mikk - You put it very well, and it explains my extended absence from the site. There is only so much intolerance dressed up as "free speech" and pretense at victimization that I can stomach.

Even so, I am fine with some really tough arguing as long as all gets published. However, my observations have been that moderation policy has acted in such a way as to protect some of the worst offenders, while deleting responses to nasty comments. I figured it wasn't worth the energy of making posts if comments were going to be deleted or I was going to be warned of suspension for upsetting the sensibilities of one of the dainty petals.

Someone once pointed out to me that it's understandable that any owner/moderator is going to make decisions that reflect that person's bias to some extent - that's human (I reminded myself often), but the comment section deteriorated to the point that any non-extreme-right commentators and authors became just targets for the entertainment of a bunch of bigots.

I would actually prefer that there be almost no moderation, bar extreme profanity and hate speech, but the site has a policy and that's ok. It's Graham's site and so ultimately the site is or will become whatever he chooses to make of it. Whatever OLO is, it reflects Graham's preferences and choices and not the actions of any other person or group.

I favour two membership fees in olo. One double the other. For everyone who pays the double somebody else will get a free membership.

gp_: if you had participated on OLO comprehensively at any stage, it should be evident to you that most participants have been slandered or degraded in the heat of the moment, myself no exception.

Assumptions, abuse/bullying, a wide range of negatives occur on every public forum and if people find it too much at times; do not log in and participate until stronger or avoid the same abusive discriminatory posters comments.

Most participants take false or discriminatory comments with a grain of salt knowing full well that abusive or negative comments are generated from a person's fear, phobia or past personal abuse.

Now this is the point I wish to make gp-

The gays and gay movement have shot themselves in the foot so to speak and ruined a fantastic educational tool to support future respect and acceptance of married gays and their children.

I am also sad for people who are gay wanting to marry and/or are hoping that more of our Australian society will fully accept and educate our next generation into treating gay parents and their offspring, with respect and kindness.

This is my concern and its a damn shame that a few gay people who may be non-gay parents did not think or take into account, that there are gay people who have given their lives to adopt and raise children in Australia [and in so doing, educate these adopted children beautifully, who qualify as our future doctors, specialists, paramedics, nurses, teachers and tradespeople].

OLO is one of the perfect vehicles of education pg-.

A forum that has a huge readership, most of whom are not commenting at the same time, yet reading and educating themselves on gay issues, including gay people raising our Australian children contributing to society, gay people lobbying for society's acceptance, eradicating remnants of discrimination for the children of gay parents within our beautiful nation.

For those people who did complain, next time think outside of your own personal selfish squares for a moment prior to charging ahead like bulls at a gate with someone holding a red flag taunting you.

Pynchme, you're running pretty close to the line there. It is impossible for me to defend a moderation decision without revisiting the whole of the comment that was moderated. That's why we have a policy against arguing modersation decisions on the forum.

I have never moderated people on the basis of their political views and the site has never been full of bigots with reasonable people marginalised, and that is pretty easily demonstrated by the breadth of comment that we are getting at the moment.

I have had to deal with some people who from time to time, like Greg Storer, believe that they should run the site and that if something happens that they don't like they have the right to try and break it. On that basis it is hard to see how I could allow them to remain on the site as they tried to subvert rules by setting up their own parallel site to complain about moderation, as well as revisiting this site using sock puppets.

Donation made, too easy.

seems this is a global issue

from my fav source of news
http://whatreallyhappened.com/

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH Thanks to all who helped us out over the weekend. We are past the current crisis. As you know, these are dark times.

The money-addicts working against freedom and democracy are in a panic, and trying to shut down all opposition to their plans.

Every day more and more honest blogs are vanishing, to be replaced with well-funded "Flogs";*

*fake blogs designed to wrap the same old lies in new high-tech wrappings in the hopes that the people will fall for it.

WRH will continue its mission of throwing cold water on government mendacity as long as we are able to.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY!

"A US attack on the Egypt Democracy Movement is a US attack on Democracy itself!" -- Michael Rivero