Thread on foreigners and the dole locked?

marti8

Hi Folks,

I'm Marti and I joined boards.ie about 2 weeks ago. I'd started a thread about non-nationals and the dole, yep, I know some folks will disagree and some folks will agree. It was meant to be a discussion, a debate and an open exchange of ideas in a generally civil athmosphere. The thread is at: http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055533964&page=45

However, the thread has been locked by a moderator who decided that it was going around in circles, as debates and the open exchange of information usually do and that it was bringing heat, again as debate and the open exchange of opinion usually does. The moderator also suggested that the whole thread was a "moot point" as the current law didn't suport what I and others were saying, I'm sorry but moot point or not is irrelevant, folks have the right to discuss issues without having them closed down without any good or appropriate reason. That is what Boards.ie is all about, discussion.....it would be a very boring place if everyone agreed with eveyone else! The thread ran into 40 plus pages and had thousands of views and hundreds of contributions. It would be a pity to have it closed permanently when obviously folks wanted to express their opinions, on one side or the other.

That same moderator very early on in the thread also made their point of view abundantly clear. And then to close it later smacks of bias I am sorry to say.

Early on in the thread another moderator also closed down the thread but when I replied to their query re-opened it as no doubt they saw that it wasn't a rant. It was expressing an opinion held by many Irish people and an opinion that should be open to discussion, whether one agrees or disagrees. On that thread I have before thanked everyone for their contributions whether I have agreed or disagreed with them.

I have gotten the distinct feeling that some moderators have "it in" for that thread and no offence if someone doesn't like something fine but don't try to stop the democratic right to debate and question, don't because you dislike something shut it down. I have recieved PM's from folks who were on both sides of the argument expressing surprise and anger that the moderator acted like he/she did.

On one occassion I recieved an infraction (someones been watching too much Battlestar Gallactica!:)) when in response to being called a "nazi", "fool", "ignorant" etc I responded by saying "immature".....and I recieved an infraction for insulting another member! Seriously.

Boards.ie is meant to promote discussion and reasoned debate, that is the raison d'etre of boards but I am sorry to say that in this instance it is failing spectacularly. In this instance it is showing bias and the blatant disreagard for the right of folks to talk to each other.

Does anyone know whether another moderator (who doesn't have to agree with what I or anyone else is saying) but who perhaps has a more balanced view, and is less biased, can re-open that thread?

What's that saying: something about not supporting what you say but supporting your right to say it...........

Thanks folks.

Marti