Ramon Amira -> Insults on the Foro (Aug. 4 2014 17:15:05)
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Recently we had a thread where we discussed not allowing political comments on the Foro. It was an important thread and discussion, since such things characterize the Foro. I would like to suggest an analogous thread - not allowing insults on the Foro. I am a member of numerous internet forums, two others on guitar, and others with various focuses. Not one single one of the other forums that I am on will allow or tolerate insults of any kind. They are immediately deleted, and the offender is banned from the forum if he does it again after being warned once. But insults are a frequent feature on the Foro, albeit the majority of them are committed by a handful of serial insulters. It is a particular shame that these few rotten apples spoil the barrel, because the vast majority of our members are gentlemen, and conduct themselves as such, and do not deserve to be tainted by these others. As I'm sure our members have observed, I myself have been insulted numerous times - again, always by the same members. Until a very recent post, I have not responded in kind, though I had every right to. I have let it pass, and politely suggested it was uncalled for. I finally had enough of it after an especially egregious insult on that recent thread, and I responded in kind. And for committing what heinous crime have I been subjected to this verbal abuse. For expressing my opinion on various aspects of flamenco. Since the purpose of the Foro is the expression of one's opinion on various aspects of flamenco, these insults are as gratuitous as it gets. And let me make it clear - I have no objection whatever to a strong, even very strong statement of disagreement with my opinion. That's what a forum is all about - vigorous discussion and debate. I accord to everyone the right to disagree with me, as I reserve the right to disagree with them. But resorting to ad hominem attacks instead of well stated arguments is antithetical to any rational discourse. I have frequently been asked by students of mine and audience members for a recommendation of an online source of learning about flamenco. I have always recommended Foro Flamenco and Old School Flamenco Foro. Some of these have been women, who came back to me embarrassed and even appalled at some of the posts they read. Others - men - didn't think much of the tone of some of the posts, and decided not to join the Foro. One man said to me, "It resembles a barroom brawl." Is this the image we want for the Foro? Do we really want the Foro to be dismissed as uncouth and intolerant? Again, it's a shame, because most of our members are not like that - it's the same handful of offenders who put a blight on the Foro, and it unfairly reflects on the other members who never act like that. What does it add to a discussion about flamenco? Nothing - except some pointless and unnecessary acrimony. Again, there is a vast difference between stating your case strongly and hurling insults. I leave it to our members to decide if we want to continue down this path, or finally move into the twenty-first century in accordance with the vast majority of numerous other internet forums. For my part, I will continue my forty year love affair with all of flamenco, and continue to express my opinion whenever and wherever I think I can make a contribution to the understanding of the many aspects of flamenco. Ramon
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