I fully expect this topic to get closed rather quickly because I'm noticing the moderators are turning the archive into their own little kingdom where dissent about how it is run is to be stamped out, beheaded, and otherwise killed off.

Normally I keep my mouth shut, but closing a discussion about how restrictive the EA is getting is a bit out of line. It was simple disagreement and NOT open hostility. When I see actions being taken that go over the edge of moderation and into the realm of "I simply don't like being criticized" you're acting in a manner that will become the beginning of the end of the existence of the archive.

so I ask, is this the Eunuch Archive or North Korea? And before you answer, I'm quite clear on the point that this site isn't a democracy.

It's getting to the point on the archive that people can't even have disagreement with the moderators about anything. If a person disagrees with a moderator, you guys perform the moderation version of taking your marbles and going home - you kick them out of chat or close or delete their message threads. Heck, I had one over zealous moderator on the chat ban me because "A single letter is not a nickname..." which was the way I entered the chat room for two years. It's quickly turning into a 3rd rate dictatorship here and you're all beginning to really piss off and turn off people who have supported the site for years.

One of the reasons I never wanted to be a moderator was because of this type of attitude and action on the part of the moderators. I would have found myself at odds with all of you. Constantly.

The person that posted about burdizzo use was talking about something that had happened recently/in the past and not something that was going to happen. My point is that anyone that has been castrated and subsequently talked about it, should be banned, ridiculed, scorned, or have negative actions taken if they talk about what they did if they didn't go to the great and all knowing Dr. Kimmel or get on their knees and kiss the collective asses of the moderators.

It's almost as if it's getting to the point that the archive is about eunuchs and castration, but nobody can talk about eunuchs or castration. This is getting ridiculous. At what point is everyone going to get limited to only talking about fuzzy rabbits and rainbows?

The only reason I can think of that the archive has thus far not failed is because you have the support of the ONLY organization that has the funding and open enough mind to keep it afloat. Namely BME.

Don't be surprised if this site dies after certain former leaders of your supporting website open something that competes with it when they are able to. Trust me, if you guys keep getting more and more restrictive, people will vote with their feet when a suitable alternative comes around.

You still have time, turn back before it gets to a point even you can't stop the train wreck.

Just my .02 worth.

--LT

O.K.

I am NOT a moderator.

But what YOU do not realize is that there are lots of individuals who not only would like to see this site shut down, but who also have the POWER to do it!

So, yes, the moderators tend to be on the bitchy side. But they have a HUGE responsibility. It is not ONLY the, shall we say, peculiar who come here to be a part of this place, but it is people looking for answers about a problem that mainstream society not only shuns, but denies totally.

Call it part of our societal sexual mores, or whatever. But this place has to be seen not as a perverted playground, but a place where real people can come and get information that they can get nowhere else.

As far as the one letter I.D. thing goes, most of the regulars here know each other outside of the web site. If not, an effort is made to I.D. the regular visitor so that we can have a kind of decorum.

I have seen people leave here that are pretty decent individuals, and I have seen some return. I do not see this place as failing for whatever reason, but I feel your frustration at times...

...just go with it and try not to buck it, as there probably is a reason for it that you may not know...

At first i thought it was kind of funny darn near every thread eventually got closed that i posted on in the political discussion board or any of the religious threads. Then i kind of got discouraged and without making a conscious effot i just dont post on the new religious threads and rarely in the Political section anymore. No big loss tho i guess.

randy (imported) wrote: Wed Dec 31, 2008 7:33 am At first i thought it was kind of funny darn near every thread eventually got closed that i posted on in the political discussion board or any of the religious threads. Then i kind of got discouraged and without making a conscious effot i just dont post on the new religious threads and rarely in the Political section anymore. No big loss tho i guess.

It would have been real easy for the political thread to be gone entirely, and we lost a several regulars over the restrictions. However, it had to be dealt with because it DID get pretty abusive at election time.

Things have calmed down now and I think it significant that this place survived a political polarization of its regular posters. This shows two things.

1. The ability to self-police and to deal with significant issues.

2. The diversity of the political beliefs of those who frequent this site.

This is significant because politically the people who frequent this place who have the courage to post on the message board cannot be catagorized as hailing from one political school.

