My apologies

Hillbilly · May 18, 2002

Guys,
I was censored by one of the moderators.I posted a letter titled IMMIGRANTS, NOT AMERICANS, MUST ADAPT 
I want to apologize to any of the politically correct I might have offended,including the moderators.
Again an apology from the right,er I mean Hillbilly.
Sorry

DarinRay · May 18, 2002

Hillbilly,

Yeah it sometimes bites you in the butt when you say what you want or do what you want,,,I do it all the time. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I for one wouldn't worry about it. What's done is done. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif.

Darin

Hillbilly · May 18, 2002

Just trying to do my Patriotic chore.

kubmech · May 19, 2002

Hillbilly, please feel free to send any "offensive" material you choose to me by private message.

jimmoore · May 19, 2002

Hillbilly, I didn't find your post offensive in the least. I feel the same way you do! Its a shame that some people are so thin skinned that they take offense at any little thing. By agreeing with you, this post will most likely be removed also.

Muhammad · May 19, 2002

It's not a matter of anybody being offended per-se, but it's a matter of potential problems with politically opinionated threads. We have in the past removed these types of threads, before and after they are destructive, and we will continue to do so. It's a touchy subject and while the majority of people here might agree with it, all it takes is one to change the tone into something I personally don't want to see.

JonLeonard · May 19, 2002

Having been a moderator of boards, I would have to agree with Muhammad. I personally didnt see the thread, so I cant comment as to its content.

I will say however that alot of board mods delete ANY topic that has to do with politics, religion, abortion (religion related or not), etc. Those topics quickly degenerate, and do great harm to the sense of "community" that all boards try to establish.

So, dont think that the moderators might not have agreed personally with your post, its just they want to keep everyone feeling welcome and make sure that newcomers find a great place to seek knowledge. Nothing will drive people away faster than thread after thread of flames.

Jon

ByuBill · May 19, 2002

Hillbilly
Although I agree with your original 'censored' post, yes I saw it, I also have to agree with Muhammad and Jon. It is definitly 'off topic', for a tractor forum, but 'I' don't consider it 'just for fun'. It could easily cause an up rising and a heated argument that went on and on. A lot of us aren't used to biting our tongue, me included, when it comes to something that we believe in. Again, although I agree with the statement that it makes, I didn't expect to see it on TBN. I am sure that we have all gotten it in our e-mail at least a half dozen times since '9-11'. I have gotten it atleast 50 times. Same with all of the other internet jokes, we all get them. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
Just my opinion. Have a wonderful day.

cowboydoc · May 19, 2002

Too bad more people don't think like you Hillbilly. I think this country would be a whole lot better place. I agree with you 100%. Nowhere else in the world do they even try one bit to accomodate a foreigner.

Hillbilly · May 19, 2002

Thanks Bill for saying you agree with it,I thought maybe I was the only one that did....If I am the only one that agrees with it,I need to start spending my time elsewhere.

Hillbilly · May 19, 2002

Thank you Doctor(friend)/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Hillbilly · May 19, 2002

You should have it now,anyone else want's to know what the uproar is about and read the offensive material I will gladly e-mail it here or if the plug gets pulled on us....If you like I will send it to your private e-mail account. I am not against foreigners,heck my son is dating a Chinese girl.

ByuBill · May 19, 2002

Hilbilly
Out of the 4500 + registered members of TBN, I would guess that about 4000 of us agree with what the post says. We just didn't think that 'here' was the place to start an uprising. We do agree with you though. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Hillbilly · May 19, 2002

I can appreciate that...

DarinRay · May 19, 2002

Hillbilly,

I haven't seen it yet. Thanks

Darin

On edit: Thanks and could not agree more and I think everyone would have to also or should.

Hillbilly · May 19, 2002

I think the best thing to do is drop this publicly(at least the debate)When I posted the letter,I was thinking just a bunch of average guys like me who pick up a lunch box and goes to work and likes to be tinkering with there toys and being with family on there days off would enjoy the note or at least could identify with or would agree with me.I don't think a moderator should pull a message with at least sending a note to a longstanding member and explaining why.
But I also realize the difficult position Muhammad is in.
It is no wonder he has moderators now that this board is getting so big and I am sure he needs some time away from managing this monster of a discussion board he created.Although Muhammad did send me a note and telling me he did not pull it, but why it was pulled/Thanks Muhammad.
I guess I found it a little insulting to be clipped like I was without a e-mail from a moderator explaining why.I never have or never will intentionally post anything that is insulting/vile or degrading to anyone.
May I borrow an old 60's theme "Peace and Love"
or how about a 90's theme
Can't we all get along? /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Have a good weekend (whats left of it)

RobertN · May 19, 2002

I hate the idea of censorship. However, I have seena Board just mutilated when a "off-topic" came in, and just tumbled downhill.

I was one of the original members of the Homebrew Digest. Like this board for tractors, we talked beer. It was the best early forum I had, and have seen. It was incredible the information that passed to and fro. But then, we had some guy off a "political" board, carrying a flame thrower, start posting. He was a brewer, and wanted to share info. But... he couldn't control his flame thrower. That poor board(it was an email forum originally, before the "web"!) went into a downhill sprial that it never recovered from. It is still around, and a whole new generation posts to it. But, it just is not like it used to be. There is still good info shared, but...

This is not to say the same would happen to this board. But, after seeing that wonderful board spiral out of control, I do not want to see anything happen to this one.

cp1969 · May 19, 2002

The only problem with that is that no one ever says what they're truly thinking. And the threshold for offense probably drifts lower and lower, so people become less and less candid with their comments.

I would personally prefer that censorship not be practiced on the internet. If someone is a 'flamethrower', so be it. If that person offends a majority of people, he will be left talking to himself because no one responds and will eventually go away. I mean, if we can't have free exchange in a medium in which everyone is anonymous to each other (the internet), then where can we?

glennmac · May 19, 2002

Re: My apologies--Now how about some explanations

Hillbilly........ I did not see the post, but from the title, I don't see how anyone could even disagree with the proposition that immigrants to any country must adapt to that country. .........I also think is important that members here publicize the censorship they encounter. Otherwise, the rest of us will not know the scope of what is going on....... Finally, maybe Muhammad can clarify who has the right to censor or delete a post. I distinctly remember reading a thread on the new moderator staff which said that moderators do not have the ability to censor or delete. Could all of this please be clarified..... I've been around for almost two years and I think I have gotten a feel for Muhammad's style, but if I now have to figure out the personal censorship proclivities of 6 or 7 censors, I'm not sure its worth it.

Knight9 · May 19, 2002

Cowboydoc,

Nowhere else in the world do they even try one bit to accomodate a foreigner. 

Actually....just to your north is a little country called Canada. We tend to do an awful lot of accomodation too!!!

Kevin