Hello fellow mudcatters,

It does look like this thread is moving toward closure.

Just to bring it back to the topic of reinforcing respectful boundaries, I'd like to focus on what I've learned about myself....including what I want and what I do that reinforces respect or contributes to the disrespect......through reading this thread.

1. When somebody posts absolute nonsense where the purpose seems obvious that it is to simply 'incite' people.........I will chose to ignore it.   And, if everybody ignores it, it goes away (I notice that the most recent obama is evil thread seems to have disappeared).

2. I don't really know much at all about the complexity of the interrelationships amongst mudcatters.   My intention is to simply enjoy watching them unfold.

3. I want to avoid any attempts at 'triangulation' where somebody wants to convince me to take their side against another mudcatter (no problem with somebody wanting me to take their side regarding in *issue*).

4. Very few mudcatters want any kind of specific 'policy' about what to do about disrespectful language. Some feel that more important is that 'bigger picture' where a person's opinions could lead to an oppressed (or even not so oppressed) group being harmed.   

5. It's ok to call people names provided it's done 'lovingly'....or it's a play on their mudcat name.   (although, at this point, I personally don't want to do that......maybe when I become a more 'established' mudcatter).

6. Whatever our view is on evolution, it's often quite unpredictable as to how a thread will 'evolve'.   

7. It's a real challenge when giving personal feedback on mudcat (just as it is in real life) to avoid accusing or judging the other person, and instead, to focus on how a particular statement affects *me*.   But it's something I want to practice.

8. Only one person posted a STOP after they witnessed another mudcatter being put down. It didn't seem to have a huge effect...and nobody even commented on it. This suggests that most mudcatters aren't really interested in doing that.


Thanks folks. I've enjoyed being a part of this thread.

-Larry