have a chance to think through what we really should say. This happened to Doug. A moderator or moderators saw fit to ban Mr. Travels for lashing out. Did he say something out of line? Apparently the moderator or gaggle of moderators felt he did.
It's no secret Doug's opinions are, shall we say, a little more to the left than most other members of this forum. To say there is a bias here that leans the other way would be, to say the least, facitious. We are all adults here. This isn't kindergarten. I myself have been the victim of these bias attacks. They are at best childish and at their worst, desperately pathetic. Enough is enough. Bring back Dougstertravels. I implore you. Free speech may not necessarily be a "right" on this forum, but the forum is certainly better for allowing free thought to be shared rather than persecuting those who actually think for themselves.

 

[greg334]

Sorry Letzrock but in some cases we have children here, we have people who don't get what it is all about and we have the constant defenders of the faith.... yada yada yada... what is most disturbing is some of what i have read in the last few weeks... maybe months..... yada yada yada...

Now with that said, I don't see what he said to whom he said it to to get banned, even a temporary thing. I got frustrated with him but again I have no reason to, this is all fun for me... so I am on your side.... well sort of... I don't go as far as a voice of reason but a voice nevertheless.....

 

[LDB]

Moderators do not ban anyone. Moderators do not have that magic power the way the forum is set up to function. The forum administrators have that magic power. They decide who is banned and who isn't as well as for how long.

Doug posted something that I suspect he knew was way across the line when he posted it. There is a big difference between saying something in the midst of a heated debate and typing it in a post. Verbally it is out and gone immediately. Typed it's somewhere in all the text and by the time the button is clicked to post it there has been plenty of time to think about just how right or wrong it may be.

Doug and his positions and opinions are not "attacked" any more than anybody else's on either side of the debate. One could just as easily argue that the left is childish at best and desparately pathetic at worst.

Would you be making the same arguments and pleading the same case if it were chefdennis or layoutshooter or pilgrim or aristotle?

 

[greg334]

Would you be making the same arguments and pleading the same case if it were chefdennis or layoutshooter or pilgrim or aristotle?

Yes I would... if you are asking me....

I would like to know what he really said and was it here in the soap box. I know you can't or shouldn't answer that but maybe Dale can..... I am only curious.

 

[letzrockexpress]

Would you be making the same arguments and pleading the same case if it were chefdennis or layoutshooter or pilgrim or aristotle?

Perhaps I would, depending on the circumstances, but more importantly, just by asking the question you imply that I am speaking from the same angle as Doug. My point is this: taking myself out of the equation all together, there are far more of you than there are of him. From an observer's view it seems lopsided. My views are more ala carte. I don't take a hard line either way so I don't feel any kinship to Doug. The fact is it seems to me he has been singled out for his opposing views.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Yes Doug crossed the line...it was a while ago but I remember the post and Dreamer edited it and then after consultation or some thought banned Doug.....

I like Doug as well....It was unfortunate..but rules are rules no less.....sometimes counting to ten before you hit the send button helps....I've been there....I know I've probably kicked a little sand on the line to dust it up but always held it back...

In all my years I've never seen a ban rescinded....it is not taken lightly..it is the last thing the admin wants to do....

 

[LDB]

I'll leave it up to admin to disclose everything or not. I'll share part of it in that he made a post in a different forum than the soapbox of a very insulting and derogatory nature. It was not something that could be misunderstood or misinterpretted. It was an absolute. It would never have passed the automatic censor so he abbrieviated it to get it to go through. At least one forum member reported it through the report a post function. Anything more than that you probably don't need to know but that decision will be up to admin not me. I would argue against shortening the time off for anyone who "earns" a "vacation" in that manner regardless of whether they are on the right or left.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Perhaps I would, depending on the circumstances, but more importantly, just by asking the question you imply that I am speaking from the same angle as Doug. My point is this: taking myself out of the equation all together, there are far more of you than there are of him. From an observer's view it seems lopsided. My views are more ala carte. I don't take a hard line either way so I don't feel any kinship to Doug. The fact is it seems to me he has been singled out for his opposing views.

Rock you are correct....I've been called a koolaid drinker..I've been called nuts and with statements as light as "what are you crazy?" those could be considered an attack on me....I call them the Dirty Dozen *LOL* you've run into them as well I believe...I've seen you shouted down and mocked and laughed at with snide comments after you leave....

 

[letzrockexpress]

Rock you are correct....I've been called a koolaid drinker..I've been called nuts and with statements as light as "what are you crazy?" those could be considered an attack on me....I call them the Dirty Dozen *LOL* you've run into them as well I believe...I've seen you shouted down and mocked and laughed at with snide comments after you leave....

Indeed I have. The dastardly D-12...

