Exclusive Forums - A Question For The Moderators

[ScubaSteve]

Wow. I wish I had responded to that thread now seeing the kurfuffle it has started.

Thank you DA Aquamaster. Very well put.

But, NetDoc said it when he said that it is his board and therefore his rules (to paraphrase). The rules that he imposes on the users only have to be what he wants them to be. END OF STORY. His comment about using common courtesy should and does apply to all. No matter what, anybody can be "Reported" any time we want (including Mods). If we disagree with the outcome, then we have the choice to go elsewhere withour time and digital banter. If when someone told you to beat it, you could have reported them. That is your "right". You might have liked or disliked the outcome.....that is your "right". Bottom line is, post where ever you want and can and if asked to leave, take a mental note and stay clear. If you feel you have a right to post there, report the post and see where it goes.

Do not let a group of women run you off. Play nice with them and maybe you will be invited into their group .

 

[ScubaSteve]

Whi cares what some guy in Cleveland thinks about dive conditions in L.A.? And yes, in order to protect that some have been made opt in. But what about some common sense and courtesy to stay out of a forum that obviously is not interested in your input?

But then how does this become a sharing forum? Do I then have to post my question about diving in LA (because I am travelling there) in the Cleveland forum in hopes that someone from Cleveland has dove there? IMHO what makes SB great is the intermingling that occurs AND the abilioty to gain information on such a wide variety of topics. A segregated board does not offer that. It would be awfully boring if it were segregated as you describe because the US and THEM mentality can take over quickly. I would rather have access to areas and be asked to exercise common sense that to have no access and learn/share nothing.

 

[The Chairman]

But then how does this become a sharing forum? Do I then have to post my question about diving in LA (because I am travelling there) in the Cleveland forum in hopes that someone from Cleveland has dove there?

Neither... do a search!!! Bwahahahaha! It just kills me that there are those out there who get so indignant when a question is asked more than once and they spend more time telling the person to do a search than to just answer the question.

In reality, we all use the forum a bit differently than the next guy. That's otay! We all have different needs and desires that we want met. Some need a DIR forum, and some want a women's only forum. Big whoop! There is plenty of stuff here for EVERYONE. If you're a man, go read all of the posts written for men, and if you ever run out of those, go peek in the women's section.

 

[ScubaSteve]

Thanks Pete. The question was rhetorical but now that I have your permission to peek in the woman's section (that sounds really creepy).....yeah I think I will go post a thread about exploding tanks .

 

[DA Aquamaster]

As an extension of your angst, I would suggest that you use the "ladies room" instead of the "men's room" in earnest protest. The Supreme Court has yet to decide that these female only areas within any establishment are discriminatory in nature and constitute an infringement of your rights as a male. Until such time as we are forced to have unisex bathrooms, I have no problems with a portion of ScubaBoard to be utilized as "Women Only".

Well Pete a couple weeks ago I went into the womens rest room with BabyDuck to help her with a very nasty diaper change on JKE. I was greatly relieved to see that the separate but equal doctrine has been successfully maintained and that the facilities did not include massage tables, hot tubs, wet bars or any of the other ammenities I always suspected given how much time some women seem to spend in there.

The perceived need for separate sex bathrooms to maintain a certain standard of modesty however has absolutely nothing to do with discrimination on the board. A callous, even if mildly humorous, diismissal of the issue sends a message you probably do not want to send. And it conveys an attitude that you clearly would not want to have to try to defend in court. It is simply put, a somewhat thoughtless response that you may want to reconsider.

....Thank you DA Aquamaster. Very well put.

But, NetDoc said it when he said that it is his board and therefore his rules (to paraphrase). The rules that he imposes on the users only have to be what he wants them to be. END OF STORY. His comment about using common courtesy should and does apply to all.

You need to read up on Lester Maddox and his restaurant and what transpired in 1964. Neither the Civil rights act of 1964, as ammended nor the supreme court agree with you. In this country at least, the owner of a restaurant, or an internet board cannot arbitrarily decide to limit access based on sex, race, religion, etc.

No matter what, anybody can be "Reported" any time we want (including Mods). If we disagree with the outcome, then we have the choice to go elsewhere withour time and digital banter. If when someone told you to beat it, you could have reported them. That is your "right". You might have liked or disliked the outcome.....that is your "right". Bottom line is, post where ever you want and can and if asked to leave, take a mental note and stay clear. If you feel you have a right to post there, report the post and see where it goes.