I would vote that A-1's posts are a reasonable summary of the situation. I for one can understand the need for a moderator. I just thank God I am not one of them. I do not have the time nor the personal character to try to be fair to all. I salute those who do contribute their time and try to be fair and practical. If a few feel that one moderator is unreasonable, that is the way it goes. Somebody is always unhappy. If a lot feel a moderator is unreasonable, then there should be a mechanism for that to be addressed.

For what it's worth, I understand that moderators have a difficult job. Heck, I moderate a forum elsewhere and it's a constant battle to keep the place on-topic.

I've never fully understood why we even have political boards here... to me they seem out of place given the content and subject matter of the archive. However, I'm not the moderator, here.

What I am getting concerned about is the seeming hair-trigger that the moderators of the archive seem to have lately. Yes, there are plenty of people out there that would like to shut down any site with any hint of a penis or boobie being discussed or shown. However, this site has also been in the major news outlets, survived scandal after scandal by the sex police, etc.

But when it gets so bad you can't even discuss the core subject of the archive (namely castration and eunuchism) it's kind of getting pointless to even have a site any longer.

Simply put, the EUNUCH archive is starting to take a turn where it is no longer an archive of things EUNUCH.

I find that odd and distressing, and that's what my point is. If you can't discuss the subject matter, even in past tense (IE I was castrated, I burdizzoed myself, etc.) then what is the point of this place?

Losethem (imported) wrote: Wed Dec 31, 2008 3:33 pm For what it's worth, I understand that moderators have a difficult job. Heck, I moderate a forum elsewhere and it's a constant battle to keep the place on-topic.

I've never fully understood why we even have political boards here... to me they seem out of place given the content and subject matter of the archive. However, I'm not the moderator, here.

What I am getting concerned about is the seeming hair-trigger that the moderators of the archive seem to have lately. Yes, there are plenty of people out there that would like to shut down any site with any hint of a penis or boobie being discussed or shown. However, this site has also been in the major news outlets, survived scandal after scandal by the sex police, etc.

But when it gets so bad you can't even discuss the core subject of the archive (namely castration and eunuchism) it's kind of getting pointless to even have a site any longer.

Simply put, the EUNUCH archive is starting to take a turn where it is no longer an archive of things EUNUCH.

I find that odd and distressing, and that's what my point is. If you can't discuss the subject matter, even in past tense (IE I was castrated, I burdizzoed myself, etc.) then what is the point of this place?

Hard to argue this point. I often wonder who is pushing things in this direction, is it a consensus of the leaders, who we all know? Is this simply a political decision to keep the archive online in a difficult repressive politically correct environment, if so a subtle heads up would solve many questions.

I have been doing a lot more Lurking as of late, and contributing less. Pretty much since Blaise (Ted) got banned.

I have been disappointed with (what I perceive as) the hostile way moderators deal with people whose arguments they disagree with. The political threads were volatile for sure. But nothing was said that could ever be used as a reason to shut down the website by an outside threat. So to pretend that internal censorship is somehow better than a nonexsistant threat from without is just silly.

The continued reference to young boys in the story section is far more disconcerting to me as someone who would like to see the Archive remain a viable resource for anyone who needs it.

I understand that the Mods are volunteers and have a difficult job. But OBJECTIVITY is paramount. Without it, its not worth coming around to share with the other like minded folks that have gathered here.

Additionally, if there is some type of threat to the Archive (other than financial), the membership should be informed so we can react and behave accordingly. But again, I see no threat...

I'm glad this was brought up again because the thread that I think we are talking about (Doing Self harm on Chat) is an important one to discuss.

I would first say I support the moderators doing whatever they like as this is their forum. They pay the bills so to speak so they make the rules. If you want a different scene you can always start up one of your own. Free speech is free only if you pay for the megaphone batteries.

Frankly having lost one friend who did some self surgery I think every time someone starts bringing up the topic of do it yourself castration should simply be removed and the posts erased. We have lots of impressionable people. And from what I gather many posers who have not and never will be castrated that like to spin stories about how "hot" it is to have your balls removed. The impressionable people read this junk and see how easy it is to do themselves be it with farm equipment or medical equipment and soon you have some poor guy in the ER who "HOPEFULLY" recovers. Or like at least one former EA chum dies later from complications.

Bobbie calls it "self harm" and I think most of agree the ONLY way this should be done is by a surgeon. Some of us disagree on how many hoops ought to be jumped through to make that happen.