Folks... I don't like "moderating" our discussion areas - I'd rather our users regulate their own behavior according to the standards of their communities. I was hoping someone in these recent argumentative threads would take the high road, stop baiting the other side, make peace, and move on.
That hasn't happened. A few users are making this discussion area a hostile, unfriendly place for all, and it needs to stop.
So, a request: please behave respectfully towards other NL users - regardless of how they treat you, and regardless of whether you agree with their politics, religion, football team, etc.
The following are not OK:
1) Derogatory or abusive comments, name-calling, personal attacks of any kind, when directed at NL users or private citizens. ("Nobama" is fine. "Choken" is not.)
2) "Outing" any NL user other than yourself, in any way. Many users choose usernames that aren't their real names, and avatars that aren't their photos. Respect their privacy; unless someone publishing their own information in a particular thread, it's not your place to bring it up.
3) Posting under multiple usernames.
4) Impersonating other people.
Continued violations of the above will get you banned. I don't want to do it - we want more people, not fewer, and more discussion, not less - but enough is enough.
Debate is fine - we don't all have to agree. But remember that politics is a tough topic to argue politely even in person, with people you know and love. We often feel like an attack against our political party or candidate is an attack against us personally, and respond with a personal attack against the poster - again, not OK.
Please try to use "topic tags" line when posting, where possible. Explanatory tags like Politics, Joke, Children, Recipes, Pets, etc may help folks find discussions that are of interest to them and avoid the others.
If you have questions about any of this, please email info <at> neighborhoodlink.com.
Thanks -
-Robert Tarrall.- (NL staff)
