Posted by Dinah on July 31, 2008, at 10:05:42
In reply to Re: Policy Changes » Deputy Dinah, posted by Toph on July 31, 2008, at 9:54:41
I would say that in general, we rely on poster reports. Dr. Bob has been clear that he wishes posters to assume a more active role in reporting incivility. This is true of all the rules. We can't, and don't, read all posts. If people are upset about unequal treatment, part of that is that there is unequal reporting.
However, if something comes to our attention by our own reading of the boards, we can act on it.
The goal of the new policy is not to make administration into the thought police, and not to make Babble more restrictive than it already is. I'm not really in favor of stamping out all expressions of anger. It is possible to be angry and respectful and civil. The goal of the new policy is to allow us to address problems that we do not now feel we have the authority to address.
It also wasn't intended to push Administration into the sort of squabbles that flare up between two people and are quickly addressed by the participants. If posters can work it out between themselves, we'd like them to do so. Dr. Bob wishes the board to become as independent of Administration involvement as possible, and believes that posters can work things out among themselves many times. This policy change is for when the posters are clearly not working things out on their own.
So we'd actually prefer that if people feel offended at something another poster says, that they civilly reach a rapprochement rather than ask us to intervene.
We've all seen, I'm sure, ideal examples of this both on the Administration board and on the Medication Board lately. This is the preferred method of problem resolution. I can try to point some out, although perhaps the posters involved might not be appreciative.
Perhaps it would help if Administration thanks posters who do this, so that we acknowledge role modeling?
poster:Dinah
thread:843152
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20080719/msgs/843224.html