Someone objected to my removing a comment and protested that doing so without an explanation was "gauche". Here is part of my private reply to them:
You asked for a reply but links to posting rules are on the front page. I have to remove a lot of comments, reading them and making decisions are a significant part of my day. Every day. And I have five assistants helping me find rule-violating comments and blogs. The reason we do this is in the motto in the masthead; "A friendly place to read, write and discuss TG fiction."
I'll send a message if asked for one but expecting me to send one for every decision would be more than onerous, it would be prohibitive; I would shut the site down as not being worth the time needed. It is not gauche to operate the site for everyone's benefit.
Rule One is Keep It Friendly and this applies to blogs and comments and very, very rarely to stories themselves (once in 17 years).
{redacted}
I judged the content and intent {of your comment} to be unfriendly and removed it. I removed it a second time when you reposted it; the repost also violated Rule Three: It's not about You. The comment is trolling and the repost was trolling me.
{redacted}
BTW, your comment was the third and fourth comment removed today and it is only 8 a.m. here. I didn't send either of the other two commenters a note of explanation.
Satirical stories have a place at BC, political comments and blogs are on sufferance as long as they do not get too unfriendly. Your comment would have drawn other similar comments and it would possibly have ended up with some author so offended at the uproar that they withdrew all their stories. Despite my efforts, this happens every two to four months.
I hope that helps clarify matters. :)
Hugs,
Erin
Comments
And a friendly place it shall remain
This place is, to most of us, a safe haven where we can be who we want te be even if only for a while and virtual. The posting rules are there for that reason.
Thank you Erin, and the others, for trying to keep this place friendly. It is a pity that someone has to "police" this site, but it seems that even here, it is necessary.
People, it is okay to not like things, it is okay if you don't agree with someone else. It is even okay if you say so. It is NOT okay to be inflammatory, derogatory or angry about it.
In short: "it's okay to not like things, but don't be a dick about it" (look it up on YouTube.... :-)
Okay, leaving the soapbox now, regular programming will commence....
PS! drop something in the HatBox if you can to keep this site, our safe haven, running.
Anne Margarete
A friendly place
This IS a friendly place. Most of us try to be pleasant and try not to be offensive within the public pages. We can and do exchange private messages, in which we can be as controversial as we wish.
However, the anything that jeopardizes the open and friendly public exchange must be eliminated.
Thank you, Erin, for maintaining this friendly voice in the TS/TG community.
Red MacDonald
Family squabbles...
I think part of what makes it so important about limiting divisive comments is that on most forums and blogs, it's open season, and people expect trolls and offensive comments.
Big closet is more like a family Facebook page, and negative or "mean" comments from family hurt a lot more than trolling from random assholes.
ewwww
facebook ~shudder~
family or community, both fit BCTS.
people that actually do care about each other.
Stupidity is a capital offense. A summary not indictable.
Good reminder
of what the rules are, why they are there and how they are applied. Personally I was surprised and disappointed when I saw how many comments go beyond the rules.
Thank you for all your work!
Is Erin Always Right?
I've been around this place longer than most. I've never seen Erin be unfair or awkward. According to her rules . . . interpreted by her . . . she is always right. That's not a bad thing. She's consistent, which I appreciate.
Erin, or her surrogates, have deleted my comments - even entire threads. It happens. Sometimes we make remarks that to us are totally innocent, not realizing how others will read them. Other times her surrogates step over the line . . . but wouldn't you rather they error on the side of kindness? Since I'm unafraid to make a controversial remark, I know some might come very close to the edge. I try to self-censor, but don't take umbrage if someone else has a different opinion. If we were all sitting in a room a raised eyebrow would help us know when we were crossing the line. But, we're no in the same room and thus . . . remarks are deleted.
We should all be happy that Erin's still willing, after all these years, to put in the time and effort to keep this place above the fray.
Gauche? Since Erin positively reeks of social grace, that just can't be true.
Erin and I don't agree on everything. For example, our politics rarely align, but her heart is in the right place and we all benefit from that.
Jill
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
The treadmill is having an effect.
Trawling through comments on a daily basis sounds like no fun. But it DOES have an impact. If you are attempting to create a friendly site, you are succeeding from what I have seen. Keep up the good work - it is having the desired effect.
I, being one among many, who
I, being one among many, who think you are doing a fantastic job, Erin. You are fair and consistent. Also you have often responded with an explanation even when you don't really need to. So Thank You, and all your helpers for the work you do so we may enjoy such a wonderful site as BC.
Hugs,
Erin of Wis <3