why oh why??
i must admit that i am extremely frustrated... i have been using this amazing and wonderful site, and was recently totally slammed for my beliefs, and then refused a forum to reply to the inaccurate and slanderous statements that were made by someone else on this site. what is the criteria used for closing a topic??? why were my feelings ignored and censored- because they were unpopular or because someone felt threatened by me correcting them??
tirelessly,
relentless

...originally posted by relentless

i must admit that i am extremely frustrated... i have been using this amazing and wonderful site, and was recently totally slammed for my beliefs, and then refused a forum to reply to the inaccurate and slanderous statements that were made by someone else on this site. what is the criteria used for closing a topic??? why were my feelings ignored and censored- because they were unpopular or because someone felt threatened by me correcting them??



Um, not really following this....but it all depends on the forum. Usually threads are closed cause it get's personal and someone calls someone an idiot or something. They can get closed for leaving links to warez sites, or other evil links that can leave little "diddys" on your puter. Course the person could just have a big ego and decided to ignore common sense...who knows. ;)

thanx fer yer reply!! my real question is that can they close a topic without presenting the reply that was made before the topic was closed- i mean now whenever anyone hits the topic i posted the last reply is from someone slamming me- not my reply to it..
hurt and confused and ignored,
relentless

Originally posted by relentless
thanx fer yer reply!! my real question is that can they close a topic without presenting the reply that was made before the topic was closed- i mean now whenever anyone hits the topic i posted the last reply is from someone slamming me- not my reply to it..
hurt and confused and ignored,
relentless

Yes, a topic can be closed at any time, or edited at any time. I know it doesn't seem fair if you're on the receiving end of some un-fair comments, but they have to have control over the boards. I have no clue what was posted on either side in this case, and I'm not taking sides, I'll leave that up to the owner/moderators...just trying to answer your question about editing of threads. I'll just use this as an example, if I got into a pissing match with someone and my last message to them called them every name in the book, they want to be able to remove that last post, cause of the 'off color' language I would probably choose. :D But the messages before that may be left just as they were before the vile eruption from my yap. ;) Hope this helps.

thanks, it does help, but the only off color language that was used was me calling tdcj evil pigs- no swearing etc. just a definition of the idea of anarchism. it was about the tdcj conference and i was called names and not allowed to reply- i guess life just ain't always fair- i only hoped the moderaters would be
sincerely,
relentless

Again, the thread you are talking about Relentless was closed because it was run into the ground and more than a little disruptive to what our goals are here. I am not pointing any fingers, just ending the back & forth jabbing that was going on. Yes, I could have deleted that thread completely but that isn't my style.. But, I closed it so NOBODY else could post.
As for cussing.. I don't sweat that very much unless it is senseless banter just to cuss. Calling tdcj evil pigs is in no way a curse word, in my book. :)

to all!! is the idea and discussion of prison abolition disruptive? if so why? and what is the appropriate place to start a thread on this?
any suggestions?
r.
ps. again...i'm not being rude just asking if anyone is interested in discussing/ learning more about this idea?

No I don't think Fed Ex meant that the discussion/idea of prison aboliton or even anarchism is disruptive. I think he just meant the tone stopped being constructive. It turned into a war of words and feelings by many of the people involved. Not you in specific, or the topic that you brought up. So definitely you should feel free to bring up that discussion if you'd like....
You SO wouldn't be edited for that. That thread stopped being a discussion from all sides though. I think it's normal that this happens. We're dealing with loved ones, justices/injustices, and all sorts of individual human experiences/hardships....it's bound to stop being a 'grown up' discussion at times. That's when they might need to step in and close a discussion. Still PTO is for any exchange of ideas, experiences, feelings....just in an open constructive way. I think they like to nip it in the bud before it could get nasty for no reason:)
So you shouldn't take it personally at all.

Relentless, you do have some good ideas and I have seen that you do really care about the guys in prison by the ones that you are helping and fighting for. I don't agree with all of your ideas, but that's ok. I'm sure you don't agree with all of mine. As to your point of view, why don't you start a "discussion" in the General Prison Talk forum and just give information about your feelings, your work. If people have questions, let them ask and if people don't agree with everything you say, then you need to let them feel that way.

In my own life, I will listen to all sides of an argument, then I will make up MY OWN mind and make MY OWN decisions about what I want to believe. That doesn't mean you are wrong or right, it is just my belief, just like you have yours.

AND, if someone decides to step in and try to put you down, slam your personality or your character, I know for a fact David will step in and put a stop to it because that is NOT what PTO is about. PTO is about sharing ideas, but mostly giving support to people who have NO support. This world does not think highly of people in prison and those of us on the outside must be as much of a looser as those on the inside if we stick and stand beside them so the only place to get support is places like this, from people who understand and will say, "honey, I feel your pain and am here".

This is not a place to convert people to ideas, a place to promote arguments and place to disrupt because your upset when someone doesn't believe the way you do. Like I said earlier, post information about your feelings, the group your involved in and let people make up their own mind.

However, there are a lot of people here that have so much to deal with when it comes to their loved one on the inside, they don't have the patience or care about politics. They just want to be able to survice this day and help the one in prison survive their day without taking their life, or get into trouble where the prison system takes their life.

