Mods, you will lock this, I'm sure, and that's fine. I just want to say it.
I don't play modern wargames at all and probably never will. I have no stake in this whatsoever.
But I can't say that I approve of the decision to ban all talk of modern war, period. The ISIS problem smells quite frankly of a rationalization, a rationalization used to save people from having to confront anything even the least bit controversial. It is a cheap and easy way out of a problem that really isn't all much of a problem.
If there are specific legal issues with ISIS, these can be dealt with in the same manner as the legal issues when discussing or posting images related to world war two. In fact, existing procedures for discussing Nazi material already demonstrate that the board's international membership is more than capable of following more detailed rules pertaining to specific German legal issues.
If there is a specific inflammatory discussion going on, then that particular discussion can be shut down or placed on very narrow rails, such as the Ukraine thread. It's already been demonstrated that we are capable of also doing this and abiding by such rules. After the restrictions had been placed on that thread, everyone was observed as following the rules and not trying to "sneak in" a discussion around the moderators.
There have been disagreements at time, but I have found LAF's membership to be more mature and reasonable than almost any other forum I go to. Requests made by the moderation staff are almost always both respected and obeyed by the membership (although decisions like this one sure do strain the credibility of the staff and push the membership's tolerance).
It is enormously disappointing that the board's own moderation staff are not able to recognize this and has taken a very easy, lazy, and incredibly heavy-handed way of dealing with what is ultimately a minor issue. And this is especially worrisome given the staff's tendency of late to shut down any category of talk that is making them the least bit uncomfortable. Are we really reaching the point where we have to wonder what is the next whole subforum or time period we will have to pretend doesn't exist?
I have avoided throwing around nonsense cards like "free speech" or "censorship" - this is the admins' board and they are completely free and totally in the legal right to decide what is and isn't allowed for discussion on their boards. But I would also be quite understanding of someone who was upset and did choose to throw those or other terms around, because one-sided decisions like this create the very sort of uncomfortable atmosphere of which discussion is being forbidden.
Welcome, Guest. Please 
April 29, 2024, 05:17:39 AM
