Member complaining that I am violating his civil rights

**markblair** · 11-27-2007, 05:47 AM

I have a member at my forum that recently decided to post a hate filled "joke" with some off-color comments and words that had absolutely no place at my forum. I removed the thread and notified him that he needs to post only clean jokes and nothing with words that can be hurtful or derogatory to other members. Since then I've been told in no uncertain terms that I am part of the problems in America and that I had no right to remove the thread. He even sent me a message telling me "By not allowing me to post this issue, you have actually violated my civil rights...namely freedom of speech."

Now I know he's full of crap and he has already been banned because he refused to guarantee that he would follow the forum guidelines by not posting derogatory comments in the future. My question is, I will be sending him one final e-mail telling him he is wrong about the whole freedom of speech slant. I thought a thread was posted about this before but I can't seem to find it. Anyone have any ideas on how abruptly I can get this point across to this person?

**bdude** · 11-27-2007, 05:51 AM

Bill of Rights:

Quote:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

As far as I'm concerned, you're not Congress.

**Toucan42** · 11-27-2007, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdude

As far as I'm concerned, you're not Congress.

Oh this one is Good!!

**BamaStangGuy** · 11-27-2007, 01:53 PM

I told the last person who threatened to sue me over stupid crap to send me the court papers and I'd piss on them and send them right back.

I never got the papers

**Flashgear** · 11-27-2007, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BamaStangGuy

I told the last person who threatened to sue me over stupid crap to send me the court papers and I'd piss on them and send them right back.

I never got the papers

What a let down

**Soliloquy** · 11-27-2007, 04:55 PM

As I understand it, freedom of speech was intended to protect the owner of the printing press. Your site is your "press" and you get to determine what gets printed there. If someone wants to engage in hate speech they can go get their own site and spew it there.

**Ryan** · 11-27-2007, 04:59 PM

Yeah, he has absolutely no ground to stand on there Mark

Your forums, your rules...It's just like private property. Somebody can't come storming onto your front yard saying whatever they want, but as long as they're on public property or their own property, they can do that

That said...there are still exceptions with freedom of speech. You can't go around telling racist jokes and spouting off hateful remarks even if you are on public property...People are not free to say whatever they want, and a lot of people don't understand that, they just think that "free speech" means anything and everything under the sky, but that's just not the case, but I digress. That's out of context here

**dojo** · 11-27-2007, 06:18 PM

I have rules. And there are the common sense rules. You don't post "dirty" stuff on a forum with general audience, you don't do bad things just to prove you have freedom of speech. If you cannot follow my rules you are out. I don't waste time on such things. Was also threatened with lawsuits or beating (imagine a 100 kg male member threatening a woman admin who's not more than 50 kilos of person with a beating. And yeah, he's a well known MA instructor, I think his students must be proud).

Just don't worry .. ask for the papers to "mark your territory" too .. as advised by BamaStangGuy

**bcmtouring** · 11-27-2007, 08:47 PM

Just make sure you have it in your TOS that posts can be removed at Admin/Mods discretion.

**Caddyman** · 11-27-2007, 09:21 PM

Just ban him

11-27-2007, 05:47 AM	#1
markblair Forum Addict Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,956	Member complaining that I am violating his civil rights I have a member at my forum that recently decided to post a hate filled "joke" with some off-color comments and words that had absolutely no place at my forum. I removed the thread and notified him that he needs to post only clean jokes and nothing with words that can be hurtful or derogatory to other members. Since then I've been told in no uncertain terms that I am part of the problems in America and that I had no right to remove the thread. He even sent me a message telling me "By not allowing me to post this issue, you have actually violated my civil rights...namely freedom of speech." Now I know he's full of crap and he has already been banned because he refused to guarantee that he would follow the forum guidelines by not posting derogatory comments in the future. My question is, I will be sending him one final e-mail telling him he is wrong about the whole freedom of speech slant. I thought a thread was posted about this before but I can't seem to find it. Anyone have any ideas on how abruptly I can get this point across to this person? __________________ Mark Blair To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. - "Where Professionals Discuss Web Hosting"

11-27-2007, 01:53 PM	#4
BamaStangGuy Forum Enthusiast Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,483	I told the last person who threatened to sue me over stupid crap to send me the court papers and I'd piss on them and send them right back. I never got the papers __________________ *To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.* More to be listed soon.

11-27-2007, 04:55 PM	#6
Soliloquy Apprentice Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 157	As I understand it, freedom of speech was intended to protect the owner of the printing press. Your site is your "press" and you get to determine what gets printed there. If someone wants to engage in hate speech they can go get their own site and spew it there. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. \| To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. \| To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

11-27-2007, 04:59 PM	#7
Ryan Forum Guru Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Athens, GA Posts: 10,256	Yeah, he has absolutely no ground to stand on there Mark Your forums, your rules...It's just like private property. Somebody can't come storming onto your front yard saying whatever they want, but as long as they're on public property or their own property, they can do that That said...there are still exceptions with freedom of speech. You can't go around telling racist jokes and spouting off hateful remarks even if you are on public property...People are not free to say whatever they want, and a lot of people don't understand that, they just think that "free speech" means anything and everything under the sky, but that's just not the case, but I digress. That's out of context here __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. - Professional vBulletin Skins

11-27-2007, 06:18 PM	#8
dojo Veteran Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Romania Posts: 708	I have rules. And there are the common sense rules. You don't post "dirty" stuff on a forum with general audience, you don't do bad things just to prove you have freedom of speech. If you cannot follow my rules you are out. I don't waste time on such things. Was also threatened with lawsuits or beating (imagine a 100 kg male member threatening a woman admin who's not more than 50 kilos of person with a beating. And yeah, he's a well known MA instructor, I think his students must be proud). Just don't worry .. ask for the papers to "mark your territory" too .. as advised by BamaStangGuy __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

11-27-2007, 08:47 PM	#9
bcmtouring Veteran Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New Delhi, India Posts: 585	Just make sure you have it in your TOS that posts can be removed at Admin/Mods discretion. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. \| To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. \| To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

11-27-2007, 09:21 PM	#10
Caddyman Forum Addict Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Delaware Posts: 1,342	Just ban him __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. boomshockalacka

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