TexasCHLforum.com

Since I posted this message, the number of problem posts has declined dramatically. On behalf of all of the Moderators and Members, we sincerely thank everyone for this response. We have had a few PM’s questioning the rationale behind the barring of certain words some people feel are entirely appropriate for use on TexasCHLforum, even in light of the “10 year old daughter rule.� The comments we have received typically run something like “that word is in the Bible,� or “my 10 year old daughter hears that word all the time,� or very similar comments.

This may surprise some people, but I too believe that on a case-by-case basis, some words we ban could be appropriately used in certain posts. Not even all of the Moderators agree on some of the words on our version of the “no-fly list,� so let me give some insight as to why we have drawn the proverbial line-in-the-sand where it is.

The short answer is consistency. Most people’s opinions about what is proper or improper, vulgar or acceptable would fall somewhere between the opinions of Billy Graham and Larry Flint. But where would that line be drawn? Should my personal standard be used, should it be one of our Baptist ministers, or should we let George Carlin decide what language can be used? While some people would argue that a form of “community standard� exists (not a TexasCHLforum standard), I respectfully disagree. There are some words any honest person would agree are vulgar and/ or offensive, however, there is a wide gulf of opinions on many many others. Few if any TexasCHLforum members would intentionally use language they believed was offensive to others, but it really depends on who is reading the post. Can you imagine how many complaints we would receive if we allowed the use of a given word that one member finds offensive, while that member’s post is edited or deleted for using a word or phrase he believed was no worse than others that were not edited?

TexasCHLforum has over 1800 members of various ages and backgrounds and from all walks of life. We have men and women, boys and girls, tea-tottlers and hard-drinkers, Believers and atheists, and the list of opposing views goes on. It would be impossible to develop a standard that accommodated such a wide spectrum of opinions, beliefs and values. Recognizing this, we have taken the only option open to us; to ban any words or phrases that could possibly be found offensive or vulgar to even the most gentile of our members. (We have a stated goal of recruiting just such people into our community.) This will necessarily result in some people feeling the standard is unduly restrictive, others will feel it is just right, and still others will fall somewhere in the middle and accept it for what it is – the best we can do under difficult circumstances.

I’d like to end this explanation by quoting a portion of the TexasCHLforum Mission Statement that deals with the language issue.

Chas.

I am very serious about getting more women and young people involved in TexasCHLforum. While I’d rather not read off-color language in posts, for the most part I’m not personally offended by language I see on other forums, so long as it’s not part of a personal attack. However, many women are quickly turned off by foul language and will avoid what can be an excellent resource. (Also, parents will not refer their kids to a web site that allows or tolerates vulgar language.) The members represent a wealth of training, experience and expertise that can be invaluable to the ladies, but we have to make them feel welcome. Many of the members know me personally, many do not. Among those that know me, relatively few know why getting more women involved is more than a goal for me, it’s a quest. So, if we guys have to refrain from using some of the more colorful language we’d use over beer and burgers, then so be it. It’s for a good cause. (We can use the more descriptive language when we meet at the range and swap lies about our shooting prowess!)

I hope this helps to explain the goals for TexasCHLforum and why I believe we have to operate by a bit tighter standard.

Members:

We have added many new members to our "family" here at TexasCHLforum in the last few weeks and we are happy they have joined us! As most folks know, the entire TexasCHLforum community has done a great job creating a unique atmosphere that encourages open discussion of issues without personal attacks and vulgar language that unfortunately plagues many otherwise great forums.

The vast majority of our new members are right at home here and we get quite a few PM's from people expressing their appreciation for the "10 year old daughter rule" as well as the civility of the forum. Unfortunately, we are also experiencing an increase in inappropriate posts. This is happening in spite of efforts to make sure new members are aware of the forum rules. In addition to the entire Mission Statement, an abbreviated notice of the "10 year old daughter rule" appears in the post that contains the VIP Registration Code. Each new member also receives a welcoming PM from me that not only expresses our appreciation for joining, but also pointing out the "10 year old daughter rule" and asking people to review the Mission Statement.

Not only are we concerned about the increasing number of inappropriate posts, the PM's we get from some members who received warnings about edited posts is not encouraging. Again, these problems are being created by a very small percentage of our newer members. Nevertheless, we would like to encourage folks to be sure they understand the Mission Statement, the "10 year old daughter rule" and our commitment maintain the great atmosphere the members have created here at TexasCHLforum. We have been very lenient in the manner we approach inappropriate posts by new members, but that may well be changing if things don't improve dramatically.

Regards,
Chas