Proposal for Temporary Guidelines

[grantcart]

21. Civil disagreements are fine, vigorous arguments are fine, drawn out all out fights are fine,

That is what GD/GDP/SoapBox are for.

It is also fine for people who have a wide and deep commonly held conviction to have a place where they can hang out with others of similar point of view, for whatever reason they want, including enjoying the community that that particular experience brings.

That is true for the Gun folks, GLBT forum and those that are proud supporters of the President.

Frankly I spend several hours a day combating all kinds of idiots, including colleagues who can't correctly identify the birthplace of the President and some who think that he is the Anti-Christ. I get involved in a lot of discussions with right wing people who hate the President intensely.

I don't think it is too much to ask to have a place to come to where you can simply hang out with people of similar point of view without having to worry about getting dragged into another contentious discussion.

I also believe that other communities at DU who feel the same way should have the same opportunity. I find the GLBT to be one of the most interesting forums because of the support and interaction that exists there. I don't post there but I do read a lot of their posts.

My understanding of DU3 is that Skinner et al are trying to design a place where two different types of forums, open and aggressive discussion forums and supportive community forums can not only exist but build on each other.

Final note. It is clear from your posts that you wanted to change the definition of the BOG. You have run to GDP and are running a poll and generating outrage about your removal as a host.

I find that rather disingenous frankly. If you thought that the BOG needed to be radically transformed then why didn't you post that and try to build a consensus on that rather than volunteer as a host and change it by supterfuge. The issue was clear but you did not engage in an open debate on the central issue but rather tried to back door it.

This is why we a system that allows a group to grow organically and define itself will be a better solution than the old BOG.

If you thought that the old BOG was a 'fan' club then I have a difficult time understanding why you wanted to be a host here unless you thought that the old BOGGERS just needed someone to throw contentious issues in their face to wake up and become more serious human beings.

"endgendering hostility" Now why in the world would anything we say in the Barack Obama group engender hostility in other people?

Why would people who don't want to join this community give a damn what we think, unless they are already filled with hostility and simply want to find an accessible target to unload on? This does illustrate quite clearly why strong supporters of the President really do want to have a place where they can have discussions with like minded people without having to bear the burden of 'unleashing bottled up hostility'.

If you want to have a GDP separate from the Soap Box run a campaign and get it passed.

You can continue a public campaign against the BO(G) in DU2. We don't really give a damn.