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in JP's defense, at that time the Obama=Muslim and Muslim=terrorist thing was in full flower

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Maybe. My first banning, without a warning, for two months, in both BT and Knots, was for using an Abu Ghaib photo that had been printed in the WaPo, long before this election cycle. Concerning their uptightness about typing 'gay' or 'crap' - even 'Washita'! - the conservatism is apparent.

I'm not under the impression, as Dino appears to think, that i own Taunton. Taunton uses the website to sell products; they use the forums to entice folks to their store. At best it is a symbiotic relationship where we provide content and they capitalize on it. One of the perks of that arrangement was the Tavern where we nurtured our community.

My point, in an earlier post, is that to throw a massive forum up and expect it to self-regulate is as unrealistic as expecting a crew to build a house without supervision. I have a friend who is completely ignorant of contracting who decided to GC her log home and ended up getting hosed. Most of you would consider her hopelessly naive to expect any other outcome.

No one is arguing for the right to bear flamethrowers, but for fairness in application of the rules in return for having helped Taunton build its brand. We are getting the antithesis of fairness. Dino said we'd be kicked out of a friend's house if for behaving as we did in the Tavern. He fails to note we would also kick someone out of our homes who behaved as passive-aggressively as Taunton has.

It doesn't have to be this way, but it's not all the posters' fault. In fact, one can easily reason that the entity with the authority, Taunton, has more responsibility for outcome. Taunton seems to wish its responsibility in the relationship to end with providing software and a server and reaping the benefit. Certainly it's their forum to ruin, but what a dumb thing to do.

I think my solution of QT or somewhere similar becoming the de facto back room Tavern that Taunton readily allows us to link to, while retaining the services of the posters in the regular forum, is equitable and workable.

I'm just repeating myself, for whose benefit i know not - certainly not yours. In and case, i'm glad i went to Peachfest when fests were still happening. Good-night, David.

~Chet

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