Hey, Belly, I'm sorry if you found my post in any way offensive; that was not my intent.
My point was OLO is a microcosm of the wider community. 'Out there' we have die hard Liberals, and equally die hard Laborals. But I contend, these people are not the ones who decide the outcome of elections. I'm sure you'll agree that Gillard will never convince Abbott to leave the Libs and join the Labs.
It is inevitably the swinging voters who decide elections; the ones who silently watch and listen, and are persuaded by the arguments (or the hairstyles, or the suit, who knows?).
Out there, we get to find out who's arguments were more persuasive. We get a result. In OLO, there is no such satisfaction, since the ones who post regularly are, like Gillard and Abbott, unlikely to change their minds in any fundamental way.
In fact, it could be argued polling on OLO would be more democratic, as here there is only the argument; no suit, no hairstyle.
Hey Cornflower, I agree. Although I was less than impressed with most of One Nation's policies, Hanson's treatment was a blow against Democracy.

Grim, a very good post one I agree with, every word.
Foxy my friend you do me a disservice.
Never ever have I judged people by color, or nationality, and as for looking like me? no way poor buggers have enough to worry about.
I am sorry, my views have been made by a few who tell us our women are, well sl**ts, that we are racist, who demand death for cartoonists? who kill people with human bombs?
Often kids, killing in Gods name, tell me it is only a few but lets hear the voices of those who think it must stop, from within that group
See the PC monster is shouting at me now, do not say it is not, I question why not more voices from within that group shouting as Italians did, **this is our new country it is us who must learn not you ** directed at my efforts to learn their language]
We are a country that will continue to thrive on the input of people from EVERY country.
We should[ giving regard to our country's limits] bring even more refugees here, not however those who pay so much to break the law.
Who is standing of for the truly poor who wait endlessly to come.
When will we see the problem as it is 20 million, the world can not re House so many, and it may get worse very soon.
If we leave Afghanistan ,we may well do so soon, we will then know how very real this problem is.
Surely n one can think other than Gillards words matter?
It is a fact BOTH sides of politics have followed and won over voters by getting a start on controlling this issue, for that I am grateful and aware, not however racist.

"...............People should feel free to say what they feel............"

This is the OLO approach. But what really interests me is, after we have been practicing this approach for 11 years now, has it made a difference to how the OLO community approach this issue?

Posted by GrahamY, Tuesday, 6 July 2010 9:37:01 AM
______________________

The quote above is but a small fragment of what the PM has said. The quotes in their entirety are used as an example of the right to freedom of speech.

"This is the OLO approach". "An open and tolerant forum"

I have criticised some terminology used by the writer of an article.
That in turn has resulted in his criticism of me.

This is normal. A few writers will join their discussion topic to defend their point of view. Most do not.

NONE of them can threaten those that disagree with them with suspension.

I have treated the owner of this site-AS AN ARTICLE WRITER-in the same manner as any other writer. In the same manner as ALL members do! There is positive and negative criticism for opinions expressed in articles/topics. That is what free and open discussion is all about!

Moderation 'attack' has now been mentioned by another poster today on that topic. I responded to that. (I have made ONE post in this 24 hour span...)

..yet I now unable to post/have been accused of interfering in moderation/and will be suspended if I continue...by the author of that article, and this thread!

One thing is clear: detractors will love my situation! That's OK.

What about you deep thinkers? Can you see anything wrong here or are you too going to secure your place in the OLO family by ignoring this appalling double standard?

I won't take bets.

Now do you finally get it? Freedom of Speech is a myth.

Perhaps I should add that If these two posts and/or I disappear from this "Open and Tolerant" forum, then I have been banned.

Pure and simple.

The issue was NEVER about criticising an article writer. The issue was that I criticised an article writer who owns-runs-supervises?? this site.............and who will not allow any disagreement with his conservative terminology.

OLO is Right Wing. The more Left view is simply tolerated to give the veneer of a balanced forum.

And every single one of you knows it!

Discuss/debate/ even verbally attack one another. But NEVER, EVER criticise the person who runs this site if he writes an article!

With other writers,-yes. Him?....NO!

That-AND ONLY THAT-is what I did.

Ginx you and I do not get on, we both know that.
But you have asked a question that deserves an answer.
I think free speech is worth supporting always.
But this is some one Else's paddock we picnic in, private property.
I have been warned and had posts deleted,yes it annoyed me, but just maybe the fact this is the country's number one is for a reason.
I can not take a stand with you, like me at times you sail close to the wind.
And just maybe it is the free speech of others GY protects with those actions.

Thanks for the measured response Belly. You put that very well!

However...! FoS IS selective. I've said that ad nauseum. FoS in THIS case has been used to shut down any questioning of that ONE article.

To suggest anything else is disingenuous, because there are some fairly hefty stoushes in this place by the Left/Right (for purposes of swift definition-I have defined L/R thus), whereby some stringent and very succinct opinions of each 'side' are...er, expressed.

One simple cannot support FoS selectively.

If this IS private property (and I DO take your point), then it suggests that one is free to post, within forum rules-but not in certain areas.

That is absurd.

Still: I thank you Belly. When this happens, most will avoid making comment in case they fall foul,-or yet others will use the opportunity to take a potshot.

You've done neither. Classy!

Waiting for Damocles....