In an effort to keep the board flowing when/if the US attacks Iraq, let's all try and keep our heads in the discussions that will follow.

So far, everyone seems to be following the new rules rather well. If you feel the need to post without someone from the other side making a response to you, please post in the pro-anti- threads Michael has started in the Veggiepatch.

I don't see this lasting too much longer. People are being nasty to one another both on and off the boards. Friendships are being effected and I won't let it go too much further.

That's the thing with anything "controversial" that people feel really strongly about Michael... it tends to divide people of differring opinions. Having said that... I think a lot of the posts are just because people are passionate about what they believe.

That's why I just gave up responding to them all. No point in trying to convince anyone cause neither side will budge.

Just my $0.02

Michael - are you sure not allowing the discussions will improve matters?

For or against, this will be the biggest story for the next few weeks.

I haven't seen anything incredibly nasty yet - is there stuff going on in PMs?

Yeah there is. It's definitely changing the way some of us think about one another. As far as I know I haven't posted anything nasty but I do feel differently about certain people by seeing how they react and express themselves.

And the fact that this is going to be the biggest story over the next few weeks is to me just another reason to stop it. There are plenty of other places to hear about and discuss it.

And I'll be honest, I have to watch CNN at work each night for 10 hours. We were watching the morning of 9/11 as the attacks happened and after weeks of watching it over and over again I almost felt like I was going to have a breakdown. I would imagine the war coverage won't be any different.

For or against, I don't think many of us want to recognize the full gravity of what is about to happen. It's a big downer and I'd like to have a place where I can get away from it.

Okay.

Personally, I separate the person from their views.

If I "like"someone, I like them whether or not they support my views.

If I didn't "like" them previusly, then nothing changes.

I recognize the gravity of the situation, I just view the possible consequences differently.

Our world is not static - change is constant.

I also know realistically that there will be many more conflicts in my lifetime. That is the reality of the world in which we live.

Hehehe, that's actually a good point... considering me and Tame disagree about a lot of things when it comes to different aspects of the Iraq/Afghanistan wars ;)

Yeppers. :D

Let's be honest, veggiemyte, 1vegan, and mushroom aren't going to agree with me on much, if anything. War or no war.

I know I hold very different views than Avalon, Kreeli, Michael, and others, but I like these people, and I will regardless. Hopefully I have built enough of a relationship with y'all that you feel the same about me.

I realize a lot of people want to stay out of threads like this so if anyone wants to pm me with thoughts or concerns you're more than welcome to.

I am already sick of hearing about, reading about, and seeing "news" about this war. And you can rest assured when I get like this it's going to follow the same old pattern...

1) Michael gets burnt out.
2) Michael gets pissed off.
3) Michael wants to say f* it and shut it all down.

I'm at like 1.9 right now and don't want it to get too much further.

Once you get to three, I'll get ahold of our friend Larry and have him finish you off. :)

KC: does Larry own a Leisure Suit? :)

Oh why yes.....many styles, to go along with his chains and whips!

the PM feature has always bothered me for this reason: i think some people might use it to say things that otherwise wouldn't be permitted to be said on the boards.

is there some kind of policy in place that says our words in PM are held to the same standards as words posted on the boards? can people report abusive or harrassing PMs to moderators and have them acted upon?

personally, i've stayed out of the debates about the war because i know that the people who don't agree with me now, won't. frankly i don't much like talking until i'm blue in the face (or typing until my fingers bleed) when i know it will have no effect. but that doesn't mean i don't want others to have the opportunity to dialogue about it. it should be confined to civil discourse, however, whether on the public boards or via PM. if that isn't happening, the rules of conduct or board guidelines or whatever, should be enforced.

if you need help with that, michael, please just let me know. i'll be happy to take on some of the overflow. sometimes i think you take on all the responsibility of dealing with board conflict when you have the opportunity to pass it on to other members of the admin/moderator group. that, undoubtedly, is why you start to get burned out and stressed. nip it in the bud...., bud'. :D

Who is PM ing who with crap? That is sick and I thought PM's were there to have off topic friendly letters with people about things.

Time to have a name and shame list... I don't even know who's banned [except spaghetti steve]. Anyone sending **** PM's risks having them published if I see any.

As far as the war is concerned, I appreciate getting an uncensored international opinion and links. I'm deeply cynical about the press in the UK during the best of times, and they lied non stop during WWII. I don't read depressing threads unless I'm up for it, but I place great store in hearing US, Canadian and Australian views and news. Of any flavour.
I'm not especially patriotic. I'm a One World citizen, and really I'm more animal than human so I couldn't care any less if anyone slags off the UK. But do not slag off VB members.

Certainly people are encouraged to forward any pm's they feel are threatening or out of line to myself or one of the mods. That's toatally up to them. For the most part these messages would be treated the same as if they were posted on the board.

I've only heard of a few instances and unfortunately at this point I don't know who sent what. The people that received them didn't voluntarily offer that info and I didn't press for it. However, I can assume from the tone of one of the messages and who it was delivered at that one or two other people probably received similar messages.

I do feel a little better now that I've had some sleep. It's only a matter of time before this builds back up. One thing I'm considering is leaving the two pro-* threads open and closing off any debate, then assigning specific mods to monitor those threads (so that I don't have to) and limiting discussion exclusively to those two threads.

I admit it i sent a nasty PM and i stand by what i said in it. If Michael wants to see it to decide whether i should be ousted because of it, i would be happy to send it to him.

No send it to me and you never answered my last PM to you either, I'm paranoid and invisible enough without you adding insult to injury should I go look for the beerkellar thread or not she wondered?

you know i love you Teri. please do forgive me.

War threads? I thought this was going to be about the combat gear style clothing currently being shown on catwalks in Fr*nce.

guys guys.

this is the internet and while alot of the members here i call my personal friends discussing war would best be left for a phone call. There is no way to hear sarcasm, seriousness or humour even if it is stated as such. It just intices a virtualriot.

I don't want to see VB divided when the ominous new war approaches.

Mike, any problems I stand by to help.

I have to head to class soon, then I'll check in, then I'll be gone until tomorrow night. Hopefully I can get some input from the mods before I take off. While I'm in class I'll think of a way to handle this (what else is there to do?). I'll make a post around noon CST.

It’s sad that the stability of this fantastic online community seems to be “threatened” by “what’s going on”.
As kerouac says, it’s not easy to catch the right “tone of voice” in a post.
I sometimes seem to be miss understood, just like I miss understand others sometimes.

I think Michael is doing the right thing by limiting the war in the two threads.

I’m sure that we as friends will find a good way to deal with the situation.
VB is one of the best things of the year for me (so far) and will do my best to keep it that way.

A personal request is not to “label” users in a absolute way, it obstructs the discussion. There also seems to be a “hostile” edge on it (just my personal view).

An additional thought is to ask people not to use their signature as a “war” / “peace” statement.

Originally posted by Kurmudgeon
War threads? I thought this was going to be about the combat gear style clothing currently being shown on catwalks in Fr*nce.

Lol :D I needed that laugh.

Majake :love: :hi:

And on that note...

Closing this one too.