While I'm generally in favor of message boards being places to post *whatever* you think, I do agree that something needs to be done here. These boards have gone from entertaining to slightly annoying to absolutely worthless in the last year.
Virtually every thread turns into a childish "UR GAY!" "NO, UR GAY!" type argument, with a couple of posters doing whatever they can to make their next post more offensive/childish/insulting/moronic than their opponent's last post.
I know I for one was tired of loading up AT only to find that every thread had devolved into two guys trying to out-stupid each other.
That said, I hope that cyref's concerns are taken to heart here.
Originally
posted by
cyref:
Define the line between criticism and hate.
If I were to say that in the marketplace of ideas religion is one of the dumbest ever devised by people who were barely out of the trees is that now bannable?
Is religion now protected from strong criticism here? And where are the lines drawn between schizophrenia, cult, and religion?
If one person has a crazy woo belief then that's an open target? But if a billion people hold that same crazy woo belief then will criticism of said belief be arbitrarily defined as hate?
If an idea is so fragile that it needs special protection then it's usually a pretty bad idea.
I don't share cyref's opinion of religion, but I don't want all debate squelched either, as too often happens when we start to outlaw "hate". If you intend to enact and enforce EE hate crime rules, please keep that definition of "hate" EXTREMELY thin. Don't be like Canada and outlaw free thought.