clickit, what can I say...just SHAME on you and what you have become.

I really was of a higher opinion about you personally and Expatica in general.

Now I can see that you guys REALLY don't want freedom of speech here.

Pity, I guess I need to find another forum as well.

But be sure, I'll spread the word of what you have done with this one.

Read the T's @ C's!

If you have an issue with a moderator, send admin a PM. Don't berate them on the forum.

It's still a matter of conjecture why you chose the handle "fook" when we already had a "Mr Fook" here that is a regular and positive poster.

I think that you may be wise to seek out (and destroy) another forum.

Another positivity bigot...whatever

Now I can see it - Expatica is really against freedom of speech ...

Expatica fields ALL sort of subjects and contentious issues that NEVER get deleted, altered or closed. So your point is redundant.

If you expect an inflammatory thread regarding mods to be accepted then, more fool you!

I too have raised eyebrows a couple of times at moderators' decisions, but, at the end of the day, they are both posters and voluntary moderators here. They ARE human. NOT infallible. As I said, if you have 'issues' address them to admin via PM and I'm sure your points, if any are saliant, will be answered swiftly. Otherwise, don't slag them off in the public arena.

If you don't like the heat ...

I am truly impressed.
There is now Thought Police (admin), Voluntary Helpers of Thought Police (clickit and such), and even good Samaritans Voluntarily Helping The Thought Police and Voluntarily Helpers of Thought Police....There is a complete repressive hierarchy in place!!

A couple of years ago I did support moderated forum myself. I thought they would only delete advertisement and obscenity. But instead they also delete and lock threads that are considered "not very useful".

And they are still asking why the forum has gone quiet...

It was actually I who raised that particular question.

Expatica is not the government, a University, TV station or library. There is no expectation of freedom of speech here, nor on any private website. If one does not like it, don't come here (and I think not coming here is going to be the option I take soon but for other reasons).

Exactly. But I don't see why you are so proud of raising a question answer to which is so obvious.

Pride didn't come into it.

Now, can you possibly clarify why you chose the handle "fook" when there's already a well-respected regular here called "Mr Fook"?

Thank you, I am very well aware of this.
If I had grounds for such "expectation", we would be discussing the matter not in a hopeless thread on the forum, but in another place, possibly a courthouse.

I choose not clarify, since it's none of your business.

Exactly.

It's simple: you can say whatever you wish to say on the internet. To do so, put your hand on your credit card and purchase your own webspace, build your own website, pay your own monthly fee for the privilege of having your own soapbox.

If you act however you choose in someone elses backyard, then expect them to have something to say about it, or to evict you. Don't be a bad guest at someone else's party.

It's simple: you can say whatever you wish to say on the internet. To do so, put your hand on your credit card and purchase your own webspace, build your own website, pay your own monthly fee for the privilege of having your own soapbox.

If you act however you choose in someone elses backyard, then expect them to have something to say about it, or to evict you. Don't be a bad guest at someone else's party.

FYI to all, I have opened this up to make a statement about posting things about moderators. NOT PERMITTED!

Fook,
It's kind of hilarious that you call me the thought police. I really don't care what you think about, honestly. The only thing I care about is the interests of the majority in these forums, which means creating a nice environment free of abusive comments. That is, to date, the only reason I step in. As long as you're not abusing each other, you can carry on about whatever you wish.

It states clearly in the terms that you are not to discuss publicly moderators actions, as that is clearly an attempt to create unnecessary drama. Feel free to send me an email, give me a call, whatever, to get your point across. But don't post regarding our policies again.

As for the moderators: they ARE doing what they think is best, and I fully support them. We will learn as we go, and we admit when we've not made the exact right decision (which is very difficult at times). So give us a break.

So are you lot saying : "If you don't like it here, leave!!!" ?? hahaha fookin' hypocrites hahaha lol

but yea the moderation here is a bit limp-wristed, (oops o dear do I get suspended again now? ) most of time they don't seem to know when stuff is said (or rather typed) with tongue in cheek, maybe they have a humour bypass


The internet is for 3 things, porn, stealing media and pissing other people off

You are so full of conformist zeal that posted your sheepish diatribe twice.

But in fact, "it is simple": expatica admin has all the rights and all the means to silence "fook".

What I don't understand why you as a member of the public would want this. My posts are always nuanced and articulate, although I can't always guarantee their "positivity" (whatever it means) simply because this substance is not always present in the real life which my posts are based on.

No admin, what is really hilarious is how someone like you, coming presumably from an all-democratic English-speaking country, can in the XXI century prohibit freedom of expression on the pretext that it creates "unnecessary drama"

I am speechless.

For how long...

You shouldn't blame clickit, or any of the other moderators, they are only enforcing the T&C's agreed by the administrators.

buh bye then.....and dont let the door hit you on the arse on the way out.