Do not let a group of women run you off. Play nice with them and maybe you will be invited into their group .

I have posted in the womens forum on numerous occasions and to date have not been asked to leave so that is not my motive at all. The issue is bigger and more impprtant than just my personal treatment. I guess, like the Jewish lawyer who defended the **** party's right to protest in America, I feel it is important that even guys who are jerks have the right to post in the "Womens" forums. I'd also defend the rights of any women who may also happen to be sexist pigs to post in a "Mens" forum. I just won't defend the right of of a "Mens Only" or "Womens Only" forumn to exist.

As you point out, if a man posts something innapproapriate in the "Womens" forum that violates the TOS, any member can report the post and I and many others will gladly remove it if needed. That is a far better approach than banning men from participation.

 

[mikemill]

You need to read up on Lester Maddox and his restaurant and what transpired in 1964. Neither the Civil rights act of 1964, as ammended nor the supreme court agree with you. In this country at least, the owner of a restaurant, or an internet board cannot arbitrarily decide to limit access based on sex, race, religion, etc.

I have yet to hear of a court case that extends civil rights protection onto web sites. In fact I've only heard of cases that would establish the very opposite. AFAIK a web site owner can restrict access to content for whatever reason he/she/it decides to. One really nice thing about the internet is the freedom to be as bigoted as one wants. If you know of a court case that specifically addresses the internet please let me know, I'd be really interested in reading up on it.

Obvious exception to the above is government web sites but I figured we could all agree that the govt shouldn't be limiting access like that

 

[letterboy]

so can we have a mens only section of SB where we can talk about what we want to without being infringed uppon by that "other" sex?

 

[merxlin]

But then how does this become a sharing forum? Do I then have to post my question about diving in LA (because I am travelling there) in the Cleveland forum in hopes that someone from Cleveland has dove there? IMHO what makes SB great is the intermingling that occurs AND the abilioty to gain information on such a wide variety of topics. A segregated board does not offer that. It would be awfully boring if it were segregated as you describe because the US and THEM mentality can take over quickly. I would rather have access to areas and be asked to exercise common sense that to have no access and learn/share nothing.

My example was poor. But we already have restricted sites that need to opt in or get approval to join. There are geographic sites that are restricted to posting. This one just happens to be gender based. I also believe you can look but not post, so there will be no conspiracies being brewed in there without our knowledge. I would agree with you if all the forums were "restricted". But there are any number of forums that are open to everyone, and sharing is permissible.

I am not opposed to there being a forum singled out for people of like interest, ability, orientation without the "input" of others who may not be of that particular group. I have kids, and nothing ticks me off more than someone who has never had one tell me what I should be doing about a particular situation if I haven't asked them. Would you be upset if there was a forum for parents only and we asked that people without kids not post?

And is it wrong for a group to ask someone not to vote on a group name or in a poll that is being used to judge the mindset of the group if they are not part of that group?

Maybe I am alone here, but I am not threatened by something just because I cannot be part of it.

 

[Teamcasa]

Maybe I am alone here, but I am not threatened by something just because I cannot be part of it.

You are not alone.

I join and participate in the activities and with people I choose and for no other reason than simple entertainment. No more no less. No fun, no Dave.

 

[BabyDuck]

i'm penis-free (except on drysuit dive days) but not part of scubachix.

i agree with everybody! it *is* easy to hit 'new posts' and end up in a section unintentionally. i've done it going into dir threads (ones under the strict gue rules, whatever the forum name is now.) a sticky *doesn't* help if you come in by 'new posts'. women (or blacks or handicapped people or dutch nationals or homosexual divers or redheads or left handed people) might *benefit from* and *enjoy* an area directed toward their needs or outlooks or habits or problems.

but you can't discriminate. well, actually, of course you (or pete, the big 'you', father to us all ) can. it *is* pete's site & what he says goes. but i don't think he means to be discriminatory. however, discrimination and self-selection are different to me.

sometimes it's nice to have assigned seating to meet new folks, and sometimes it's nice to hang with your buds at a party.

so - how about making scubachix opt-in, but opt-in to anyone who chooses to opt? most folks wouldn't opt in, some guys would because they like to chat with the girls, and anyone who did it with mean intentions would be pretty obvious and after several reported posts and warnings could be tossed out.