A Big Thank You To Harry

[Quoner]

Extra points for meritorious use of the word "semi-tumescent."

You know - we never censored this forum when Bush was president.

[CaribbeanGreen]

Nobody was forced to go into that forum.

Nobody was forced to click on a thread.

Nobody was forced to read the threads.

Nobody was forced to respond to the threads.

Nobody was forced to do EXACTLY the one thing Harry specifically asked we stop doing either, but it happened multiple times within a week of Harry asking us not to. Partisan articles and forwards kept being copied and pasted as if they were valid arguments made by the posters in question, as if Harry had never said a thing. It's on us.

While I appreciate your spirit and would agree wholeheartedly were this a public forum, it's not- it's Harry's board, he puts the work in, and he can do whatever he sees fit. If we don't like it, we are free to start our own boards or leave entirely - both of which have been done in the past. This place was started as a place to talk UNT, athletics and otherwise -- and since the ParadiseWeb days, that's what it's been 90% of the time... while we may have enjoyed our sparring in the Non-Sports forum, it's entirely understandable that this really wasn't the place.

I agree with what others have said.. we all have a lot more in common than we differ on. Politics and religion (et. al.) have been known to put families and friends at each others' throats like nothing else, and while it's perfectly good and understandable we represent so many differing political views here, it doesn't change the fact that, as a whole, humans in general seem incapable of handling political debate without unintended personal consequences. Bottom line: As it's been said, we'll all like each other a lot more without it. Our political views are a lot less significant that the shared masochism that is being a NT fan in 2009 - let's focus on that bond for a while.

[mad dog]

You know - we never censored this forum when Bush was president.

Careful... we may have to shut down this forum, too. Do you really want to spend the rest of your trying to get the warming fire of a football topic started in the cold, blustery winds of the Mean Green Job Forum?

Also... the retarded Eye of Sauron allusion was painfully hilarious. Salud, Tommy!

[yyz28]

Nobody was forced to do EXACTLY the one thing Harry specifically asked we stop doing either, but it happened multiple times within a week of Harry asking us not to. Partisan articles and forwards kept being copied and pasted as if they were valid arguments made by the posters in question, as if Harry had never said a thing. It's on us.

Then it should have been dealt with via moderation, not via a punishment for all because of the actions of a few.

I didn't do this. You didn't do this from what I can recall. Why are you and I being punished?

If someone is not following the rules, then moderate them, don't destroy a forum for everyone else. I just think that asking people not to post such articles was "A" and closing down the forum was "Z". What happened to B-Y? ...that's my argument.

[CaribbeanGreen]

fair point, Scott. Unfortunately, bans aren't always an option... but I agree with you.

That said, I still think this probably is for the greater good, whether or not it's fundamentally "right".

Oh well. GMG!

[BeanCounterGrad'03]

And so it begins.....

Yesterday, in an obscure corner of the Internet, an insignificant little place really, a small piece of freedom was snuffed out. Freedom to read or not to read, freedom to respond or not to response, freedom to agree or not agree, freedom to laugh or get angry (but only for a little while), freedom to express, freedom to challenge or to be challenged, freedom to share, learn and grow. Sad really, but this is how it starts....a little bit at a time.

Keith

Really? I see this as a decision by the board administrators who have the FREEDOM to run the board as they see fit. Seems that they got tired of a few posters using the Non-Sports forum as an communication affiliate of World Net Daily (or other conservative website) and the subsequent bickering and venom that ensued. Acknowledgement should be made that liberal poster on this board did this on occasion too.

Please spare me the "our freedoms are being eroded" bit. There are still thousands of other places on the interwebs for you to do all the things you described above.

I applaud the move to bring the focus of the board back to North Texas Sports and the University in general.

[Stan R]

Forums don't kill people. People kill forums.

[yyz28]

Seems that they got tired of a few posters using the Non-Sports forum as an communication affiliate of World Net Daily (or other conservative website) and the subsequent bickering and venom that ensued. Acknowledgement should be made that liberal poster on this board did this on occasion too

At least you're FAIR AND BALANCED!!!

...sorry. Had to.

I agree with you, that this is their site to do with as they see fit, but I believe (and it appears many more do to) that the reaction was too severe. There are many points or solutions to be considered that don't include shutting down the forum.

...if in the end our objections fall on deaf ears, you're right. They have the freedom to do what they want with this forum, and the members have the freedom to accept it and use it for the now more limited scope it encompasses, go start their own site or just go away all together. ...but I don't feel that needs to be the choice at this point.

[Guest JohnDenver]

Locking because it is not a football thread. You all have had your warning levels raised for participating in this thread when you fully knew it wasn't about football.

Ok, that last part is a joke.