I wrote: "let's not rush to post anything yet. let's talk some more and build our working list. (again, i stress, not written in blood or chiseled in stone. a place to start.) when Admin gets back, we can present it for his consideration and he can let us know which he approves and which he doesn't. it's just a few more days. (you can use the time to round up and scan all those pics you've been itchin' to post. ) "
that seems very clear to me. i asked that people wait. some didn't.
that illustrates the real problem. no matter what the rules were, are, or turn out to be, individuals take it upon themselves to do as they please. they don't care whether or how it effects everyone else. if they get "caught" they pretend they didn't know or didn't understand or will argue as though their lives depended on getting their own way.
people who do that make it extremely difficult to moderate. flexibility and exceptions become luxuries we can't afford because it opens the floodgates and we end up wherever we started.
fear is unneccessary. when in doubt, just ask Admin or a moderator.
this is a virtual society. every society has standards of behavior. they each have a distinctive culture. in some cultures, there's no debate. those who hold the the reins of power don't poll the masses to seek a consensus or middle ground. the rules are the rules are the rules. period. end of discussion. those who fail to behave within the standards are imprisoned, tortured, maimed or put to death. wanna talk revolution? sure .. why not? but that takes a few years of mayhem and bloodshed. then, whoever seizes or keeps the power spends the next few years conducting mass executions to clear out any remaining opposition. and there's never any guarantee that the new regime will be any better than the old.
what's a moved or deleted post here and there compared to that? give me a break ... PLEASE.
even insect colonies have standards of behavior. we are supposed to be smarter than bugs.