What topics go where? (split from In defense of abortion rights)

[Bof]

I would be happy to know the rules that apply, if there are any.

David

Me too. I'm totally confused about what can and can't be said in different areas of VB. :confused:

[Kiz]

Me too. I'm totally confused about what can and can't be said in different areas of VB. :confused:

Heh. If it was me moderating I wouldn't be fussed at all what was said where. But I'm not so I'll leave it to the experts.

[IamJen]

wrt "what is said where", there's a measure of subjectivity involved. I know the ideal would be otherwise, but it's just not possible as long as human moderators are involved. :p

In this case, a thread debating the merits of veg*nsim and abortion didn't seem to fall into the "General discussion forum for activists." I asked Michael before about the Activist categories, as there seems to be some overlap (and there used to be another, 5th, category). He said that his idea for the Activist Forum was that it could be a place to discuss techniques/methods for activism, sharing stories about things that have happened while participating in some form of activism, etc. I see that most all of the threads there currently though, could fall into either the Action Alerts, or the AR or Enviro activism forums.

My approach, and that of many of the mods, I believe, is that if some thread is a general conversation, not heated, it's fine in the Veggie Patch or wherever. If it's going to spark an intense debate, it's generally herded into the Compost Heap. This is in part to aid those members who wish to avoid such discussions.

The most seemingly controversial aspect of the "what goes where" policy is what's allowed in the Vegetarian and Vegan Forums. Not everyone agrees, obviously, but Michael made it clear, at the time when the separate forums were created, that anti-lacto-ovo type conversations would not be allowed in the Vegetarian Forum. In the Vegan Forum, you're free to have at it. :p

The other troublesome area is when people post a support-type thread and then get jumped on. Only a few areas are labelled as "support forums", but there are times when someone posts a question in another area and then someone wants to derail the topic. This is where the subjectiveness comes in. Someone posts about the best way to get their baby to eat formula and a few come in, preaching about breast feeding. Or, a person wants recommendations on feeding their cat, and an argument begins about veg/non-veg food. What the mods do depends on how far off topic the discussions are, the perceived tone (here's the subjective part) of the posters, and sometimes, the wishes of the op. It's not perfect, but I can say that all of the moderators do the best we can. Some members would prefer less moderation in these instances, but there are just as many who'd like more. We can't please everyone, obviously, so we try to strike a balance. :)