Lets us all be clear, this thread IS only about censorship.

The justification given for this censorship, is that things were 'messy'?

My view is that if this so-called 'mess' offends ANYONE, then THEY can always can leave us to own mess.

Is it not totally illogical to start yet another thread to complain/explain that there were too many threads and to gain approval for actions based on this?

Is it a technical problem? Are there just too many contributions to the forum? If so it matters little (except to a tidy mind), if these contributions are contained in one thread or over many. For this then is a technical problem and clearly requires a technical solution, not an excuse to exert a tidy mind and for that particular personal view to be imposed.

What then is the problem this time that can only apparently be resolved by our 'minders' taking action and then asking for approval? Why could this not be flagged up with the individuals concerned first?

I don't want to talk here too much about the PEL problem in the UK, but this fight is over two issues that are important to many of us on this forum. These are music and the right and freedom to express this. Much needed and much appreciated help has provided by many contributors, from all over the world.

Over two years the Government and our local authorities have come up with wonderful and ingenious reasons and justifications why the simple human right act of making music, presented all sorts of problems.

To my knowledge, that the situation was 'messy; was not one of the reasons given but to our civil servants and local officials do tend to have more tidy minds, than say many of us 'oddballs' on this forum.

However, the Joint Committee on Human Rights, in our Parliament has concluded that in order to prevent this freedom of expression, a proportionate response to a pressing social need is first required. This cross party committee of MPs and Lords, are not satisfied the Bill (or the current regime) has demonstrated this.

Has the case ever been made on the forum for this freedom of expression to be subject to the selective and subjective views of a single individual (other than the originator of the forum)?

To my knowledge three independent requests have been made for the huge list of two years of related PEL threads, to be removed from appearing at the top of every PEL thread and some better method found.

This appears to present too many problems and the only practical response to this that I can see so far, is that a thread that I originated and was (correctly) linked to these PEL threads was unlinked because the original linking was "believed" to be a mistake. It was not and a PM to the originator would have confirmed this but no such PM was made before action was taken. This thread title and contents are significant for any contributors who may find themselves in the position of the following

It seemed to Joe said he was going after some pretty nasty characters. I thought I couldn't be one of them. Apparently I was wrong.

Then they came for me

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Roger, I don't like the way thread grouping works when there's a long list of threads, either. It works quite well in most situations, but the PEL list and Woody Guthrie and a couple of others don't group satisfactorily with the system we have. Jeff is toying with alternate ideas, but has not yet come up with an alternative that is satisfactory. Be assured that your request has been heard.
Still, it's nice to have all the related threads visible, in hope that people will post to the appropriate existing thread instead of starting yet another one. We haven't found the perfect balance yet.
As for "And then they came for me," you're right that it is applicable to PEL's, but it also applies to a much wider spectrum of situations. It gives great insight to German history, and it applies in a very frightening way to the USA Patriot Act and the "Homeland Security" legislation. It is certainly appropriate for it to be on your thread listing PEL links, but it will not be included in the PEL thread grouping. That decision is final.
-Joe Offer-