Administrator said:
This has been a delicate situation we wanted to handle considerately. Our ethos for the forum has always for it to be a free and open platform for people to discuss diabetes and their experiences. The reason that, that thread was locked is because the thread became inflammatory.
Sorry Admin but if it doesn't get stopped all you'll have is a "free for all" forum that will then be very hard to controll, just like it was two years ago when the "low-carbers" were "allowed" to insult anyone at will.
When it comes to banning the member in question - we did deliberate whether to ban the member. As they post on 'another' blog, it's clear and simple for other members to see how inconsiderate/stupid/deranged/selfish/'add your term here' the member in question actually is - as still they come here, even though they ridicule it?
Did you ask yourselves why that member still comes here and what his "agenda" might be? Masybe he is the one who is passing on people profile information as someone did mine? I'm not claiming that it was him but as he is the only one here who ridicules this forum and it's members it just might be.
As ladybird says, it's just childish - and we don't wish to entertain it. Members can see the ramblings/forum posts and decide for themselves. We stick by our ethos; and always will. Our actions show this.
It is childish and should be "punished" accordingly. You know as I do that of a child is "spoiled" he will behave even worse and cause more damage and more arguments in the future.
Even still, is it justifiable for us to ban a member who probably needs the help and support of the forum community more than anyone else! We're not interested in childish games. We have nothing to hide, and so members (if they want) can see how silly some people can become. Each thread/post, when it comes to moderation, is dealt on a case by case basis. In this case, it was decided to leave the thread as it is obvious for members to see how ridiculous people can become. It also shows how we want to provide a free and open platform.
I do not see this particular member asking for any help Admin, all I see from him is ramblings and insults, so how do you suggest we help him? Should we insult him back, maybe that's what he really needs help with?
The mods have also been doing a very good job. When it comes to a forum of 30,000+ people, it takes time to get to grips with moderation and it certainly a great thing they're doing for the community. The team have been doing a great job - and when it comes to topics/situations like the one we're discussing, the decision is left to the admin team, so it really has little to do with the mod team. We decided to lock the thread.
Locking thread after thread because of one person is not going to help any one Admin, getting rid of obvious insulting members will leave the other peace loving members to have a proper conversation and give them a chance to help each other without the fear that they will be ridiculed by a "childish" member.
We are not for or against any particular diet, lifestyle or management method (no matter what some people think!). We had many members asking us to remove the 600kcal diet threads, for example - however, we feel a social responsibility to keep these threads on the forum. Surely it's better to have it in the open, where people can make their own minds up, rather than remove them and not allow these discussions - especially when people are so interested in these topics.
You'll find that many of us, including myself, are also not against any particular diet, all we care about is what helps people to keep good BG levels and at the same time makes them happy but we can't even talk about it without (litterally) being insulted those who do not share the same view as they do. If it carries on like this, members will be too scared to ask any question and those who want to help will not reply to questions becaseu they will be too scared of starting another argument and be ridiculed for their views.
It's plain and simple for us - we want a free, open platform - and the forum has never been so free-flowing with so many new members joining daily for a long time.
It's your forum and you run it as you see fit but don't be surprised if more and more members leave in disgust and go elsewhere to help or get answers to their questions.
[uote]As always, if any members take exception to any posts/threads they can always contact mods/admin for them to be dealt with.[/quote]
I'm sorry but what would be the point in contacting Mods or yourself if all you are going to do is just lock the thread? That will do nothing to stop the real threat of the same thing happening in another thread. What then, will you lock that thread as well? Then the next one and the next one?
Would it not be easier and better for the forum to just get rid of the childish trouble makers and give the rest a chance to get on with helping and getting help?
As I mentioned above, it's your forum and you run it as you see fit but if you expect us all to stay here only to be insulted by some stupidly childish member/s who proudly boast about their achivements in an equally vile blog while literally taking the p*** and calling us all the names under the sun then you might as well ask us to become just like him/them.