Proposed rules to start threads in the General Discussion forum. (#4)

[Skinner]

Until now, we have resisted repeated demands from our members for a crackdown in the General Discussion forum in the hopes that we could curb excesses by stricter enforcement of the rules we have on the books. Unfortunately, our efforts have failed, and we have reluctantly decided that new, more restrictive rules are necessary.

Below is the exact text of the rules which we propose. We are giving you one day of advance notice so you can familiarize yourself with these rules, and ask any questions.

Starting tomorrow afternoon (Tuesday) we will put these new rules up for a simple yes-or-no vote by our members. The vote will last for 24 hours. If a majority of members vote in favor of the rules, they will become permanent. Only people who have already registered to be a member of DU as of 2:45PM today (Monday) will be eligible to vote.

These new rules will not solve all of the problems in the General Discussion forum, and will undoubtedly cause a great deal of complaining about censorship and heavy-handed enforcement if they go into effect. But the administrators of this website believe that they will help improve the atmosphere here, and therefore efforts to undermine the rules will be dealt with harshly and decisively.

These rules are not currently being enforced by the moderators. They will not be enforced until the vote ends on Wednesday afternoon, and only if a majority of members votes in favor of them.

Skinner
DU Admin

Note: Section one under candidate threads has been changed to allow discussion based on recent events that may or may not have been reported.

This is a continuation of my first threer threads, which are here (#1), here (#2), and here (#3).

********** PROPOSED TEXT FOR NEW RULES **********

Rules to start discussion threads in the General Discussion forum.

The General Discussion forum is by far the most active of all the forums on the Democratic Underground message board. In order to improve the overall quality of discussion here, we feel it is necessary to restrict the type of discussion threads which may be started in this forum. These rules only apply to the very first message posted in a discussion thread, and do not apply to responses posted in those threads.

If you are the type of person who can’t remember a bunch of rules, just remember this: If you treat other people with respect, and if you frame your messages in a way that will facilitate quality discussion, you are unlikely to run afoul of these rules.

Please note that these rules are for the General Discussion forum only. Some topics which are not allowed in the General Discussion forum may be permitted in other forums on the message board.

RULES TO START DISCUSSION THREADS IN THE GENERAL DISCUSSION FORUM

1. The subject line of a discussion thread must accurately reflect the actual content of the message.

2. The subject line of a discussion thread and the entire text of the message which starts the thread may not include profanity, excessive capitalization, or an excessive punctuation. Inflammatory rhetoric should also be avoided. Exceptions may be allowed for threads about our political opponents and/or policies which we generally oppose.

3. If you post an article or other published content which is from a conservative source or which expresses a traditionally conservative viewpoint, you must state your opinion about the piece and/or the issues it raises.

4. If you wish to start a vanity thread (ie: a discussion thread in which the sole purpose is to share your personal opinion) you must state your opinion in a non-inflammatory manner which respects differences in opinion and facilitates actual discussion.

5. No duplicates or same-topic threads. If there is currently an active thread on the first page of the General Discussion forum about a particular topic, you are forbidden from starting a new thread about the same topic -- even if your new thread provides a different viewpoint or new information. Occasional exceptions will be allowed when an active thread has a large number of posts.

RULES TO START DISCUSSIONS ABOUT DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES AND THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY

1. Discussions about Democratic candidates for any political office must be based on a recent or current event, on a recently reported news item, or on a recent article or op-ed piece. If you are referencing a published item, you must include a link to the original article.

2. If you start a discussion thread which paints any Democratic candidate in a negative light, you must clearly state whether you support or oppose that candidate, and if you oppose that candidate you must clearly state which candidate or candidates you support.

3. Discussion topics about whether a Democratic candidate is actually a member of the Democratic Party are forbidden. Discussion topics which argue that a Democratic candidate is actually a stealth Republican or a secret friend of George W. Bush are forbidden.

4. Discussion topics which advocate splitting the Democratic Party into separate parties are forbidden. Discussion topics which advocate that a particular group of people leave the Democratic party are forbidden. Discussion topics which advocate supporting parties other than the Democratic party or supporting candidates who are not Democrats are forbidden, except in political races where there is no Democratic party candidate.

5. Discussion threads which paint supporters of any Democratic candidate in a negative light are forbidden.