An Open Message to Dave

[bassin_bug]

There is a thread titled "This is something interesting!" that was started by Tom523. He posted a website for people to listen to a politically motivated message by a minister. After I posted my reply, Tom523 replied but he had INSERTED A PARAGRAPH THAT HE COMPOSED, into MY reply making it appear as if I had written it. Then he posted a one-line response below it.

I admit that I came back with a heated response and justifiably so. He denied it but all arrows are pointing toward him and I am not the only one who thinks so. Tom523 calls anyone who disagrees with him or mentions people of color "racist" because he knows that's going to bring you, Peter, and Andrew down on us. I AM NOT RACIST, I have a white adopted sister who is married to a black Navy Captain and they have two bi-racial children; she has a white daughter in the Navy who is married to a black Navy Officer and they have two bi-racial children; my adopted sister has six bi-racial grandchildren. I've just told you the color of my sister and her family members, does that make me racist just because I've told you their color? Oh, I don't want to forget to tell you that I am white. Have I just violated the rules of this board? If I have please explain to me how I have. If I haven't, isn't it time that people like Tom523, and others who call people racist, have something more substantial than a differing opinion before they are allowed to report us to you as being racist or making racial comments? In my opinion we are not being racist until we treat people with disrespect and it is not disrespectful to mention race or ethnicity, it is their heritage/identity as much as being white is my heritage/identity.

I've read your rules but you have never addressed the issue of someone committing such acts against other members of the board as Tom523 did against me. What is your rule on people who insert their own material into someone else's replies under disguise? If you read the thread I alluded to you will see what I mean.

Grumpy locked the thread with the comment that " things were getting too hot" and I respect his decision, but I would have liked to be able to read what other members of the board thought of what Tom523 did to me. They know the same thing can happen to them if he is allowed to get away with it.

I would appreciate your response to these questions either on this thread or by private message.
Thanks,
Bassin_Bug

[slippedcork]

Its obvious what you say happened. I never noticed it until you pointed it out. You can bet I will read any post that I make that it quoted. What happened should not be allowed! It may actually occur more often than anyone realizes. I never reread what I said earlier when someone quotes me. I know, everyone else does, I just aint that fast, have to cut corners cause I usually already know what I said, or do I?

[Dave Stewart]

Seems like a valid complaint to me in that I do not see anything in the discussion board rules that would cover this situation..ie...the fact that someone can insert a comment in a quoted post that may make it look like the person that made the original post also made the added statement to some people..I read the post and did not take it that you made that portion of the statement, but that Tom did....but then again that was just my perception and obviously someone could have seen it otherwise.

The "your rules" you mentioned are not my rules, the rules for the discussion boards are set by the owner, moderators only enforce them as best they can. In this case, I would suggest that you contact Peter (owner) via email [email protected] and ask him to address this issue. Rule #5 states that complaints about the administration of the boards are to be addressed by email..not on the boards.

As for your continued comments about Tom and the racist stuff....I am not going to address any of that other than to say that when someone notifies me as a moderator that a violation of the boards has occurred, I look at the post that is being complained about and then make my own judgement in accordance with the guidance given me by the owner as I am sure the other moderators do the same.

Note: As I have mentioned in another post here...I am no longer moderating this board...for just this reason that I am tired of reading all the bickering, slamming, etc that goes on this board and none of it has anything to do with fishing. It took less than 24 hours for this current bickering about race with posts that violate the rules to occur after the owner posted his request that you folks on this board help clean it up....my point has been made..thank you.

[peter]

I have moved and attributed the new part of your original post to the person that replied.
It is misleading and therefore not allowed to change the quoted portion of a post. This has not happened before that I am aware of and I don't anticipate it will happen except for if somebody types stuff in the wrong place. The original post will always be there and be non editable so it is too easy to get caught and therefore there is not much incentive for somebody to bother to intentionally do this--I think--

Peter