AAD Forum

[SpiritMan]

As I have said in other writings, The First Amendment comes with responsibility. As a moderator I can attest to the problem of having to spend too much time attending to people who have never grown into responsible adults. Especially, these days, we have an atmosphere where people believe they can just make things up and those fringe lunatic ideas get to be treated like facts. But in the realm of litigation, there is another factor to be considered. Slander and libel are perfect examples of crossing a line that is totally unacceptable and negates any claims of First Amendment rights. Just as you cannot yell fire in a crowded theater.

I will not pretend that I know all the facts surrounding the closure of the AAD forums. But I will say this from personal experience. Quoting the Bible and hiding behind religion to justify deliberate defamation that leads to harm of others is unacceptable. In a forum where there are an unusual number of people who are not interested in debating issues, but attack individuals instead, as a moderator I would choose either to limit access or close it down. If you want to blame someone for the end of the AAD forums, blame those who have used the forum for personal attacks and distraction instead of intelligent fact based dialog. Kudos to the CN for giving notice this time! And Kudos to all of those who have risen to the challenge to defend those who have been unfairly attacked because of hatred and prejudice.         

[andmac]

Very good words. 

[Hhop]

Well stated!

I would also have to add that repeated posts advising people to buy the Champaign News Gazette rather than the Commercial News, did not help the longevity of the forum!

The Commercial News does have it's faults, but will continue to be my newspaper. It is not locally owned, but does employ local people and people that relocate here and that is important to me. We have also had trial subscriptions to the News Gazette in the past, and I was never convinced that it had the local coverage that is claimed when I always had the CN for the same day to compare side by side. Yes, the Gazette does have a small staff that covers the area, but I just never saw all the little local stories, perhaps about a grade school event, youth sporting event, Scout event etc. It is not uncommon that I mention to someone some story I read in the CN, and their response is that they take the Gazette and did not know about it.

[Guardian Angel]

When our parents died in 2001 and we cleaned out the house, I noticed that they subscribed to both papers.  For a long time after I moved away from Danville in 1965 I still subscribed to the CN just to keep track of friends and family. 

I think you are probably right Hhop.  I certainly wouldn't have dissed someone who was providing me with a free forum in which to post my opinions.  I will miss the forum and all the lively discussions.

[andmac]

I get both, and can not complain about the level of support the CN gave the Rossville Sesquicentennial. You are right about all the complaints-an old expression is "don't s--- where you eat."  Instead of trying to look at themselves and seeing the cause, they are now screaming about freedom of speech and how crappy the CN is.

[Tuck]

Marigold thinks he may have been the one to cause the CN to shut down. He stated that he had retained an attorney because of things that had been said about him a few weeks back, completely uncalled for things. The CN had said something about potential litigation.  Most forums, I would imagine have in their registration agreement that the administration/moderators could not be held liable for what the members said in their messages. Seems to me, that would protect them.

[Guardian Angel]

It could very well be a combination of things.  I hope Marigoldhead doesn't blame himself.  I think there were other factors.  They certainly closed it down before for a lot less than has been going on there lately.