babble is rabble.ca's discussion board but it's much more than that: it's an online community for folks who just won't shut up. It's a place to tell each other — and the world — what's up with our work and campaigns.
Errr...ummmm...FLOUNCE!!!!
September 17, 2010 - 9:55pm
m
TMI
Bye.
Why do birds suddenly appear
Every time you are near?
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you
Why do stars fall down from the sky
Every time you walk by?
Just like me, they long to be
Close to you
On the day that you were born the angels got together
And decided to create a dream come true
So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair
Of golden starlight in your eyes so you
See ya, PB. Come back soon.
That's really nice.
I'm sorry to see this, PB. I hope you're back soon.
PB you have left?
I am still not over unionists leave of absence, now you?
I will miss you
Yeah PB, make it a short one. Unionist has taken his leave??? When did this happen?
I think a break every now and then is healthy. I'm kind of semi in one myself. Only semi. Hey PB, make it temporary ok? Didn't know unionist was taking a break.
Unionist is taking a break?
Seems he's vacationing at present, taking some time to bask in the glow produced by the NDP gun toting faction.
He'll be back I'm sure. I just miss him.
PB? Unionist? How can this happen?
Hi, Wingy! *hugs*
I'm sort of here-and-not-here, but that's because of other stuff. I hate it when other people do the same thing, though.
Posting seems to continue to be down as we head into late September. Maybe Catchfire's musings on the future of boards like Babble is coming to fruition quicker than he thought.
Do come back. We need your quirk.
I've had the impression that traffic has generally declined on Babble since its peak -- but I've never seen any statistics to support that impression, so I could very well be wrong.
That said, I have questioned the longevity of Babble for a couple of reasons:
First, in general terms, "boards like Babble" may have a dim future because there may just be a shift away from such venues, much like relative use of email and text messaging by kids. Today, kids tend to rely largely, if not exclusively, on text messaging and forego using email. Message boards may be yesterday's "email".
Second, babble does not have the resources to continually develop new board features (or even to take advantage of new features developed elsewhere). Assuming boards exist in ten year (and I suspect they will), will they look anything like boards do today? Unlikely. Commercially-available or otherwise well-funded boards will be able to evolve as technology and user preferences evolve. Given the slow history of technological adaption at babble (not purposefully but, instead, due to limited resources), babble's features are likely to lag currently-available features by a larger and larger gap. The form for entering text on babble, for example, is very crude. We don't even have a rudimentary spell-check feature (at least not that I'm aware of)!
But, that is what change is, right? Nothing is permanent. So, enjoy the ride now!
And, PB? Please come back! You are one of the least orthodox thinkers we've had here...you so frequently bring a fresh perspectives to a variety of subjects.
For PB, Unionist, and Wingy especially, and then anyone else who feels the need of a personal renaissance.
I'm done. I won't be coming back after this latest suspension by the babble inquisition.
I feel the need to flounce like this for the sake of other babblers who will no doubt question the moderating at some point. I can honestly say that every time I have flagged a personal attack against me or something I found to be offensive, I was sneered at and ignored by moderators. Moderators pick and choose who they will advocate for while ignoring valid concerns of others. And I'm simply not putting up with it anymore. babblers spend a lot of time and effort contributing and participating to babble discussions only to be told that their opinions are worthless in so many words by partisan moderators with an axe to grind against someone or other. This is how inquisitions are started and gain momentum. At some point those in authority begin abusing their privileges and want swapping out for new fearless leaders with a clean slate. It's probably not their fault they've just been in power too long is all and require a break themselves. That's how democracy is supposed to work.
So before I leave for good, Catchfire, here are some actual examples of the dreaded personal attack. Note that in each of the examples something is known about the person being attacked. You suspended me for attacking no one in particular.
And "Northern Puerto Rico" will likely never be understood by anyone to be a racist term or phrase. Your claim is as absurd now as it ever was before. That Canada is comparable to an unincorporated US colony is certainly not very complimentary of NAFTA or the corrupt stooges who sold Canada out from under Canadians we can be sure. And I think the large independence movement in Puerto Rico might even agree with me about US imperialism in general. Not you, though, because you seem to be overly sensitive about my criticisms of a vicious empire in general. This is not the place for anti-imperialist sentiment apparently.
And shame on Rebecca for ignoring my flagged objection to this personal attack against me. As if the poster's absurd claim that 'money lenders' is code for international Jewish conspiracy theory wasn't bad enough, he was encouraged by your non-call and allowed to continue personally attacking me in another thread with one of the most ridiculous straw man fallacies I've ever come across.
