I find some statements on a recent thread disturbing.
Orchid members are adults, and should be expected to behave as adults.
No member should try to control the views or polite speech of another.
Comments along the lines of ‘this thread needs to stop or I’m quitting the forum’ is an attempt to control another member with a threat. Sorry, that isn’t acceptable. No one should get to control what someone else says, or control what others may have the opportunity to read.
If a person dislikes the content of a specific thread that person has two very effective, adult ways to respond. 1) Stop reading it! 2) If you can’t do that, at least stop posting to it so that a) it can die from lack of interest, and b) so it doesn’t invite a reply. Trying to make another person obey one’s wishes via threats is not acceptable. NOT ACEPTABLE.
Name calling is also unacceptable. I’m not going to cite any examples, but characterizing an opinion or a person by using a denigrating term or expression is insulting, pretty much by intent. Some careful thought could result in a more mature way of expressing one’s views than resorting to name calling or insulting characterizations.
The above two behaviors are a form of aggression, the goal being to force one’s views on another, and THEY ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE.
If you don’t like reading someone’s posts, DON’T READ THEM. If you think they are wrong and you can express your reasons maturely, then please do so, otherwise do not resort to aggressive, insulting characterizations and name calling. Less than mature expression should be considered an invalid response on an adult forum.
As to removing a thread, which basically is an attempt to rewrite history, and suggests that a mature, responsible adult’s ideas, respectfully written deserves to be erased…that is a real insult, and even an assault on that person’s right to express views.
Even if an expressed view is out of line, even by a wide margin, I think it is better to leave that on the forum. Let people who come across it arrive at their own judgement regarding the post or that author.
If maturely stated views by an Orchid member, any orchid member, are allowed to be subject to name calling, disrespectful characterization, threats, temper tantrums, or censorship then Orchid will be diminished.