 

[letzrockexpress]

In all my years I've never seen a ban rescinded....it is not taken lightly..it is the last thing the admin wants to do....

There was an individual here that was banned, but was back in a week or two who actually threatened me with "lead poisoning" if you get my drift. He "demanded" I meet him at a specific mile marker on I-75 in Georgia to receive my due. He is back and posting just like nothing ever happened. Imagine that!

 

[OntarioVanMan]

There was an individual here that was banned, but was back in a week or two who actually threatened me with "lead poisoning" if you get my drift. He "demanded" I meet him at a specific mile marker on I-75 in Georgia to receive my due. He is back and posting just like nothing ever happened. Imagine that!

it is not a permanent ban ya know..I think 1st offense is 30 days...I maybe wrong....

 

[chefdennis]

Ok since my name was brought into this, ill now comment, which I haven't before this. What Doug typed, in ANOTHER FORUM OTHER THEN THE SOAPBOX was inappropriate even for the soapbox...now i belong to sites where what he said would be totally ok, but it isn't here. We are all guest of the owner of this forum, the Mods or Mods as a group cannot ban or suspend anyone..Dougs ban came from and Admin..and it wasn't his 1st time, he has been suspended before...my name was brought up, fact is i never as much as even been warned for my conduct here or the content of my post, nothing at all..call it the fact that most here are of the conservative bend or anything else you want to , but nothing i have ever posted here comes close to what Doug told another member to do....sorry, but not a chnace of comparison.

Now as far as liking Doug, i can tell you right here, that I could totally enjoy spending time with Doug talking music and about photography, leave politics out of it and all would be good. I just met OVM face to face this past week... while we don't see alot of things political on the same keel, when we met, politics was never talked about...the conversation was pleasant and not strained at all..i look forward to meeting him again and the next time Juju will hopefully be there....so to say Doug was banned for his political views is B/S...I don't think anyone here would say Doug is a bad person, his conduct was out of line and it had nothing to do with his political views....or the fact that he isn't of the Conservative bend....

Now as far as the 2 post deploring his return, all i can say is the rules are the rules, the powers that be (and again not a mod) made the decision, you might not agree with it, but again, we are all guess in the owner of this site home, if you don't like the rules the owner sets for his home, there are other forums....on a few other forums i frequent, even questioning this type of decision wou;d garner you as suspension....

PS:

OVM wrote:

it is not a permanent ban ya know..I think 1st offense is 30 days...I maybe wrong....

Its not his 1st, but his 2nd...and i think that from a previous post, he may be back sooner then later...as long as he wants to behave...2nd grade or not, there are rules....

 

[Turtle]

Doug had already been banned (suspended) for doing the same exact thing. He's a big boy and he knew precisely what he was doing, and he knew what the outcome would be.

No one has ever been suspended or banned from EO for an opposing political viewpoint. People only get banned here for violating the Code of Conduct, and it has to be a pretty blatant violation at that. The opposing viewpoints in the Soapbox is what makes the Soapbox interesting. You can't learn much by reading only the same views that you already share. The problem comes when those viewpoints change from the issues to posts which contain a lot of "you, you're, and your" words in them.

If you can post a reply without using the word "you" to direct things on a personal level, the better off you'll be.

 

[letzrockexpress]

Hmm...not of the conservative bend, eh Chef?

Did his offense involve suggesting someone "bend" a certain way?

 

[chefdennis]

letzrock wrote:

Did his offense involve suggesting someone "bend" a certain way?

To be honest, yes it did!!! And it wasn't a political bend either that he suggested...

 

[Turtle]

Moderators are very bendy.

 

[hdxpedx]

"lead poisoning"?????????????

THE post's I assume are still there!! MAKE BELIEVE BENT FACTS to support your guy?? I TOOK IT LIKE A MAN!! Quit crying

 

[letzrockexpress]

I TOOK IT LIKE A MAN!!

I'm quite sure they are still there, though a man wouldn't stoop to that level.

 

[hdxpedx]

"lead poisoning"?????????????

The post's i assume are still there!! Make believe bent facts to support your guy?? I took it like a man!! Quit crying

fact!!!!!!!!!!!!!
tired of watching cartoons?- now go play big truck driver on the internet?

 

[layoutshooter]

Hey Rocket, if someone threating you with accute sudden "lead poisoning" you should inform the police AND an administrator in here. There is NO call for that and you may be in real danger. That is NOT a joke that should EVER be taken lighty.

As to Doug, he crossed the line. We all know where it is. He CHOOSE of his own free will to cross it. He knew what could happen. It did. Too darn bad. I hope he comes back, I enjoyed having a favorite "arch nemisis"!!!! Many think that these political arguements are bad, they are not. We need MORE public discourse. What we see in the media is VERY one sided and this does NOT allow for true informed voting. That leads to disaster.