For the last six to eight weeks I've seen a total absence of contributions emanating from three of our best advocates and exponents of good quality debating. I refer to; (i) FOXY (ii) POIROT and (iii) SUSEONLINE. You will of course recognise this trio are of the fairer sex, and each of them are formidable debaters in their precise and specific way ?

Being an old copper I'm concerned if this absence is precipitated by people like me and one or two others hereon ? Who've lowered the intellectual 'bar' if you will, by employing less savoury and churlish language of a type, these ladies are far from used too in polite debating and courteous discussion ? And who frequently engage in 'ad hominen' styled conduct, whenever I've ardently disagreed with another contributor, which I'm sure becomes quite irritating after awhile ?

Accordingly, being one of the worst offenders by far, I've endeavoured to tidy up my own vocabulary and behaviour whenever I'm participating on OLO and the Forum per se. I would respectfully urge any other like minded subscriber to do the same, in an effort we can lure some of our very best 'debaters' to return, and once more enrich the discussion whatever the topic my be. Thank you.

osw,

I don't think it was the language so much as the fact that there were too many people not agreeing with their opinions or points of view. That does seem to be a problem for the left. Foxy, for whom I had a soft spot because of her usually lady-like manner, said that she was advised by her doctor that it wasn't good for her health. I will say nothing about the other two.

Dear o sung wu,

You are quite correct in stating things got out of hand on the forum and I am perfectly happy to accept the role I may have played in that. Provocation is certainly no excuse. But as a long time poster I have to say that things have gotten pretty willing, and there have been some pretty caustic posters, in the past but we managed to sail through those periods without too much difficulty. Nippers like ttbn and runner were par for the course.

What we didn't have was the wilfully toxic types most encapsulated in the likes of OTB. His first real victim was Belly, someone I certainly had my run ins with but hardly a quitting type. Then to read post after post from Foxy asking him time and time again to leave her alone underscored how relentless he was. Suseonline and Poirot were also part of his fixation.

He is someone I had chosen to ignore but perhaps if we had been a bit more supportive of the three of them in tackling OTB they may have still been around. But I think I can say with a fair degree of confidence you played no real part in them leaving.

I certainly miss the contributions from all three but perfectly understand their reasons for leaving.

"this trio are of the fairer sex" - that should not itself matter in an adult site where opinions and views are expressed and challenged. I don't think any of the 3 mentioned were delicate flowers unable to mix it (other than Foxy's health issues).

I'd not noticed anything in particular recently but have not been following OLO the way I once did, in my case a view that too much of OLO has become bogged down in partisan approaches to issues rather than thoughtful to and fro. That goes for a variety of viewpoints including those nominally on the same side of the political spectrum as myself.

I'll admit to a soft spot for Foxy although at the same time a frustration with what all to often appear to be parroting of the "progressive" media rather than a willingness to engage in the issues.

The other two played hard ball when it suited and I think ttbn nailed it. Not coping well with an environment where dissenting voices would be shut down by the moderator or shouted down by force of numbers.

One of the best things about OLO is that dissenting voices don't get shut down through the use of power, they may be made very uncomfortable by having their arguments challenged, they may be insulted (and sometimes unfortunately it's more insults than rebuttal) but accounts don't get closed, comments don't get deleted for contrary views provided a fairly small set of rules are abided by. Some just do not cope well with that.

R0bert

Good evening to you - TTBN & STEELEREDUX...

Thank you both for your response to this somewhat unusual Topic, I am aware that FOXY was copping a fair amount of criticism from one or two folk from the 'Right' of which I am one of them, and it did tend to get her down. Like you TTBN I found FOXY to be really delightful lady, and though I didn't agree with much of what she said, what she did say, was said with considerably eloquence and with great panache. Moreover she is a very well travelled and an educated lady, as is POIROT who can state her case with considerable adroitness, coupled with a penetrating wit when she considers it called for !

POIROT is somewhat of a mystery to me, other than she's from Western Australia, and has recently suffered a bereavement of either her Mum or some other close family member. Poirot like her 'name-sake' is a smart and quick as a whip, with a great command of the English language, as well as a formidable debater.

Whereas SUSEONLINE is in the nursing profession, and she comes to a particular topic, always with a great deal of sensitivity and compassion, and that compassion can often be mistaken as an individual from the far 'Left'. She's also seems to be a very well educated lady. I suppose she'd need to be as a Registered Nurse ! And if your argument is both persuasive and accompanied with sound logic, she's not so entrenched or perverse in her opinion, that she'll sometimes repudiate her original argument, and end up agreeing with you ? That takes a lot of class to admit your argument is flawed - another virtue I've never had !

Thank you both for your contribution, I do appreciate it.

Dear R0bert,

It looks like we may have different views on how things transpired which is fine.

I do think the following post from Foxy was pretty indicative of how she felt about the rather unwelcome and toxic attentions of OTB;

“otb, I usually go to great lengths to avoid responding
to you. This is under my doctor's advice
because you always make it personal and cause me so
much stress. However sometimes one has to be prepared to
respond especially when false references and accusations
are being made.”

This was not a matter of difference in opinions. Foxy was probably the most prepared of all of us to acknowledge and respect differing points of view. This however was unrelenting personal attacks, misrepresentations, lies, and slander.

That isn't to say she didn't try on multiple occasions to lift his attentions above the personal;

“OTB,

I would like to respond to you in more depth.
All you need to do is cut the abuse, use logic,
and reasoning, and I shall be happy to respond.
Give it a go. It may surprise you. And me.”
Posted by Foxy, Thursday, 11 February 2016 5:25:28 PM

Cont..