What the heck is going on here

[JoePa]

If the so called "rules" hinder free speech maybe the rules need to be changed - after all freedom of speech is the foundation of a free society - it is so important for free people to have this freedom - our founding fathers thought so too because they made it the first amendment to our constitution - remember this -

[greatwhite]

Glad to see more people joining this discussion which is what I wanted.

I am not saying that we are not guests (Members) here, but correct me if I am wrong but the site would not really be here if there were no members. Members are what make the site. I know of several sites that have zero activity because the members all left.

Yes I agree saying derogatory names including all racial, ethnic or sexual slurs is not acceptable.

But there will always be arguments over Politics, hunting, fishing and even the shape of clouds and if we remove those from the debates well then there is no site..

2. Controversial, religious or political threads deemed inappropriate or needlessly provocative will be removed without warning.
[COLOR="#FF0000"]What is the definition?

3(a). Personal insults, inappropriate or offensive content, the incitement of violence, or disrupting behaviours, which are detrimental to discussions in the forum will not be tolerated.
[COLOR="#FF0000"]Totally agree!

[Badenoch]

If the so called "rules" hinder free speech maybe the rules need to be changed - after all freedom of speech is the foundation of a free society - it is so important for free people to have this freedom - our founding fathers thought so too because they made it the first amendment to our constitution - remember this -

Being a member here is like being a guest in someone else's home. Make offensive remarks and don't be surprised if you are asked to leave.

The complaints here about moderation remind me of the whining about Range Officers at the gun club. More often than not it's the people that cause the most problems who do the most complaining.

[TroutSlayer]

Being a member here is like being a guest in someone else's home. Make offensive remarks and don't be surprised if you are asked to leave.

The complaints here about moderation remind me of the whining about Range Officers at the gun club. More often than not it's the people that cause the most problems who do the most complaining.

Well said Badenoch. There is no free speech at a private forum where members agreed to a set of rules before joining.
Play by the rules or play somewhere else. Free speech happens when you stand on a box at Queen and Main and spew your stupid ideas.

[greatwhite]

I have seen some of the posts and saw nothing wrong with them including members having been singled out when they did nothing.

I have a question for you how successful would this site be with 5 members?

It seems to have escaped a few people that members here are guests at the permission of the operators of this site. Offensive and unacceptable are what they say they are. The rules are clearly spelled out and we either live within the rules or accept the consequences.

I have no quarrel with the moderation of this site. The moderators are volunteers who are trying to make this a better site. If "very knowledgeable" people are leaving this site in a huff because their posting habits ran afoul of the rules it's not the moderators who are the problem.

[greatwhite]

So does that mean you are not allow to disagree and say why? Because that is my take from Badenoch posts.

Troutslayer you have been here a long time like myself. Would you say the hunting and fishing sections are even remotely active anymore.

I go on there to see what is posted and I see very little. A good part is because many members have left.

Well said Badenoch. There is no free speech at a private forum where members agreed to a set of rules before joining.
Play by the rules or play somewhere else. Free speech happens when you stand on a box at Queen and Main and spew your stupid ideas.

[greatwhite]

I remember when there would be 5 or 6 new posts every single day in the hunting section. We don't really even see that in a whole week or even a month.

It's sad but I call a spade a spade and the site is rapidly declining.

What is anyone suggestion before more members leave? I know of several more already thinking of leaving and they are not even members who make snide remarks.

[greatwhite]

My point of the thread was to bring this to the attention of the mods hoping some thing might change.

But I get the feeling to some degree that the site would like to fail and go down to nothing just like many other Outdoors sites I have seen go.

I still intend to hang out (unless I am asked to leave) at least for now. But I find it pretty discouraging when the site is literately hoping to lose members and good members at that.

[Birdbuff]

The rules haven’t changed since 2014, but people have. Members come and members go, it’s not the end of the world. I believe the decline in most forums is the rise of Facebook groups.

[TroutSlayer]

The rules haven’t changed since 2014, but people have. Members come and members go, it’s not the end of the world. I believe the decline in most forums is the rise of Facebook groups.

I feel the same Birdbuff. Anyone can have their own FB group and make their own rules.