Yesterday I received the following petition from Bagheera Kristan. I will also cross post it in SC discussions for SC members to discuss and pass your the original petition including some pictures inworld.
Preliminary note: The SC has two formats for filing complaints, neither which seems to fit this issue, so perhaps a third format needs to be developed for forum moderation complaints - or further clarity about how a complaint of this type fits into the two format given - or perhaps a less rigid model to accommodate the unexpected.
** QUALIFICATION TO FILE:I am a citizen affected by a forum moderator decision in that I cannot participate in the discussion that was happening in the locked down thread as defined by "Forum Moderation Guidelines (specific)" posted by Diderot Mirabeau, Jan 10, 2007.
I have endeavored to make this petition is clear and complete enough for the SC to be able to act accordingly. Thank you.
Bagheera Kristan** PETITION:
Request to the SC to re-open a forum thread "When something loses its meaning" that was locked by Coop, forum moderator, on 10/16/16 and 6:28am
http://forums.slcds.info/viewtopic.php? ... 9&start=15
BACKGROUND:
In that thread, Coop gave an initial admonishment here:
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"Ok people, let's all take a deep cleansing breath and step back from the keyboards.
What we learned today as a repeated lesson is that without inflection or cues from the speaker irony and sarcasm are generally taken literally. Whatever the intention of the original post may have been, where we ended up was not where we need to be. I will not comment on intentions of the original post, nor on the tone of the replies. What I will say is maybe it would be a good day to get some fresh air and walk in a park.
Frank discussion of next steps, ideas on how to make CDS government smaller while keeping the long-established democratic underpinnings are good things to discuss. There is work to be done, so let's all keep our heads about us, shall we?
Coop, wearing his new shiny Moderator hat."
- Tues, Oct 14, 2016, 2:57pm
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and a lock down of the thread with the statement:
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"I think it is obvious this topic has run long enough."
- Sun, Oct 16, 2016, 6:28am
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In a subsquent thread I started entitled "Please clarify - why was that discussion locked?" (http://forums.slcds.info/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7763) Coop stated: "The thread already had two complaints, it was starting to get Trolly so I shut it down. The key to putting out fires is to not wait until the flames go to the foundation."
As both Han Held and I expressed in my thread, the problem in the first thread seemed to be caused by a single individual and shutting down the entire thread was an extreme measure that cut short a valuable discussion while actually validating the person who was acting out.
The discussion was valuable enough that not only did I want to participate (which is why I am filing this petition) but Brian Livingston picked up the discussion again using the thread I started as a platform.
Brian's action might work in the short term, but in the long term, historically, it means the thread will be incomplete. As it was an important thread discussing the long term viability and options for CDS, keeping it all in one place seems very important to the well-being of CDS.
** ACTION REQUESTED: Please re-open the thread and move Brian Livingston's post into it. Take individual action as necessary against individuals who are posting inappropriately (ad hominem attacks, etc.) while endeavoring to keep the continuity of the conversation in one thread.
** Thank you for your kind attention.
Post script opinion/observation: In his initial admonishment, it appeared to me that Coop was limiting people what they could discuss in a way that was beyond the bounds of simple moderation and putting forth a scope that more reflected his opinion as a citizen versus moderator. To me, it felt like censorship (i.e., talk about this, in this way, and nothing else). I doubt that was what he intended, but that is the way it felt. His subsequent locking of the thread further cemented this feeling of censorship. If I felt it, others might too.
