I can understand your dilemma, Shasta. But how else could it work? You tend to be politically conservative, and you're on a site where the majority of members tend to be politically liberal (note: there are of course varying degrees, exceptions, overlap, etc.). If you want to express a view that's different from the OP's, most likely others will want to express a view that is different from yours. But it needn't get hostile or insulting.
I welcome a diversity of opinions here, as long as people express them respectfully. I've been really pleased with the tone here over the past few weeks, and would be happy if people with minority viewpoints would jump in and discuss them while maintaining that friendly atmosphere.
Hi Crayons!
As usual what you have said is mostly true. I agree the political mean of frequently posting Bettermostians is far left of center, and moving further to left since many conservatives spend more time off site than before. And the problem really isn't those gang attacks on conservatives, that resembled poor Tippy Hedren being pecked to death by all those Ravens and Gulls in Hitchcock's masterpiece "The Birds".
No, that wasn't the basic underlying problem that developed on Bettermost about a year ago. The problem, IMO, is the
censorship that resulted from the "New Civility". I remember the days when Phillip's bottom line rule was NO DIRECT PERSONAL ATTACKS. PERIOD, END OF STORY. But, as the mods got a whip hand because of the new civility, the whiners and complainers started their whining and complaining and the censoring started.
Nothing harms a social networking opinion site more successfully than censorship. Without the censorship there would be no "Retreat", so in a sense, the mods and the whiners created the "Retreat". Thanks, we are very pleased with Jess's handiwork.