I'd suggest that your reticence to answer a simple question indicates a more sinister rationale.

Luckily there have been few issues of confusion between you and "mr fook". One posts absolute nonsense and pseudo-provocative clap-trap and "mr fook" posts either double-intendre littered filthy-minded 'innocent' posts or thought-provoking and positive contributions to the forum.

Didn't I once suggest "Get the fook out of here!" to the mods? I think you're maybe achieving that particular goal single-handedly.

You clearly don´t understand the situation, but that´s ok. Why don´t you just find somewhere else to play, yeah? I think it works out best for all of us.

You can suggest what you want, Mr. Self-Righteous A**hole, I don't care.

Obviously not.

Could you please clarify what exactly I don't understand?

What I meant is that the argument you put forward is so obviously lame and "anti-democratic" (if I can apply such big a word to this petty situation). The fact that you get angry and dismiss what I say without explaining only shows that I am probably right.

Note: people who have been labeled "aggressive clique" by you and the likes of you NEVER tried to deny other posters the right to post what they consider right, like you try to do.

I think it's just that those people were brighter and more articulate and eloquent than you, that's why you chose to drive them away using administrative powers.

Are you on drugs? I have ZERO administrative powers, moderator powers or, indeed, ANY power of influence here!

Yes, but you (quietly) endorsed it, which is almost the same.

What you seem to not understand is that we are not trying to censor you regarding your general posts. I am only upholding the standards I have publicly set regarding an administrative detail, which is the moderation of these forums, not a general topic on culture or news.

It´s better that the moderators resolve issues regarding moderation without getting the majority involved. That is how it will be.

As for freedom of speech: you are free to use your own physical voice wherever you please. You are allowed to start your own blog and say whatever you want. Here, you are using someone else´s platform. We have certain things we ask of you, and I don´t think they´re unreasonable. To make a big deal over it is dramatic to me.

I will lock this thread later this evening.

The only thing I've EVER endorsed during your half-brained diatribes here is that by feebly attempting to deride the credibility of the volunteer moderators here and admin, you are in breach of the implicit T's & C's.

You refuse to acknowledge or clarify your close linkage to the handle of another FAR more respected regular here and aside from that ... spread your manure around the forum about how woeful and censoring this forum is ... there ARE other places on the web to go to ... www.mylittlechatroom.com is perhaps a suitable alternative to meet like minded individuals.

To be honest, aside from an outburst I made earlier this week, in which I was justly harranged by all and sundry (AND publically apologised), I'm quite surprised just how much people (myself included) are able to 'get away with' on Expatica. Go to other public forums and watch examples of draconic moderation that AREN'T prevalent here!!!

You might not censor me "regarding my general posts", but you've built censorship into the rules. So what difference does it make? For example the requirement of not criticizing moderators on the pretext of (get this!) "not creating unnecessary drama" is outright ridiculous and shows that some of the moderators (and, I suspect, the admin himself) simply cannot handle criticism very well.

Hey, even if it is "dramatic" as you say it's still OK! For your information, drama is not considered criminal offense in Western democracies!

Locking threads, which just like this one, do not contain obscenity or advertisement but simply a discussion that develops in a direction that is not to your liking is ridiculous too.

Editing my original post, replacing the nick of a person I was addressing by "<moderators>" is ridiculous squared. It's good to know that you are such a gentleman and want to protect clickit's feelings, but she has shown herself a grown up woman and I'm sure can handle this.

I do realize that you as an Expatica admin have a right to limit the freedom of speech on your platform and have instruments for enforcing such limitations. In fact I was in favor of a moderated forum myself when this discussion took place a couple of years ago because I thought it would be limited to discarding spam. But in my view the rules like those mentioned above do not benefit the "posting public" in general and explain why many interesting posters have chosen to leave the forum.

Perhaps we shouldn't complain too much, there are other sites that tolerate a lot less... though probably some a bit more.
No one likes their freedoms curtailed, but some places do need a bit of discipline, or rules, guidlines. Terms and Conditions are everywhere these days...

Hello, Mr. Compromise! Have you just visited Iran or what?

Why does this fook guy get such an audience, and a thread even, ranting and raving and what not, it took a whole fookin' lot less for me to get suspended, (2 or 3 whole posts, with totally harmless stuff in it) got an e-mail 'bout it and I'd sent an e-mail back to the admin whoever that is, complaining about the overactive power trippin' click-it and some more this and that, never even got an answer back.

never did find out how long I was suspended for, just signed in the other day and it worked.

anyway, what's the story.

and what do the other 5 regular posters on this forum think about it

laterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Is it polite and 'correct' to enter a free forum and slag-off the hosts?

I call that a principal called "manners".

If I'm invited to someone's house and find the 'scene' there rankles with my personal 'moral stance' and, to be honest, that'd have to involve intravenious drug injection and/or young children being subjected to sexual depravity, as I DO have some moral grounds, believe it or not! I'd leave!

