Posted by Farid Parhad from customer-148-233-78-77.uninet.net.mx (148.233.78.77) on Monday, June 02, 2003 at 3:57PM :
In Reply to: Petition posted by Petition from 92.52.26.24.cfl.rr.com (24.26.52.92) on Sunday, June 01, 2003 at 11:23PM :
: Fred Parhad, I don't entirely agree with everything you are doing with this forum.
***Neither do I.
: I agree that it is good to have people's ideas expressed, but when those "ideas" as we may call them are rather disruptive, than I believe this "democracy" would be better off with just a little more enforcement.
***Sorry, couldnīt agree less.
: Democracy is good, but that doesn't mean let people run wild. If you are going to try this form of democracy, at least maintain control of it. All I am saying is, if you are not going to ban or delete The Asshole's posts, at least "curb" him.
***One manīs asshole is another manīs mouth. For a year or more I was the designated "asshole" on every Assrin forum we have. I donīt believe in curbing people. Let them do it themselves. No one is breaking a law here...no one is threatening anyone else with physical harm. What you donīt happen to like...or donīt like...canīt be the basis for rules and laws. We ask everyone to give it their best shot intellectually...if this is the best Andreas can do, we should pity him. Who needs sympathy more than the Devil?
: I think that if there was more content, and less insults on the forum, with freewill to express ideas and "insults", just with a little more control(nothing major), than more people would want to post here, including me.
***I could give a damn how many people post here. We didnīt start this place up to go into competition or be more popular. This is a place for people who cannot contain their ideas or feelings any longer...who feel compelled and even driven to express themselves. tea is being served at the other places all the time...weak tea at that.
I sometimes decide not to post something because I believe it might fall subject to irrelevant insults from people who might have nothing better to do than produce incoherent posts in response to posts by other people. The reason for this is not that I am afraid or aggravated by these nonsensical responses, but because I do not want my ideas and posts to be subject to infantile and mundane responses.
***Thatīs rather thin-skinned of you. We arenīt looking for scribes...we need warriors. Right now we have a handful of people here, any one of whom could take on any and all Assrin heroes, intellectuals or skolars in any forum from a back alley to a podium.
***Assyrian warriors back when, and everyone was a warrior...could withstand arrows and spears and knives. All we expect is that some of us can take a word or two without flinching or running for the exists.
In other words, I do not want the nonsensical responses to "defile" the articles I would post.
***I think you think too highly of yourself...with about as little cause as most people who feel as you do have.
I have, to date, never posted any "sensitive" information or articles because I have not seen that anyone maintains a level of authority on this forum.
***And you wonīt see any such thing. This forum has to be as near to life as possible so we can learn how to transform and translate what we do here to the outside world...our ultimate aim is not to sit in here and remain "pure"...it is to gain the intellectual means and the courage to go out THERE...out where our heritage will live or die. This is excellent practise as it stands now...I wouldnīt change a thing because out there I have no such power either. What would be the point of controlling things in here and even coming to prefer what is "in here" to what really goes on "out there"? We are not hothouse plants here...no orchids and I hope no shrinking violets either...(I got carried away).
: Is the democracy you propose a way for people to run wild? Just so you can say you don't ban anyone? You do not have to ban anyone to prove anything, but you could prove a lot by simply "curbing" their behavior.
***Who am I to "curb" anyone...especially for speaking his or her mind...even if it is a disordered and filthy mind? This is the sort of thing these other moderators from hell have done...they resented like hell the "curbing" of their ideas by tyrants in the MidEast...and as soon as they landed in Chicago, what did they do? They became mini-tyrants and started "curbing" all over the place. CURBING...was the lesson they learned and it was what they yearned for...their understanding of democracy is that itīs a great system for allowing them to become tyrants. Not my way...never was, never will be.
Not by deleting posts, but by ignoring their responses, or by simply posting "intelligent" responses to their posts.
***We are all free to ignore. You donīt have to open any post by someone you donīt care to read...or you can shut it as you find yourself turned off. You donīt think we actually POUR over Andreassīposts do you?
***If you donīt like the content of a book...donīt read it. Thereīs no call to "curb" authors as if they were unruly dogs. If the ideas contained in the book are deemed dangerous to society, in a real sense...then perhaps there would be some justification, though I wouldnīt want any sanctions even then.
Also, you can make it impossible for certain words to be used, and beyond that, you can modify what format for posts can be accepted, like when you made the "15" second repost limit to avoid "spam". Those things are just some measures you can take to assert control merely, not authority, but control.
***Sorry, those are different manifestitations of the same thing...intellectual fear. Iīm not afraid of words...I donīt care what anyone wants to post...I donīt care how they want to slime me...I am not their impression of me. If you bend to that then the stupidest people will always determine how much courage you allow yourself to exhibit. That has been one of our major failings as a people...we look out at the crowd listenning to us and we tailor our comments to not disturb the biggest fool in that crowd...why? Because that fool will be the one to show the least regard for our sensibillities and good family name...hence we are where we are...ruled by the stupidest among us...afraid of what they will think or say or do. Fuck ém.
