EnMasse

[Tehanu]

Hey all,

A campaign room! And I said I wasn't going to campaign. And I'm not (at least, I can't possibly compete with Cartman's steamroller political machine!).

What I will do is say what I would want to do as a moderator.

I'm very, very tired of flame wars. They're creating a culture on this board that I don't like. And I suspect quite strongly that a lot of other people are upset about them too -- not only are they nasty road accidents that cause most people to helplessly rubberneck, but they clutter up TAT.

Obviously, there are several people who feel very strongly that they have been wronged by other posters, or by the existing moderating process. I propose starting fresh once new mods are elected.

It would be futile to start pointing fingers, and I'm sure there are genuine grievances on everyone's part. I know some people feel that differences shouldn't be papered over. I disagree. I think we can and should let it go before this place implodes.

Expressing disagreement with another poster's statement = perfectly legitimate and should be encouraged on a progressive board. Attacking another poster = violation of the AUP and likely to incite another eruption.

What I would propose to do as a moderator is issue a warning when and if I see a personal attack or one is brought to my attention. Period. And that includes someone reacting to a personal attack.

I will use my own judgement about what constitutes a personal attack. If other mods are around I'll ask them, but I think it's more important to react quickly. And I'll try also to stick with WWAD and WWMD. Sterling examples, both.

Rather than react, PM a mod. What I will do if I'm online is to post on that thread, "X, knock it off, this is a warning." Or somesuch. People who attack back will also get warned. This is not taking sides, this is moderating according to the AUP.

If you have a problem with what someone has posted, criticise the statement, not the person. If you feel someone is violating the AUP, contact a mod and post "Mod contacted because of [quote]."

I strongly suspect that under such as system there will be little need for bannings, suspensions or editing, all of which I would be very reluctant to do unless absolutely unavoidable.

I know this sounds draconian but I think it's what's needed now. Controversy with civility. We can do it.

I anticipate that a period of time with civility will set a new tone, and we can get back to what we should be doing, which is raising, discussing and working on progressive issues.

I will also try to be around as much as possible in the first couple of weeks, although can't guarantee it by any means, and probably won't be able to continue past August.

So, that's the deal!

If this doesn't appeal to you, please by all means feel free not to vote for me, I won't take it at all pesonally, and may well enjoy my summer quite a bit more ...

Questions?

P.S. Rereading this, it sounds like I'm on a power trip. I'm not. But I care about this board and I think some tough love might be in order.

[Corey]

Refresh us: are you running for a global or forum spot? And if the latter, which?

[Tehanu]

Global.

I'd said earlier with an emphasis on the FF and RR if female mods are needed for the latter. But global, for now ...

[Bacchus]

We definitely need more women global contestants!!

Welcome welcome
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I want to be challenged and made to think before speaking, not talked down to and treated as a child.

[sparqui]

Do you think the Westerners will feel alienated if you win
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“If my grandmother had wheels, she'd be a tractor.”

-- Gilles Duceppe

[Tehanu]

[elmateo]

Your thread title requires a third thought. Maybe you over thought it and made it confusing. .

[Tehanu]

[elmateo]

ridges may be indication of homo sapien neanderthalis DNA. they were a smarter, if less agile and a little less genocidal cousin of ours .

[Tehanu]

[elmateo]

I am just going on Ronald Wright's perspective of it. He thinks there was some inter breeding. Argues that the ridge on the back of the skull in northern europeans is supportive evidence.

The neanderthal debate is huge. But I think Wright is right in that we have some homosapien sapienism going on when we look at it. He called it our first genocide (certainly not our last). It sounds fitting to our character to kill off our neighbours because they are a tad different, steal some of their women and children, and then rewrite history as if they were just too incompetent to survive.

[Tehanu]

Isn't Ronald Wright the dude who wrote History of Progress? Or am I out to lunch?

And do my head ridges affect your vote, emateo?

[elmateo]

Indeed he is.

I keep my voting secret.

But where are all the revolutionaries. I am the most left person on the board (according to the scientifically accurrate political locator thingy) and I want some radicalization!

[goyanamasu]

Tehanu and elmateo are obviously BOTH deviationists -- as in Thread Drift /

elmateo was baiting with a hidden agenda just to find out if Tehanu's knuckles drag.

But T sidestepped that one well and countered with credentials about her chin. That bit of revisionism worked, and elmateo swallowed it whole.

Since I believe these talents and such flexibility are both important prerequisites for the mod job, you both have won my vote.
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[Tehanu]

[elmateo]

Thats pretty Revolutionary.

Maybe not to PRE standards. But I can forsee a coalition potential.