So I provoked a discussion on whether there is a place for community based discipline within the Liberal Democrat blogging community, and it turns out that you're a rather tolerant bunch (I knew that I liked you all for a reason...).
It is clear that there is no desire for a policy of exclusion of individual bloggers from our community at this time, for reasons wholly liberal and laissez-faire. Naturally, I respect that view and intend to take the oft recommended position that the mute facility means that I can exclude those that offend my sensitivities.
So that's my stance from here on in. I will, as a matter of courtesy, indicate if I choose to mute someone, explaining why so that the offending party can either seek to persuade me that I'm wrong, or at least be aware that someone out there disapproves.
I think that Irfan's approach to the controversy that surrounds his post is naïve and wrong. If he doesn't understand that he has caused offence, and sees no reason why propagation of some of the anonymous filth that spews from the comment pages of Guido Fawkes' blog is unacceptable, then I don't have to put up with it.
Irfan Ahmed, for the time being at least, you are the weakest link. Goodbye!
He also doesn't seem to be consistent in his position.
ReplyDeleteIn his original post he said he agred with the comment on Guido's blog that the Cabinet was in danger of becoming 'too gay' but later tried to defend his position by saying that he was only drawing that comment to our attention.
The discussion that ensued has at least exposed that inconsistency.
It is at this point that I feel I must confess that I have muted you on LDB. And your missus. And Peter Black. And Steph. And my own fiancé. And various other people whose blogs I read avidly. This is because I only look at LDB once or twice a day and have no desire to scroll past stuff I have already read, and in most cases commented on...
ReplyDeleteWell done. We don't need or want that kind of adolescent homophobia.
ReplyDeleteYou Can Mute me Feel free to. I will Mute you as you are getting a little boring.
ReplyDeleteI made a mistake so what. I accept that many readers didnt like it. I have apoligised time and time again. You Can do what ever you like against me.
If you want to get me removed of LibDemBlogs Feel Free, If you want to get me thrown out of the Liberal Democrats go ahead and try!
Although I'm being patronising, Irfan's blog postings in the past have always struck me as rather naive and occasionally a little over simplistic. He is obviously a young guy, a teenager perhaps, expressing himself. I dread to think what I would have posted if I'd been able to blog in even my late teens.
ReplyDeleteHis responses have been defensive and confused, again suggesting he's quite young and a little naive. I think Mark raises some valid points - although I think there should be a light touch to allow Irfan the room to "grow" into his blog, would we really be happy to see some of his less well-thought through posts appearing on opposition literature? A lesson for both the wider group of bloggers, and a good lesson for Irfan. Remember how easy it is for anything you post to be (mis)interpreted.