Locked Threads & Getting Off-Topic

[Sunset Girl]

I returned to the forum tonight looking forward to reading the responses from a certain thread that shall remain unnamed.

When I saw it was locked I literally became sick to my stomach.

If it's inappropriate to bring up a locked thread in a new one, I'm sorry; feel free to lock this one as well. I'm not trying to be disrespectful to this forum or to its members in any way, but I felt the need to express myself on the matter somehow.

I'm disappointed that things got out of hand in the way that they did. I poured a lot of my heart and soul into some of those posts there, and I'm sure that others did, too. But I understand and respect the decision to have it locked.

At the very least, I hope something good came from some of the things we had to say.

And with that, I'll let it go.

[The Lizard King]

I poured a lot of my heart and soul into some of those posts there, and I'm sure that others did, too.

K.,

If it means anything to you, I always enjoy reading your posts.

TLK

[Sunset Girl]

If it means anything to you, I always enjoy reading your posts.

TLK

Wow. Well, thank you, I feel better now. I always enjoy reading your posts too, especially when it comes to SOtS material.

[chaychay102royal]

Sunset Girl,

I know which thread you're talking about (it's actually quite obvious)and I agree with you. Things were getting out of hand, but we were really getting deep into discussions there. I would have loved to see replies to some of my most recent comments.

However, I do completely understand why the thread was locked. This isn't a petition to unlock it, rather a disappointed complaint on how things got out of control and how we should do better next time a political or religious thread is started.

[Poppins#1]

No one is silencing anyone on this forum. As always, opinions are welcome and encouraged.

Ha! That's a laugh!

[Siren]

Though I have no powers here. I can see exactly why it was locked. I warned you guys to take the abortion topic to a new thread, but it wasn't. Then Paka also agreed with me. But we were both ignored. And as I predicted, the thread was totally off topic.

I do believe some of what was said was intelligent and thoughtful. But at some points, I could easily see the negativity and personal jabs being handed out there.

But the thread was totally off topic and into an extreemly touchy and personal area. It should have been continued in a seperate thread. And then we likely wouldn't have had it locked.

To put it frankly, you only have yourselves to blame. Someone could have taken the first step and created an abortion thread to continue the debate there. But as an old American Indian proverb says, "Listen. Or your tongue will keep you deaf."

[Sunset Girl]

Sunset Girl,

I know which thread you're talking about (it's actually quite obvious)and I agree with you. Things were getting out of hand, but we were really getting deep into discussions there. I would have loved to see replies to some of my most recent comments.

However, I do completely understand why the thread was locked. This isn't a petition to unlock it, rather a disappointed complaint on how things got out of control and how we should do better next time a political or religious thread is started.

Exactly. I'm not looking to continue that particular discussion here; that would totally override the decision to lock the thread. I'm also extremely disappointed by the way things ended up.

I just hope things will go better the next time around.

[chaychay102royal]

No one is silencing anyone on this forum. As always, opinions are welcome and encouraged.

Ha! That's a laugh!

How is that "a laugh"? I found it quite true.

Sunset Girl,

I know which thread you're talking about (it's actually quite obvious)and I agree with you. Things were getting out of hand, but we were really getting deep into discussions there. I would have loved to see replies to some of my most recent comments.

However, I do completely understand why the thread was locked. This isn't a petition to unlock it, rather a disappointed complaint on how things got out of control and how we should do better next time a political or religious thread is started.

Exactly. I'm not looking to continue that particular discussion here; that would totally override the decision to lock the thread. I'm also extremely disappointed by the way things ended up.

I just hope things will go better the next time around.

Glad you agree.

[Maerj]

If it makes you feel any better, I feel that abortion is a very personal topic and that it should be up to the indivdual fetus whether or not it should be aborted.

[Starion]

There are several threads that have gotten out of hand. I'm not going to argue with the moderators. They do a fine job and take their job seriously. I'm glad that they lock the threads people could post more off-topic threads.

Some of the threads were fun to participate in before people began posting rude comments.

Don't take the locked threads too personally. The moderators are wise and trying to keep order.

Talk to you later Sunset Girl. I can't wait to read some more of your cool posts.

I do hope that things will be better next time. The lesson that we learned is to keep discussions civil and head the moderators' warning before they lock the thread.

[chaychay102royal]

If it makes you feel any better, I feel that abortion is a very personal topic and that it should be up to the indivdual fetus whether or not it should be aborted.

Um...the fetus can't talk. The fetus can barely move. Or I am taking your post way too seriously?




Who moved this?

I personally don't think this is feedback, more like a warning to other members.

[AwallaceUNC]

No one is silencing anyone on this forum. As always, opinions are welcome and encouraged.

Ha! That's a laugh!

This is a laugh:

Your post is a:

-Aaron

[Pasta67]

Who moved this?

I personally don't think this is feedback, more like a warning to other members.

Well, it is everyone's opinion as to why the thread was closed and how they feel about it, which technically makes it feedback.

[chaychay102royal]

I see your point.

[Maerj]

If it makes you feel any better, I feel that abortion is a very personal topic and that it should be up to the indivdual fetus whether or not it should be aborted.