I personally don't care about politics, I care about people. That is why things are so screwed up because the prisons are all about politics and the people inside are the ones suffering. I can only do so much with letter writing, protests, electing governement officials. So, I have gone inside the prison's and trying to help the individuals so that they don't get lost in this world of politics.

Ok, I have rambled on enough.

Joy

WAY TO GO JOY..... HOW VERY TRUE THIS IS.... THERE IS SO MUCH MORE THAN ANY ACTIVIST MOVEMENT THAT IS INVOLVED...

GOD BLESS YOU AND RELENTLESS FOR YOUR BELIEFS...

DONNA

Relentless, you have posted your questions and asked for feedback and guiding you where to post. I think Joy was very helpful in offering suggestions for this, but I just wanted to add my personal thoughts here.

Please keep on posting about your encounters, your feelings and frustrations, and we will offer support and suggestions. But please, please be very careful on posting your goals and what your organization is attempting to do. Maybe it's only me, but I know in my own work I am trying to make positive changes to what we have. Simply it is called Reform. This is what I thought PTO was made up of. Sharing and supporting each other and working TOGETHER to take steps in making positive changes to an unfair justice system.

Relentless, America is a country with so many freedoms that you and I both enjoy. I am so damn proud to be an American that I can not understand nor support those who would wish to jeapordize or change that. I have tried to read your posts very carefully and if I'm not reading the correct message, BY ALL MEANS, point that out to me and I will graciously accept my mistake. The following are your quotes, which I believe what you represent that I can not support here at PTO.

...anarchism is indeed the belief that we as a civilization do not need government- because government is always oppressive and therefore wrong.

... The idea of anarchism can replace all the governments in the world with the idea that it is always wrong to oppress or control others. Capitalism is at the heart of this oppression

...The abolition of prisons is a higher calling for a truly just and compassionate society.

...Thomas Jefferson himself beleived that we need a revolution every 25 years to keep those in power from abusing it. Well, we are long overdue.


When I think of all the men and women who lost their lives fighting for the very democracy and government that we have, it is overwhelming. I believe in government and the need for laws to govern people. I belive in a justice system that will hold people accountable for the choices they make. All be it, it is not fair across the board and I see that as an injustice, we can work to change that. Please understand and know there are MANY MANY people working to do this very thing. Abolishing prisons and our government is not a logical answer.

I put this here as a guide to your question. If you continue to push your anarchist's theory and go against the very freedoms and government that I hold so dear, I can not just ignore it and will address that and lose focus on your own personal needs and frustration. I state this again, because I believe it goes against my beliefs on what PTO's goal is for postive change and reform. If I find people support your goals and theory, I will graciously bow out and find the organization that I believe supports the reform of the criminal justice system.

As always, I wish you and your husband happiness and the best of life and freedom...

Sincerely,

Pamela

You know, I have stayed quiet on all of the things that have been happening in the previous thread, because my opinions are my own.

What I want to say is simply about PTO. This forum is a home to a lot of different people. Our past experiences and present experiences are what shape our current personalities and how we relate to others. It is exactly because of those differences, and the common bond that EVERYONE here at PTO shares that makes this forum a family and a place to be proud of.

We are not all going to agree on everything, so as someone else stated, we should just agree to dis-agree. I love PTO just as it is, and don't like the uncomfortable feeling I have gotten lately when coming in here. I know for a fact that we have lost a couple of members because of the bickering.

These, as stated above ARE MY OWN OPINIONS

I agree with Tracy, It is uncomfortable at PTO lately,and I liked it the way it was. Life is stressful enough for me, having two sons in prison and maybe I'm too simple minded to argue about things that I really don't think can be changed by bickering back and forth.

tracy- i agree with you in totality

>>What I want to say is simply about PTO. This forum is a home to a lot of different people. Our past experiences and present experiences are what shape our current personalities and how we relate to others. It is exactly because of those differences, and the common bond that EVERYONE here at PTO shares that makes this forum a family and a place to be proud of.

We are not all going to agree on everything, so as someone else stated, we should just agree to dis-agree. <<

I think we have got to respect each other as well as each other's opinions no matter how different they are from our own. if this does not happen, more and more people will be hesitant, even afraid to post. One of my greatest fears ifs that some of the people who are having the most difficult times, or are struggling with whether or not to share a sensitive issue with us at PTO will choose not to, or even worse- will leave PTO--because of fear of the response they might get.

I believe there is a place for everyone here, and I believe everyone has a right to state their opinion in a respectful, non-offensive manner-but no one has a right to try and shove their opinion down someone's throat ( on either side of the issue at hand) or to become angry and hostile towrards other members who RESPECTFULLY post an opposing opinion--

It's about respect ultimately, respect for the diversity among us, and respect for each individual as a human being with his or her own thoughts and feelings.

I don't want anyone to leave PTO- I really don't.
This is my personal plea for all to stay and let's work this out.

We CAN work this out.

Yes, we can and will. What Sherri and others have said is totally correct and cover just about what I am thinking.
I'm closing this thread. Thanks for everyones input.