[CarylB]

Originally Posted by Mr. Happy

I agree with both Julie and Caryl, to be honest (as contradictory as that sounds). You need a middle ground of social decency, because there are people at one extreme calling for extreme censorship and others going for complete freedom of speech. I think that the people who should make that decision should be the mods (and no one else), on a case by case basis. If the people who police this place don't have a problem with it, then neither should you.

The first thing I said was that I think there's a middle ground. (I referred to the word "crap" simply because it was the example given, and the question of how else could that view be expressed was asked.) I also said I think it's daft to jump on any negative comments providing they are expressed reasonably, though I will say my view is different when it is. Social decency is exactly what we should go for I agree, and I think that's all I'd ever ask people to exercise .. all I've ever argued for.

I agree it's up to people to report what they find offensive and up to the moderator team to make a decision, and that's what I do. I accept their decisions and almost invariably agree with them.

Julie said:

You are a person who carefully thinks everything out in advance; other people may use more "colorful" language to express themselves.

That sounds so laboured .. I can be as spontaneous as most people. I was just brought up to think about others' feelings as well as my own, and to see there's a difference between chatting casually with a friend over a drink and writing something that many people will read. It's not about my freedom of speech being censored imo .. just a little care and common sense. As to colourful language, I have a fairly good repertoire which I exercise differently in different places There are a lot of words I will use regularly in conversation with friends which the board would censor , but I don't feel aggrieved or that my freedom of speech has been suppressed. And I will still say here that I loved a show, that Meat's vocals were great, that he nailed the high Cs in Bat. However, I no longer write my reviews as I used to because my evocative phrases and imagery were clearly like a red rag to a few regular readers and posters, and crowbarred into their posts to make fun. Now I use those where I know they will be enjoyed and not where they will incite mockery. It's simply cutting my cloth with regard to the body that presents itself

Caryl