threads being closed at "mods" discresion

[gnar]

My opinion - I think they do an excellent job. They've managed to keep the site civil & friendly year after year after year, which I believe they've done by enforcing the Terms of Service. That means little to no political, religious, and firearm related posts.
They've also eliminated posts in the For Sale section that are off topic "No off topic discussions are allowed in FS or WTB threads. Off topic discussion will be deleted at the moderators discretion."

Maybe you could point us to the TOS item you disagree with them enforcing?

Has nothing to do with the TOS

[gnar]

well it seems I got my ace kicked on this rather shortly so ill leave it at "im way out of the ball park" and that's why I asked if I was the un norm on this. thanks all for the input

[SilvrSurfr]

Has nothing to do with the TOS

I think it has to do with discretion, and trust. Trust the mod's discretion. There was a certain heavy-handed mod from the previous regime that I had a serious problem with. I didn't spend a lot of time thinking about it, though, 'cause he had the power to enforce the TOS and I didn't. If a mod thinks a thread is venturing off-topic or becoming disrespectful, it is his discretion to do as he sees fit.

Like I said, I think the current mods are doing a great job.

[TallPaul]

Has nothing to do with the TOS

You may think so but I'd find that hard to believe.
You are telling us mods are indiscriminately closing threads and/or deleting posts that are not based on the TOS issues, and you asking them not to respond to this post?

I'm open to considering anything but I'm hard pressed to say they are doing anything wrong here based on the info given.

[autolox]

There are plenty of forums where useless posts are allowed to run on and on and on and on and on...they make searching for and finding good information a real pain.

I see two sides here: 1) some members thinking that the mods are somehow trying to curtail any negative reviews of sponsoring vendors while 2) mods are merely trying to keep the place reasonably clean...I'd prefer reasonably clean myself but I can't speak for everyone.

[gnar]

Some people just have an issue with authority figures - the lack of empathy for authority figures leads me to believe they have never been authority figures - the whole "it's not fair" argument of perpetual victims. I've been an authority figure in my personal life (father, coach, scout leader) and in my professional life. While I value input, sometimes you just have to say, "This ain't no democracy."

I do agree, as a father of 3, manager of a company, and a soccer coach I have to make plenty of decisions on an authority level

[gnar]

I think it has to do with discretion, and trust. Trust the mod's discretion. There was a certain heavy-handed mod from the previous regime that I had a serious problem with. I didn't spend a lot of time thinking about it, though, 'cause he had the power to enforce the TOS and I didn't. If a mod thinks a thread is venturing off-topic or becoming disrespectful, it is his discretion to do as he sees fit.

Like I said, I think the current mods are doing a great job.

you really couldn't have explained it better, said your self that there was issues with a mod, well there you go..................

[gnar]

You may think so but I'd find that hard to believe.
You are telling us mods are indiscriminately closing threads and/or deleting posts that are not based on the TOS issues, and you asking them not to respond to this post?

I'm open to considering anything but I'm hard pressed to say they are doing anything wrong here based on the info given.

you might find it hard to believe, but indeed it has nothing to do with the TOS like I previously stated..... ASKING FOR A NON BIASED OPINOIN, NOT THE MODS 'RULES". please point me out to the TOS rule that the mods will delete or close relevant posts/threads. all Im saying in this is I think some things should be left open to discussion instead of shut down.

[SilvrSurfr]

you might find it hard to believe, but indeed it has nothing to do with the TOS like I previously stated..... ASKING FOR A NON BIASED OPINOIN, NOT THE MODS 'RULES". please point me out to the TOS rule that the mods will delete or close relevant posts/threads. all Im saying in this is I think some things should be left open to discussion instead of shut down.

It's all about the TOS, or the mod's interpretation thereof. Let's look at the examples you listed, "whether its a plug for a vendor, a complaint against a vendor, or even a simple this is how it should be done instead of your way, or any other sort of situation.... It seems to me that certain people are taking sides and making sure threads don't continue??"

In other words, if you were a mod, there are some threads that wouldn't have been closed so quickly. Back to my original point - you are not a mod. You seem to be questioning the job "certain people" are doing. In other words, you don't think the mods (or you may have individual mods in mind) are doing their jobs very well. You think they've got an itchy trigger finger.

From what I've seen, the threads most frequently shut down are clear violations of TOS, i.e., political, religious or firearm-related. Next is vendor-related - where it could go on for infinity with the fan boys vs haters providing their particular experience. Those threads are rightfully shut down, in my opinion. Next are threads where someone takes a controversial position that is bound to be bashed to high heaven (tree straps are unnecessary, for example).

Finally, I find the call for non-biased "opinions" to be particularly humorous. That's a contradiction in terms. If I were a mod, I would shut this thread down in a heartbeat because it appears to be going nowhere.

[OCDave]

Finally, I find the call for non-biased "opinions" to be particularly humorous. That's a contradiction in terms. If I were a mod, I would shut this thread down in a heartbeat because it appears to be going nowhere.

I wish I had said that. Kudos to you SilverSurfr