Political correctness on CelticsBlog...

[StartOrien]

The fact that moderators here are aggressive and will often delete posts and topics that are close to THEIR line is an ongoing problem. The censorship, in my opinion, is quite incredible. I have no doubt that many of us would be ecstatic to have a different place to go but we have little choice. Additionally at least a couple mods are confrontational with posters in a "go ahead and push me" kind of manner. Its awesome.

Meanwhile there are websites on sb nation where almost everything goes. So we know its not them.

Bingo!

Little choice? The 500 other blogs about the Boston Celtics aren't enough for you?

(quickly buying rights to domain name celticsbros.com )

[Jeff]

I'll add that there are LOTS of other options out there for reading about and discussing the Celtics and they each have their own rules and cultures.  The fact that this site is (by many measures) the biggest is a testament to the work done by the folks in charge of nurturing the community.  The size of the blog also becomes the greatest challenge for maintaining civility in that community.

Call it censorship if you like, I don't see it that way at all but I've moved past trying to argue the semantics of it.  This isn't a country, it is a community.  You are welcome to dine at our table but we kindly ask you to give the people dining around you the same level of respect that you would want.  If you chose not to, well, there are other places to eat.

We run our blog the best way we know how and take great pride in how we conduct ourselves.  As usual, I thank the mods for doing a mostly thankless job and doing it exceedingly well.

[JohnBagleyValueMeal]

I find that disdaining and lamenting the prevalence of "political correctness" in our society is usually just a method that people use to justify ignorant and unimaginative word choice.

[...]

Bottom line, there's no such thing as "soft" intolerance or bigotry.  When you use ignorant terminology you are supporting ignorance, regardless of your intended meaning or personal opinions.


That doesn't mean you're a bad person if you slip up and use a term like that, as long as it's without malicious intent.  But you should be ready and willing to apologize and correct your mistake, and also keep an open mind. 

[...]

Agree with this x10000000.

Sometimes I say things out of frustration or whatever that, when I stop to think about it, reflect things that I don't really believe.

I honestly think people get all aggro about people calling them out on things because they turn it into a "me vs you" thing rather than an opportunity to be more self-aware and precise with their language. Most of the time when people complain about "political correctness" they just don't want to acknowledge that their view of what they said is not the only view.

Every community has standards (EVERY one) so I don't think CelticsBlog should apologize for having its own.

[Rondo2287]

Isnt people's main gripe with the NBA that rules are'nt consitantly enforced? Agree or disagree with the rules here I find that they are consistantly enforced and people know what will and won't fly.  If you dont like rules here it probably isnt the place for you.

Just like BYU isn't the best place for every college student, CB isnt the best place for all celtics fans on the internet, but it is perfect for alot of us.

[Roy H.]

Perhaps it is also a place where anyone who might have been offended could actually stand up for themselves and say "hey ScoobyDoo, you know, I'm a woman and that really offended me and I think you're a complete ass clown"... to which I could then say "you know what, I'm really sorry, it wasn't meant to offend you and I apologize, it probably came off the wrong way and I'll refrain from doing it again"....that would actually be called healthy communication.

One of the things that you don't see is that a lot of people do stand up for themselves, by clicking on the "report to a moderator" button.  That's what we ask people to do in situations where they have an issue with another member or a member's post.

Some people are comfortable with sending somebody a PM when they're offended, but others prefer not to be confrontational.  We don't want those people to have to suffer in silence, which is why we actively (and often, proactively) enforce the rules on their behalf.

[ACF]

I find the phrasing "being PC" much overrated.

[angryguy77]

So women should be offended because they are not manly? That is what this boils down to. I can guarantee that if anyone were to tell a woman that she walks, talks or looks like a man they would be offended. This is the same as telling guy he plays like a woman. Nothing wrong with having a little pride in your sex. It's just common sense. There is nothing inflammatory about his terminology.

I guess we should just label weak players "PeeWee Herman" oh wait, that would be offensive to males who are not physically big. So basically we can't be colorful at all.

[wdleehi]

So women should be offended because they are not manly? That is what this boils down to. I can guarantee that if anyone were to tell a woman that she walks, talks or looks like a man they would be offended. This is the same as telling guy he plays like a woman. Nothing wrong with having a little pride in your sex. It's just common sense. There is nothing inflammatory about his terminology.

I guess we should just label weak players "PeeWee Herman" oh wait, that would be offensive to males who are not physically big. So basically we can't be colorful at all.

Sure you can.


Played like a jelly fish

Like a boneless chicken with it's head cut off.


Like Mark Blount after he got his big contract. 





This is a family friendly forum and blog.  (for the most part)  That's what I look at when I moderate. 



And like most of us, I have different languages I use. 


I have hang out with my friends language.

Hang out with my kid's language.


Teaching my students language.



Talking to my wife language.  (probably the most delicate)

[angryguy77]

So women should be offended because they are not manly? That is what this boils down to. I can guarantee that if anyone were to tell a woman that she walks, talks or looks like a man they would be offended. This is the same as telling guy he plays like a woman. Nothing wrong with having a little pride in your sex. It's just common sense. There is nothing inflammatory about his terminology.

I guess we should just label weak players "PeeWee Herman" oh wait, that would be offensive to males who are not physically big. So basically we can't be colorful at all.

Sure you can.


Played like a jelly fish

Like a boneless chicken with it's head cut off.


Like Mark Blount after he got his big contract. 





This is a family friendly forum and blog.  (for the most part)  That's what I look at when I moderate. 



