I could refer to our forum as THE forum.

Public parks are usally referred to as THE park - rather than OUR park. But the use of the word OUR implies a kind of ownership. And when things are seen to be owned - they tend to be valued and looked after.

I may have use of the THE park but probably and partly because it is not seen by those who use it as OUR park it tends to be thought to belong to no one and is vandalised.

Appointing park keepers just seems to underline the fact that it is THE park. They may help to limit some of the damage or at least be there to try and repair the damage that will be inflicted. But it does not prevent those who have a mind to from vandalising THE park.

In a way the use of park keepers may make things worse as others who may be able to help may feel that it is not their responsibilty and expect the park keepers to do it all and possibly this just creates more targets for the vandals?

So perhaps at least part of the answer would be to encourage THE Park to be thought of as being OUR park and for all of OUR park's users to feel they have the responsibilty to value and look after it. Rather than for them have fun trying to dodge and tease the park keepers and abuse it themselves or just allow others to abuse it.

If this were the example set on our forum - perhaps those who judge it curently as 'being shittier' would as a result, find our forum more to their liking? And as he now admits that all of the rest of Joe Offer's well-intentioned efforts have not brought him the peace that he requires - perhaps he can now step aside and give this idea a chance?

Possibly the first steps would be for all posters to be encouraged to avoid giving the impression that our forum was a place to name-call and post insults and other personal judgements or respond in kind to them?

For us to feel as adults that the freedom we may take for granted - to have our posts appear as worded should not be denied to others.

And to encourage each other to concentrate on the only thing we will ever have contol over - the style, content, spirit, imagination, decency etc of our own contributions.

And to finally accept that we have no control and should have no control over the posts of others and to try to avoid making any form of judgement of their posters but address what is being said in these posts.

That a public discussion forum remains a simple concept. We have the freedom to either choose to respond to a post or we can ignore it.