If the same sensitivity rankles others about what goes on here ... there is an "X" button at the top-right corner of the screen to allow an unannounced disappearence! Use the 'privilege', if necessary.

But fook what happened ? why are you so mad at Exaptica moderators.....I am lost here; could you tell us why do you think Exaptica against freedom of speech?

Royal Blood, is this what the Dutch call "een duit naast het zakje" ?

Please read my post above addressed to the admin.

emilio I have no time for your stupid sarcasm; this is what the Indian call "kutte ki poonch tedi ki tedi rahegi" . Try to decode it if you can...



As far as what is allowed and what not to post I personally feel that it is very relative; the thing which is being said on this forum from decades about the dutchies and their behaviors I believe is discriminatory and generalized beyond the limit.
So, if we try to investigate the basis of such negative conclusion then it will not be hard to find that they are mere outcome of 2 or 3 bad examples and then we paint everything with broad brush.

fook if you are intellectual enough then probably you will notice that "freedom of speech" is much bigger word to use; for the respect of same word there had been many war fought in history and many people killed, this is just a forum where common people like you and me come and have a small discussion about the daily life experiences thats all; Why so serious? [The dark knight ]

Because you are not doing any revolution and nobody is interested in the outcome of your fight; as for me personally I never care if your freedom of speech (according to you) is denied (as you feel it) because I seldom agree with the things you write here.

In the past my posts were deleted but I didn't care because my message was sent across to the poster I wanted to address. thats all....also I am not subscribed to many forums so I have no idea how much "free speech" Expatica enjoy.

The medium called forums is useful as long as one can send his message across to the poster he/she wants to address. After that nothing matters.

I also find it bit strange that sometime people who ask for the freedom of speech with some anonymous handle on this forums are actually very coward and the reason is I see many threads, posts, example written on this forum where someone would have used his/her freedom of speech in the real life but instead they choose to keep mum and come on this forum to tell about their bad experience with some dutchie;
I mean when they could have cleared personally what they feel about their behavior/act on their face then probably they could have got answer of their life's biggest problem which they post here every now and then and take revenge in bitching and moaning dutch and feel happy when someone put similar experience - sad strategy .

I am not a purist or methodical guy and I am sure there are many like me who come and read the forums here and may be you can call me fool or stupid but these forums actually make me negative towards dutch after all the experience I see here. After all internet is information source and I think some 70% user here are negative towards dutch and they are growing because atleast I start to relate many of my experience with the one I read here and I start to think in the way some poster did and how others joined....it can in the end may be only matter of just one bad dutch guy/girl.

I think its really misuse of freedom of speech rather I think we should start using this powerful weapon with more caution and productive/constructive way....

Just like Obama we need a change or yes we can.

Just think about it......

Cheers,

..


That's it, that's enough. That's already more wisdom than I can handle per day

Look, first go read some encyclopedia about discrimination, ok ??
Maybe after this I will read you half-baked bullsh*t post to the end.

Is this you mispelling/misquoting Dutch once again, emilio?

Perhaps you can save us ALL from a similar 'fate' by clicking the "x" box at the top right-hand side of your internet browser NOW!!!

You are repeating yourself.
In your earlier posts we've already had a pleasure to read about your amazing findings on geometry of the web browser.

LMAO

Well said. I also run a fairly busy website with online community. It's a difficult task and if everyone were allowed to just blurt out anything they wanted, it would create a very chaotic and negative feel. Expatica are doing alright here. As someone who was railed on before by members, I welcome tough moderating. Insulting people isn't cool an I've seen lots of insults hurled at others here. Some aren't always obvious either. There's little 'under-the-radar' jabs.

I challenge anyone to start their own place, let everyone have their 'freedom of speech', have it attract the numbers of people this place does and keep it in order. It's a lot harder than it looks and 'freedom of speech' is not always about how one behaves. It's not that difficult to share views respectfully. Is it?

Agreed.
I think we as posters can say pretty much anything.
This place is much more fun than a little while ago when horrible bigots got their jollies by being abusive to others...and then thinking it really 'funny'.

Look, people you are twisting the facts here.

I have not been insulting anyone (except some innocent name calling with the wickerman, but this doesn't count ).

This whole thread is NOT about those who deliberately and systematically insult others. Perhaps those people indeed deserve being banned. It's about other things, like criticizing moderators, deleting threads, freedom to say what you think.

Please read before you post.

Thanks.

No Wickerman, please read the Dutch proverbs and sayings. I'll help you, it's number 515 in the famous Nederlandsche Spreekwoorden en Gezegden by Stoett. Btw, you can consult it online if you want.

I'd never heard it and when googled it got I think 3 results up, emilio. That's why I thought it was mispelt.