Um...the fetus can't talk. The fetus can barely move. Or I am taking your post way too seriously?

Uhhhhh, yeah. Yes, I'd definitely say you're taking it way too seriously. At least the second part of it.

[Sunset Girl]

Though I have no powers here. I can see exactly why it was locked. I warned you guys to take the abortion topic to a new thread, but it wasn't. Then Paka also agreed with me. But we were both ignored. And as I predicted, the thread was totally off topic.

The thread in question became off-topic long before the subject of abortion or even rape, it was off-topic as soon as we stopped talking about Rosie's marriage.

And the whole reason that happened in the first place is because <a href="http://www.ultimatedisney.com/forum/vie ... t=66">this thread</a> was locked before we even had the chance for a real discussion. I understand that homosexuality has been brought up before in threads like this locked one and that the debate can get quite heated, but it's so frustrating to see that we're getting nowhere because we fail to show each other respect.

[AwallaceUNC]

^ It's also important to remember that this isn't a forum on current events or social issues. It's for Disney DVDs. Yes, we have an off-topic forum, and the occasional debate can be fun and informative and all that jazz, but it isn't something that needs to be going on all the time, and should always be kept kind.

The particular issue of homosexuality has been discussed time and time again here (abortion, religion, tolerance, and lots of other sensitive issues as well)... in many more threads than the ones that have been pointed out, including some in which it's not referenced in the thread title. It almost always (actually, scrap the "almost" ) ends up in strife. That explains why you see a seasoned UD vet and moderator like Paka issue a warning when a new discussion starts on it, and lock it to continue it in an old discussion. It's not something that needs to be discussed here- there are other forums for that. It certainly doesn't need to be discussed in multiple threads. There isn't some sort of a right to discuss hot button political/social topics on this forum that's being violated. Luke is a very tolerant administrator and welcomes discussion of almost any kind, so long as it falls within certain paramaters that is in keeping with his vision for this site. It is something that can be done here, but only when done with extreme civility.

Anyone's constructive contributions to any thread are always going to be appreciated by all the members here; that's what comprises a good forum. Your hard work isn't lost, the thread isn't gone. It can still be read, it just can't be replied to anymore. Discussions sometimes get out of hand. Those threads are locked. It happens, and has happened many times before. Chastising administrators or moderators for it is, in my opinion, uncalled for. It's their job to administrate and moderate, which is what they are doing.

Maybe this issue will come up for discussion here again some day. Maybe it won't. That's for members and the UD Powers That Be to decide at that time. For now (and I'd say a good long while), a little cooling off is needed. In the meantime, if you really want to discuss it, you can take it to email (not PMs!), but my personal advice would be to drop it. Go put in Bambi.

Disclaimer: This post as a whole isn't directed to any one person, but rather different parts to different people.

-Aaron

[Luke]

I'm willing to re-open the Rosie O'Donnell nation-shocking thread in a few days if people are willing to continue discussion in a polite and respectful manner. When I see people to play the "voices not able to be heard" card or using their own beliefs or ignorance as a reason to put down others, I suspect that polite and respectful discussion cannot continue with all the members who want to reply, and I suspect that while the discussion is rich and probably beneficial to some degree, Paka closed it for good reason. Nonetheless, let it cool down for a few days, and we'll see if discussion on homosexuality or abortion can continue in re-opened / split threads, or something like that.

[Sunset Girl]

Chastising administrators or moderators for it is, in my opinion, uncalled for. It's their job to administrate and moderate, which is what they are doing.

Hey Aaron, I know you said you aren't directing all this at any one member, but I hope you don't think I was doing that in my last post. As I previously said, I understand why these threads get locked, but I felt the need to express my disappointment about the reasons behind the decision. I'm trying very hard not to take the whole ordeal personally, but it still hurts.

I realize that this forum is primarily for discussing Disney DVD's; that's why I joined. But as I said in another thread, I think our common love and appreciation for Disney gives us a bond outside of that world of Disney and opens us up to discuss other issues.

I appreciate the fact that Luke keeps this forum open to controvercial subjects (another reason I keep coming back to this forum), and it's understandable that threads need to get locked when things get ugly. I just wish things didn't have to get ugly. Maybe I was being naive when I got so deeply involved with the discussion with my assumptions that it could be carried out in a mature fashion by all involved.

Anyway, thank you for your thorough and insightful post, I really appreciate it.

Well, maybe it's time for me to get in on the *real* controvercial issue here, Tarzan II!

[chaychay102royal]

Luke,
I apologize if I was acting rude or disrespectful in any manner. I ask however, that you consider to leave that thread locked. Like I mentioned in an earlier message, this isn't a petition to unlock that thread--more like a discussion on how we need to be more respectful when later threads come along. With newbies coming in by the truckload every day, the debate we should never have is: "what if no one starts a political/religious thread?" because they will. There's a forum that I know about (the link is not provided because you have to pay to get an account on there, you have to be a student at middle school/high school, you have to have taken the SATs, etc.)that has these discussions all the time. Nobody ever closes them down, and that's one of the reasons why I almost never go on that forum anymore.

Is my point coming across clearly or have I already changed the topic?
Chaychay