Probably the only person here not to have a ban

Hello all, I decided not to join the other forum because of the limitations placed on differing opinions but i'm also interested in the issues being discussed here, so i'm going to give this one a try.

Welcome,

Cuduggan2K2, the person who created and admins this forum is an active participant in the "safe space".

Maiforpeace is registered here but she hasn't posted much.

There are a few others registered here who are also active in the "safe space"

As for myself, I registered for a short while and then asked to be deregistered when I realized that a "safe space" wasn't for me.

I've never posted in the SCSS. I'm fairly smug about it, but in seriousness, I respect their right to have their own space on the internet to do whatever they want. There are many spaces where I wouldn't go on the internet, because to do so would be asinine as I would know that my posts are not wanted there.

I don't have a beef with them for having a space where I'm not wanted.

My problem with them is in the following areas

1) The way the forum is presented - it will attract skeptics who naturally assume that free discussion is not merely tolerated, but actually encouraged.

2) The covert as opposed to overt exclusion of certain demographic groups as members. This is exacerbated by the fact that a few members of these groups are tolerated as moderators.

3) The favoured technique that is used to restrict the scope of content to that favourable to their orthodoxy is to call into question the demographic group, integrity, sincerity or intelligence of the individual poster, as opposed to honestly stating that a post expressing an opposing viewpoint may be sincere and honest, but has been excluded solely for content.

4) That the moderators use ad-hoc interpretations of the rules, often in an emotionally charged way. The ostensible reasons for a ban have little relationship to the actual reasons.

5) The lack of clarity as to whether the forum exists as a part of what might loosely be called the 'skeptical movement' generally, or specifically to denigrate it.

oopsy - I've gone on for too long in an intro thread.

And welcome, Patrician. (don't think you'd last long in the other place with that name - if anybody there knew what it meant!)

Hello Scott and pig, the name Patrician is a character from Terry Pratchett's Disc World novels, but I think you're right and that i'd probably be marked for the ban hammer as soon as my name surfaced on the forum.

Pig, you've probably given me enough food for thought about the A+ movement(if it can still realistically be called that) for the rest of the week's forum postings, but broadly speaking, I agree with almost every point you made, i'll save a full explanation for the forums, leaves me something to talk about here.

Are any of you guys on rational skepticism? Because I'd like to pm you with a question if you are.

By the way, I posted a reply to Scott at almost the same moment pig posted his reply, and the message has seemingly disappeared into the void, any ideas where?

The Patrician wrote:Hello Scott and pig, the name Patrician is a character from Terry Pratchett's Disc World novels, but I think you're right and that i'd probably be marked for the ban hammer as soon as my name surfaced on the forum.

Pig, you've probably given me enough food for thought about the A+ movement(if it can still realistically be called that) for the rest of the week's forum postings, but broadly speaking, I agree with almost every point you made, i'll save a full explanation for the forums, leaves me something to talk about here.

Are any of you guys on rational skepticism? Because I'd like to pm you with a question if you are.

By the way, I posted a reply to Scott at almost the same moment pig posted his reply, and the message has seemingly disappeared into the void, any ideas where?

I have the same handle there as here. You may PM either.

Welcome, The Patrician! I'm a regular at ratskep (although currently suspended).