: The majority of the content in the recent week has been mostly nonsense, besides some exceptions like the farid and Sadie postings. I do not believe that by harboring idiots you are doing anything good for the forum, and that you could prove Hajjar and BetBassoo differently like you want to, without actually having to delete posts, just "curbing" them by limiting what "nonsense" is allowed and by simply laying down "guidelines" for which to follow.
: Democracy is good, but only if it is under supervision.
***I have no desire to do anything with Hajjar or BooHoo...they make good foils, thatīs all.
***The greatest danger in any democracy is that you merely replace the tyranny of one man rule by a tyranny of the majority. Thatīs where our Constitution is such an inspired document...because it protects the rights of those you donīt happen to like...especially when you are of the majority.
***Even Justice Clarence Uncle Thomas agreed with Larry Flynt in his battle with Jerry Falwell...that satire and even insulting speech are required if you would have a VIGOROUS democracy. Will Rogers said it best...democracy MEANS being able to tell the president of the most powerful nation on earth that you think he is a son of a bitch. This is difficult for our people to grasp...coming as they all do from modified monarchies and dictatorships.
***Sorry, there is no such thing as "correct" speech. Itīs either free or it isnīt.
: I know you will give one of two responses.
: The first might be a sarcastic one where you show some level of disinterest in this post, but personally I believe your response will be more like to the latter, in which you express your views regarding free-posting will and un-bannedness. I don't dislike your system, it is certainly nice to be able to post what you want, but I still believe that the forum could use some "cleaning."
***Life itself...the World too, could use some cleaning...unfortunately the only way that might happen is if enough people plumb the depths of filth and decide there has to be a better way. people are pretty much made up of shit...and not until they feel just how much shit, will they ever clean up their act...to spray perfume on their shit is to keep them ignorant and able to tolerate shit.
Perhaps, if you want to effect a real democracy, allow a vote to see how many people want to keep The Asshole here, or at least to see what they think could be done with the forum, otherwise this is not a democracy where we can vote and affect how the forum is run, but rather one where the webmaster maintains democracy by not allowing anyone to come to a democratic decision regarding "forum matters" and therefore would be a highly limited democracy.
****You must have gone to college on a scholarship. You say things that astound you and think youīve made a compelling point. What you call freedom and demcoracy, especially in the realm of ideas and writings, is nothing more than some one person deciding what is proper and correct. I tell you I will not be that person.
: It would in a way invalidate the original claim that this forum is a democracy, by allowing The Asshole to insult other people's ideas while not letting those people "vote" on matters concerning such issues.
***The asshole in question isnīt proposing any kind of a vote in the first place that would necessitate a counter-vote...he isnīt calling for a vote on assholes one way or the other. He is merely exercsing his Constitutional right to be an asshole...something I would help him do, to the death even, because in that lies my own freedom.
Is this a limited democracy, or a true democracy- where you are simply the guidance that the forum needs.
***This forum needs no guidance...it is you who seems to require special attention...who has special needs. I would say whatever ideas you have are not as compelling to you as this assholes are to him. If I had to choose I would take his passion over your squeamishness. This forum is for those who know how to benefit by it...who donīt mind having their pet ideas slapped around a bit...only good can come from that.
: I know you will not agree with what is said in this post, and that you will resolve to keep this forum in the shape it's in. I know what the idiot responses from The Asshole will contain, and will not read them.
***That...dear person, is democracy in action.
: I, personally, have enjoyed the forum, and hopefully will continue to do so. I will let other people know about it, just as soon as it is presentable enough not to turn people away from it due to its lack of
: "knowledgable content."
***That will never be. This forum will be what it will be...no direction or guidance from anybody. It is as close to life out there as can be...thatīs what I wanted, at least. As far as I am concerned no one has to visit or read this forum...I will continue to express my ideas anyway...itīs how I work them out.
I hope something comes about this, for I intend to keep checking up on the forum in the near future. Until then, I hope noone takes this post the wrong way, except The Asshole. P'sheyna.
***Keep checking...and I hope you will be able one day to take on all comers...to face any challenge...to give as good as you get, if and when and as you feel.
***Every organism needs an asshole...you canīt get by on mouth or head alone. Andreass is my own especial pet asshole. The other forums have done away with assholes, they think (instead theyīve enshrined them and put them where the brains should be)...with the end result that all their shit has accumulated till they canīt think or talk or walk straight. Not us...Andreas is our asshole to the world...we expel waste products through him...kind of an ugly metaphor but there you have it.
***Thanks for the effort...we appreciate it.
-- Farid Parhad
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