Nicely said. Well done! Thanks.

Apri3third
Social Issues Admin.

And please also remember that there are 500 groups on DS to choose from and nobody will stay in a group where they feel uncomfortable.

notdeadyet005, what you said is not correct. I live and work in the UK and have lived in Europe, South Africa and the USA. Coarse language is frowned upon in all english speaking countries.
To clarify, are you saying that bad language is permitted in this group?

So, How do you have a "Free Speech" group, that doesn't offend someone? I've traveled a lot of this world as well, Rosie, and I've learned that each person has his/her own level of comfort with certain words or phrases. What I might tolerate, you may not, etc. And Vice versa. So, what should be the tolerable level of talk "Over the Fence"?

What should be our guiding principle. If you can say in on prime time TV, ala George Carlan's 7 words? If one or more people complain about it? What should the rule be? This is a group that tries not to "over regulate" in order to give a voice to all opinions, but obviously some line has to be drawn some where, so lets hear it. Perhaps the founder should set up a "Suggestion Box" post and all who are offended by something on the site can say so there and it can be removed. That might make for a pretty small group and weak site, but it could be done.

However I doubt that was the founder's intent when she started this group. This was to be a place where you were free to say whatever you wanted WITHIN REASON! So, now, what constitutes "Within Reason"? Whatever it is determined, I'm sure it will piss some people off, so now it becomes "Who do we not care about? Who could leave and we wouldn't care. Well, THAT answer is...Nobody! We want you all. SO now you see the dilema, You can't please everyone, but you still want to try.

So, OK, How do you prefer it be handled?
One Autocratic ruler that decides the fate of all posts?
All posts are considered valid? (persuant of course to the DS rules)
A team of "Post Monitors" that decide the fate of all posts?
Make every member an Admin, so they can delete anything that offends them?

... help us out here, folks...

Apparently, "bad" language is relative to location and personal culture. The language that has been used here was not profane or obscene. I don't want to encourage people to "test the waters" either. I don't want to see some of our valued Neighbors driven away by inconsideration either by pious or non religous people. We have received complaints from both groups.

Everyone is welcome in this Neighborhood. We hope that you enter with a charitable heart. One that is friendly and not vindictive but also with consideration for each other. It is also my hope that you won't take offense when some adults speak in childish ways or blame the site when something is offensive to you.

If you decide to limit yourself scrupulously to pious principles then you may not be happy here or if you do not profess a religion either. I regret that happening as we are just "folks" here. Some of the words that have been objected to are used routinely in the town in wich I personally live. I have also used these words at one time or another in exclaimation or as a joke. I think it is maybe considered "colloquial" or informal speech.

Please avoid the threads that aggravate you or offend you. But consider entering one of your own. Here you may even discuss the topic at hand "Freedom of Speech" and what that means to you.Use the thread to state your objections if you wish. I founded this group to allow people to be "proactive" and to have a group that is "interactive". As it says in our welcome "to keep the conversation going."

I do not consider myself to be a low-life, coarse, or even indiscrete person. In fact, I just took a poll here at the local library where I am using the computer. Everyone here thought it odd that anyone would think of the words, heretofore mentioned, offensive. Now, please don't take offense at what I just now said as I am trying my utmost to be honest with you as I consider you my Friends and Neighbors.

I hope that you will choose to remain in our Neighborhood and get to know us better. Over The Fence cannot be all things to all people. Actually no one can. But we really want you to stay and feel welcome here. Honest.

NDY
notdeadyet005
Founder/Coordinator
Over The Fence

We all know what constitutes coarse language and a definition is not necessary. Anyone who believes that free speech must include swearing is immature and woefully ignorant of social linguistics.

Please include a warning at the top of the page that this group has very low standards and a poor calibre of leadership, so that folk with a regular sense of decency, self-respect and respect for others will not waste their time joining.

I'm sorry you feel you've wasted your time on us low-lifes. But I see you're still here? Are you just a closet low-life, or do you have some underlying agenda you wish to pursue in this "free speech" group. We may all know what coarse language is, but THAT wasn't the question (are you a politician?) that was posed. The question was how should we handle different peoples tolerance levels. Feel free to leave anytime. I'm just sayin'...

i dunno about '...very low standards...' seems to me this group has standards set by a group of men who must also have had a 'poor calibre of leadership' about 200 years ago who created the constitution which guarantees us freedom of speech. hmm. i think most potential members would be better served if they came in, looked around and then made a choice. this isn't bondage, people can leave if they choose. or, how about adopting one of aa's ideas and take what you need and leave the rest? i usually can get my point across without profanity but sometimes my point smarts no matter how delicately i try to make it so should i just stifle myself? hmm, maybe i shouldn't hit 'submit reply?' out of fear of offending someone. if we all did that ds would cease to exist i'm thinking.

Gosh, I must have missed something.....I have not seen anything offensive and I just read a post that had some very specific guidelines about being nice and NO profanity or insults or sexually explicit comments. Sounds like a pretty good policy to me. I certainly don't mind and rather enjoy a good, healthy debate with differing opinions as long as it's respectful. I love this group!

Joy, your words were so needed. Thank you. The originator and admins. have struggled with many issues here in order to be sure all were heard and everyone's input considered.. We cannot all have our druthers all the time. We come, enjoy what we enjoy, listen to what we choose, pick what we like, as well as learn and may change our opinions after being exposed to new ways of looking at something. Free speech within the prescribed limits is our goal. It is not an exact science. Lowlife? I think insults tell more about the person giving them out than it does those labelled so unjustly. Thank you again, Joy. I have come to love it, too.

No one can be all things to all people all the time .. nor can Over the Fence Neighborhood.

This is the third time I have typed that statement. Twice I have learned the hard way (each with 4 paragraph rebuttals) that when you are on a pc at the library if you don't touch the mouse often - the pc doesn't know you are there and closes you out w/o saving your composition !!!

(And, opps, I think I may have even used one of the forbidden words at that time!! Especially the second time!)

That said. I have to leave to go on with the rest of my "other" life! I am sure some of you will understand. Tomorrow ~ PTL I am supposed to get my pc back from the shop. I will continue will my remarks at that time.

Until then I suggest not condemning an entire group because of two words uttered and in the future if you see something distasteful go to another thread. We welcome you all and your comments here as well.

This Neighborhood was founded to provide an interactive Neighborhood where friendly people could converse with each other in a proactive style in a considerate manner. We are a common people where colloquialisms (informal speaking) may abound from time to time.

We celebrate diversity and encompass and welcome it here at Over The Fence.

NDY
notdeadyet005
Founder/Coordinator
Over The Fence

In answer to the remarks,"has low standards" and "poor calibre of leadership" ... if I may I would just like to say..

Jesus Loves me ...


NDY

I have seen so much worse on other groups and as for me have not seen anything offensive. Perhaps hotly said when the poster feels very strongly about what they have written but offensive not from what I have read thus far.