It's time for me to take a permanent break from babble as I feel moderators are simply refusing to advocate for me and my concerns. I don't complain that often, but when I do it seems I am ignored and mocked by the babble inquisition. This is the last word from me.
Goodbye to everyone who ever posted a kind word or exchanged thoughts with me in a civil manner. I will surely miss you all.
Good luck, and let's work hard to elect the NDP federally in 2015.
Viva la revolucion!
WTF!? This is BULLSHIT!!
Fidelio please reconsider
What suspension? When? Why?
What I find so very interesting about some babble contributors is the inability to accept any kind of knowledge or responsibility for words, phrases or remarks that are offending. Instead, we see many people who will vociferously defend the indefensible or beat an indignant retreat. All because of ego.
Why is it so hard for people to listen, understand and, when called for, apologize for offending?
Human nature. Some of us require explanations as to why we are bad machines and are not so easily bridled. And we expect moderators to advocate for us the odd time and especially when we demonstrate how accusations against us concerning racism and bigotry are falsifiable. Not only was I wrongly accused, personal attacks against me were allowed to continue after flagging the offending posts.
I can no longer follow your instruction, Rebecca. It would be against my instincts to do so. I think you and Catchfire have attained your ultimate levels of incompetence as a babble moderators. That's just how I feel and make no apologies if it offends your ego. Sometimes you just have to roll with the punches eh.
No worries -- my ego remains completely unoffended. I'm not sure it's even possible to offend, since I'm under no illusion that I'm infallible. Unlike some, I do my best to acknowledge my mistakes and apologize. Not always mind you, but I do try.
All the best.
Yes nothing personal, and I think you really do try at times. All the best.
What specifically in Fidel's case is 'indefensible' for which he should 'apologize for offending?' Surely not 'Northern Puerto Rico'? You suspended him for that? How many good Babblers are you people prepared to see leave before you examine your own methodologies and the collateral damage to this list which has resulted?
No, Fidel was suspended because he attacked and insulted the person who, quite rightly, pointed out that Fidel's go-to boilerplate language was rooted in colonialist and racist thinking. He's been warned several times and occasionally returns to it to test the waters. As moderators, we need to protect those who flag racist and otherwise oppressive language first and foremost. Fidel had an incredibly mild 24-hour suspension (partly, in addition, because he was flying off the rails in the middle of the night). He chose to leave because of it. It's a shame, but it's his decision.
I see more people that have left because of bullying and ostracism than ever have left/banned by the mods, even if in some cases a admonishment or suspension wqas the final straw
As a colonizer and upstanding member of the coalition of the willing, I don't really see any basis for a comparision between Canada and Puerto Rico, or any other nation aside from the USA in this hemisphere. It seems in Puerto Rico's case they can't get the yanquis to leave, and they're not allowed to join them either. Personally I thought Pat Buchanan's 'Soviet Canuckistan' might be shorted to just 'Canuckistan,' but even that mightn't be an accurate comparison given the extreme torment doled out by the occupiers in the other 'stans.' We're a ready, willing and able part of the empire, not a colonized people. Well, most aren't. Our government in the meantime has told the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food to keep his nose out of our hunger and malnutrition issues in the North. Bananas and many other hand to mouth commodities are apparently hard to come by up there, and when they do become available they're damn expensive. So put aside your hurt feelings over not being able to draw upon certain comparisons if you would Fidel. If you're feeling picked on, you can tell me and I'll tell em good. And sorry bout my part in all that picking on stuff. We still need to speak the few necessary truths in the spaces permitted to us, as much as it fills our minds and our eyes with pain.
We must examine these truths even as they make us uncomfortable. The minute they don't make us uncomfortable then there is a real problem and danger.
Plus Puerto Rico has numerous times turned down independance or statehood in referendums
Referendums like how they conduct their regular electioneering?
Nope, organized by them. They happen regularly because I do believe the US would like to stop the tax free status there.
SJ, we also need to create an environment where people, especially marginalized people or groups with a history of being oppressed, feel safe. Babble has never been flush with FN people's, POC, feminists, members of the LGBT community, etc., but the babble demographic is increasingly composed of those with privilege. That's a huge problem, because diversity of community and the freedom of opinion all of that implies, isn't about allowing a privileged class to enjoy even more privilege by allowing statements that offend the oppressed and marginalized. It's about creating a safe and inclusive community. If that means that some opinions or language of the privileged get censured, so be it.