And like most of us, I have different languages I use. 


I have hang out with my friends language.

Hang out with my kid's language.


Teaching my students language.



Talking to my wife language.  (probably the most delicate)

I respect the blog has rules. I understand that we cannot have a free for all in the discussions. However, there are many scenarios that can offend people. Unless the mods are going to stop each individual group from being offended, then it makes the rules one big pile of hypocrisy. I'm not calling out the mods in anyway, I know you cannot catch everything.

But what I do see is that some groups are given extra protection over others because of PC. At some point we have to stop judging people because they may use a word that some don't like.

It's the reasoning behind some of them that are irritating.

[footey]

I think the rules on language are appropriate. I crossed the line a couple of times, and when it was pointed out to me, I reformed my approach.  Our love of basketball and the Celtics unifies our interest. There is plenty of robust debate on this forum within the rules. The rules really serve to respect everyone. 

[Eja117]

So women should be offended because they are not manly? That is what this boils down to. I can guarantee that if anyone were to tell a woman that she walks, talks or looks like a man they would be offended. This is the same as telling guy he plays like a woman. Nothing wrong with having a little pride in your sex. It's just common sense. There is nothing inflammatory about his terminology.

I guess we should just label weak players "PeeWee Herman" oh wait, that would be offensive to males who are not physically big. So basically we can't be colorful at all.

Talking to my wife language.  (probably the most delicate)

The mods in that language are viscous and cruel.

[Chris]

I respect the blog has rules. I understand that we cannot have a free for all in the discussions. However, there are many scenarios that can offend people. Unless the mods are going to stop each individual group from being offended, then it makes the rules one big pile of hypocrisy. I'm not calling out the mods in anyway, I know you cannot catch everything.

But what I do see is that some groups are given extra protection over others because of PC. At some point we have to stop judging people because they may use a word that some don't like.

It's the reasoning behind some of them that are irritating.

I think with most of this stuff (beyond the obvious cases of going way over the line), most of the moderating is reactionary.  We will moderate things that he been reported to us as having offended people, or we will moderate things that have caused negative reactions in the past.

I know its not the perfect way to do things, but given that we all have other jobs, and are volunteers on here, the best solution when something is pointed out to us as being anything close to offensive, and may then cause further problems is to moderate it.

None (OK, almost none, there are some extreme cases) of the moderating is done in a judgemental way.  It is done essentially to avoid further issues, that might lead to more extreme actions such as suspension or bans on members.

You have been on here long enough to see how quickly a fairly innocuous discussion can decline into personal attacks and basically an all out flame war, and our number one goal when moderating most of these things is to avoid that.  

In society in general, I agree that people need to possibly get thicker skin, and more importantly use more common sense before becoming offended, but that is really separate from what goes on here.  

This is a Celtics forum, and the goal it to keep it a place where everyone can discuss the Celtics in a respectful way with other fans (or even fans from other teams).  Anything that gets in the way of that, is just not something that needs to be here.

[Eja117]

So women should be offended because they are not manly? That is what this boils down to. I can guarantee that if anyone were to tell a woman that she walks, talks or looks like a man they would be offended. This is the same as telling guy he plays like a woman. Nothing wrong with having a little pride in your sex. It's just common sense. There is nothing inflammatory about his terminology.

I guess we should just label weak players "PeeWee Herman" oh wait, that would be offensive to males who are not physically big. So basically we can't be colorful at all.

Sure you can.


Played like a jelly fish

Like a boneless chicken with it's head cut off.


Like Mark Blount after he got his big contract. 





This is a family friendly forum and blog.  (for the most part)  That's what I look at when I moderate. 



And like most of us, I have different languages I use. 


I have hang out with my friends language.

Hang out with my kid's language.


Teaching my students language.



Talking to my wife language.  (probably the most delicate)

I respect the blog has rules. I understand that we cannot have a free for all in the discussions. However, there are many scenarios that can offend people. Unless the mods are going to stop each individual group from being offended, then it makes the rules one big pile of hypocrisy. I'm not calling out the mods in anyway, I know you cannot catch everything.

But what I do see is that some groups are given extra protection over others because of PC. At some point we have to stop judging people because they may use a word that some don't like.

It's the reasoning behind some of them that are irritating.

i guess I agree that people here that say "African American" will probably be given extra protection over someone that says the n word. You can call that pc, arbitrary, and judgemental (because it is). The mods are saying "Yup. Yup. You're absolutely right" and I'm glad they are (95% of the time).

[Donoghus]

Personally, I hate the over-PC of America today and the "faux outrage" that seems to accompany almost any statement made.  Really?  People are that thin-skinned these days that they can find anything offensive?  Pretty pathetic.

That being said, this blog has been established with a certain identity and moral background in mind.  Its not for everyone.  Sure, it may be more sensitive than the average blog (trust me, it is) but its also probably one of the best, mature, and informative basketball blogs you will find anywhere.

The posting standards and rules are pretty high and that rubs some people the wrong way.  Totally understandable.  My advice to that is to swallow your pride, adjust, and deal with it or simply leave the blog and go elsewhere if the actions of the staff here get you too worked up. 

[Edgar]

My 2 centavos on this one

Real life Edgar is a Mountain of Bad Words walking
Usually use pollitical incorrectness to make fun of his friends
and is very used to being bothered by them in the same way
Salavadoreans are well known for being one dirty language class.
I am not the exception

But here is here
and here rules are here rules
and if heres boss put his trust in me to enforce them
I will

Edgar