Having some problems with racism and hate speech

[katy perry is hot]

Okay, let me first start by making something clear.. I run a political debate forum, with a very mature, adult audience. The only rules are genuinely no personal attacks. My goal when creating this forum was to ensure that all members can express their opinions, no matter what they are.

However, as my site is growing, I'm finding it hard to make a decision on something.. recently, a member registered, who appeared to have fascist, borderline nazi, political views, and expressed his discontent with a variety of ethnic groups...

I do have two staff members who are Muslims ( he targeted them in many of his posts/threads ).. one of them found the guy actually quite funny and wasn't too bothered, but the other couldn't stand what he said and in our staff forum he wanted the guy banned.. now, this white supremacist character didn't seem to violate our personal attack rule anymore than everyone else does ( it's hard not to attack someone once in a while if you can't stand what they say.. I have a gay member, and I have some ultra conservative members who have called him A) a pedophile B ) a menace to society, and other things that aren't appropriate to type here at FP... it really is hard to contain that crap sometimes..

But what I'm really asking, is, should I ban these white supremacists to uphold a harmonious community, or should I stick by my rules and let them go as long as there's no personal attacks?

I'm leaning towards the latter because I've always felt if you have an opinion, express it.. if someone is hurt by it, then deal with it. Suck it up, is what I mean... If you can't take the heat don't go in the kitchen.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[ℓєσ gнσѕт]

Let the man stay. If you start to filter who is allowed to post and be a member you'll get bashed for it later (assuming the site gets bigger). As long as no rules are violated there is no reason to ban him or warn him.

As I see it, a anti-gay member would have a problem with a gay member. A Muslim Moderator may have a problem with this guy, but he has to deal with it the same as the anti-gay member. Part of life is working along side people who have beliefs we may not agree with, the challenge is to find a way to bypass that and still be friends 🙂

 

[hcfwesker]

True. Also, you may want to update your forum rules; and make it VERY clear on how far debates can go; and that each member should repsect the others opinion; without forcing their belief, or personally attacking another member for believing in something else. There has to be some fine line clearly stated on disrespecting members of the forum.

Make your rules very clear on this, and maybe PM it to all members, or make the updated rules a global annoucement.

I say you have to allow freedom of speech, to a degree. Especially on your forum. I know it must be tough; cause I know you want everyone to be confortable posting and discussing on the forum. But, it's just not how everyone thinks.

Good Luck, I'm sure you'll make the right decisions.

 

[Saraphis]

I would venture to say that freedom of speech stops at the door. As in many industrial nations we enjoy freedom of speech as a privilege. I consider a forum to be within the "private" domain, not the public; therefore, whatever happens on your site reflects your character. I would update your rules and send private warnings to these individuals. Explain to them that any misbehavior will result in an IP ban. At my forum, we have a warning system that leads up to being banned forever. 1st offense is a "kick" (deletion of posts, messages, etc with a private warning). 2nd offense is a 1 hour ban (and a public statement is issued). On the 3rd offense, the person is banned forever without question (both by screenname and by IP).

 

[katy perry is hot]

I would venture to say that freedom of speech stops at the door. As in many industrial nations we enjoy freedom of speech as a privilege. I consider a forum to be within the "private" domain, not the public; therefore, whatever happens on your site reflects your character. I would update your rules and send private warnings to these individuals. Explain to them that any misbehavior will result in an IP ban. At my forum, we have a warning system that leads up to being banned forever. 1st offense is a "kick" (deletion of posts, messages, etc with a private warning). 2nd offense is a 1 hour ban (and a public statement is issued). On the 3rd offense, the person is banned forever without question (both by screenname and by IP).

You don't understand what my site is about though. We're not some general chat forum.

We allow basically anything as long as there are no direct personal attacks. It's a political discussion forum.. I sided with Ghost on the issue, I let it go.
I'm a very laizze fare admin, as you can see. That is this guys opinion. He thinks that all Muslims are terrorists, however clouded and stupid his view is, it's his view. I don't believe in styfling peoples views as long as they are not personally attacking people directly.. ie " You are a... "

 

[Rich Edmonds]

All you can do is hope and prey the person starts to see sense. Be prepared for a report / flame war if someone is offended, action will then need to be taken (temporarily banning that member or permanently).

 

[katy perry is hot]

All you can do is hope and prey the person starts to see sense. Be prepared for a report / flame war if someone is offended, action will then need to be taken (temporarily banning that member or permanently).

Someone was offended, one of my staff members did, but I told him to suck it up and deal with it, and he did, and now he's not offended 🙂

The thing is my board is for a diverse amount of people with all different views. If someone is a white supremacist, then those are their views, and they can share them as long as they don't attack someone directly.

 

[Saraphis]

He thinks that all Muslims are terrorists, however clouded and stupid his view is, it's his view. I don't believe in styfling peoples views as long as they are not personally attacking people directly.. ie " You are a... "

If he has declared that "ALL Muslims are terrorists," I would take that as a personal attack if I was Muslim.

 

[katy perry is hot]

He thinks that all Muslims are terrorists, however clouded and stupid his view is, it's his view. I don't believe in styfling peoples views as long as they are not personally attacking people directly.. ie " You are a... "

If he has declared that "ALL Muslims are terrorists," I would take that as a personal attack if I was Muslim.

He also said all gays are pedophiles, but my gay moderator didn't take it as a personal attack as he himself was not attacked.

The word " you " is what I"m talking about here.

 

[Ascent]

It's something to expect. Obviously you're going to get these type of members on a forum in that niche. If your staff member can't take it, he shouldn't be on your forum at all.

 

[katy perry is hot]

It's something to expect. Obviously you're going to get these type of members on a forum in that niche. If your staff member can't take it, he shouldn't be on your forum at all.

That's what I said.

 

[souljaa]

Let the person stay. Like Shotgun said...If the staff member can't take it, he shouldn't be on your forum at all..I mean it's a debate forum..People will debate and all your staff members have to be ready for whatever comes. People are bound to express their feelings/opinions which are going to hurt some people...But I mean it's kind of what you should expect. And especially the staff members.