Why would you ever give an adversary what they want.

*Smiles*

Well if antone knows the answer to that one - it would be you Mick. Perhaps you could tell us?

The whole issue is NOT about dealing with those who do the childish and cowardly things online that some people seem to think it was created for and which they would never have the balls to do face to face.

It is about how others respond to this. Some see it as a green light to behave equally childishly and cowardly, but atempt to justify this response usually in what they think to be safe concert with others.

But the only thing that matters is to always ensure that the essential freedoms are NOT curtailed in any response.

For giving an adversary what they want is exactly what is being continued on our forum as the only policy. But the first mistake is to assume (especially on a discussion forum) that anyone who may hold, express and evidence a different view or do it in different way - is an adversary. They can be the very fresh air a stuffy room requires.

It seems that that is how Joe Offer, his fan club and anonymous volunteers would define an adversary and when they have done this - there is only one clunsy and counter-productive weapon in the arsenal for them to use against this perceived adversary.

And this selective censorship is exactly what ensures that this constant battle will continue. For it does not matter what judgement one posters may make of any fellow poster's personality or of their possible motives for posting what they do (good or bad). The only thing that matters is whether you respond or ignore what they say in their post.

It really has always been that simple for the only thing that is as sure as eggs - is that making any form of personal judgement about a fellow poster's assumed personality (good or bad) on a public forum - will only end up with responses in kind.

There are PMs and email for doing this - perhaps the use of this for these personal messages can be encouraged more as none of these add very much to any discussion?