Off-Topic Forum

[Guest]

Folks - please forgive me for my lack of presence and activity here. Unfortunately a lot of other stuff demands my time.

 

That said, I logged in for probably the first time in a good few days and was perplexed to see that Linda had apparently resigned, apparently (speculation has it) because of the 'Only in America' thread in 'Off Topic' and that the said thread had caused such controversy. I read the thread (all five pages) and I was shocked. Yes, I was shocked - at the irrelevance and waste of it all, every single post, to our interest in furs.

 

I propose that we drop the 'Off Topic' forum. This is The Fur Den, and if someone has something to say that has nothing to do with fur, then they need to find another forum to post in. We can ill afford divisiveness - visible for all, not just committed members of our community, to see. You can bet the PETA types keeping an eye on us must be highly amused at the divisions that have arisen among us and scarred our community. Believe me, these scars take a long time to heal. I can attest.

 

Not only that, but off-topic stuff just consumes our time and resources. Its pointless. In fact, to tell you the truth, tonight was the first time I've ever viewed the 'Off Topic' forum. After all that, I had no time left to catch up on the topics that count!

 

I say drop 'Off Topic'. What do you folks think?

[Fox]

I personally would like to see it stick around. It's a means to see different aspects of our members here. As well, the type of controversy that took place in that forum is indeed quite rare, and of course we'll work that much harder to prevent it from happening again. Plus, there's some lively stuff going on in there at the moment!

[allfurme]

Stick with the Off-Topic. Any group of people have one thing that gels them together, but it is interesting to explore the other side of people.

 

I don't know about anyone else but i certainly could not go to work and talk about work the whole time.

 

When i used to cross dress we didn't talk "women's talk" all the time we used to chat about all kinds of things.

 

As much as i adore fur and like to talk about it, it is fairly limited for us all to post on a regular basis. I think it's been a while since i posted a fur comment, because at this time i have nothing in particular to say. So being able to keep in touch through the Off Topic is good; subjects there can be so varied.

[FurLoverinFL]

Keep the off-topic forum! I think it's best to have a place where all sorts of things over than fur, that binds us together as a community can get discussed. I rarely read the posts that rapt is discussing, and it's even rarer for me to respond to them. All of us know when there's a need for some restraint, and just because we lost it in a few threads is no reason to shut down what is otherwise a fun and interesting forum!

 

FLinFL

[Guest]

A great deal of healing understanding and close bonding has gone on since the row and now I feel we are closer.

 

But heres the thing for me. To many people here they need a cuddly soft place to hide from the world. Thats no good when PETA seek us out, rip our heads out of the sand and drop a stone on it and we do nothing to defend ourselves. In the fur side of it, we are all batting for the same team

The off topic part is our training ground, and helps sharpen our wits where we will sometimes end up rowing.

 

If you dont like to banter, argue and exchange a few blows just keeping out of the bar after training is the best advice.

The only problem is that in our culture we get our rocks off by arguing socially not cooing, so it has been a huge shock to us that this is not understood.

There are also some useful fur references in there, like the one about Carol Cleveland.

 

Argument, while I accept that on this occassion caused offence and I was one of the protagonists, is a goid thing. It is best praticed on other subjects. Sarcasm, irony, one liners, all have their place in such debate,

and PETA can sometimes be put down with a combination of rational debate and these, without being personal.

 

So I would be against it going. It also is a "come outside and say that" area where some can let off steam and keep the main den trouble free....there havent been any rows in there to speak of.

 

Then there are interesting things here which have helped many if us get to know each other well.

[Worker 11811]

Leave it alone:

 

1) Having an off-topic and/or chat forum was one of the things that attracted me here. I wouldn't have joined if it wasn't available.

 

2) A fight, such as the one that broke out, was inevitable. It would have happened sooner or later. Better sooner than later, AFAIC.

 

3) Unless there are infiltrators in our midst, people from PETA could care less what we say amongst ourselves. They probably giggle a little bit but that's probably as far as it goes.

 

4) We NEED a virtual "rumpus room", so to speak. We, as a community, MUST accept that there will be disagreements from time to time. We are all passionate people. We need to have an outlet for our agressions. If we don't have one, we will tear ourselves apart even faster.

 

5) Except for one or two instances, once the whistle was blown, everbody went back to their neutral corners and cooled off. The healing is already well under way. Those few people who did have a problem with what happened seem to be dealing with it in the best way they know how. Honestly, I believe that, in a short time, things will be back to normal if we just let the water flow under the bridge.

 

6) Cutting off the "Off Topic" forum would be like pulling the bandage off an already healing wound. It would do more damage than good. In fact, I think that this thread is pouring salt on an old wound.

 

With that in mind, I am going to step down off the pulpit and go back to what I was doing.

[White Fox]

You have all pretty much summed up my feelings. For now. However, we cannot keep having blowups like we had the other day. If that heppens again right away, the forum will likely not survive.

 

I have made a suggestion to mods that members come up with their own list of topics that might not be welcome.

 

Now then. This is really "OFf Topic" for this forum so I will leave it at that. If you are interested in that idea contact one of your mods there or me.

W

[ReFur]

raptinfurs.

 

My demise has been greatly exaggerated!! (Didn't that happen to someone famous?)

 

Without knowing the history, just know everything is fine. You should come around more often lots of great things have happened, too.

 

If you had been here you would know how much we have grown to love the Off Topic forum.

 

But, as members have pointed out, we MODs are viewed as not communicating well with each other and being on different sets of rules.

 

One of the things we are doing on the MODs forum is addressing policy decisions and actions. You should join us!

 

Linda

[Guest]

Dont make too many moral judgements. Thats how PETA got started.

 

I like the rumpus room notion.

 

But then we invented slam dancing.

[Mr Barguzin]

RApt,

 

Linda did a Lazarus act, Eric retired, I got winded, Furelli and ToS got cut in a couple of painful places..... and yet we still pop in and exchange views other than just furs.

 

Off Topic allows for the exchange of thoughts and ideas which open up all to the thinking and world of fellow members.

 

It is like your local pub/watering hole where mostly polite conversations about differing topics occur between differing people. As with every pub/watering hole, sometimes transgressions occur... and what makes the Off Topic Forum so unique (to my way of thinking) is the number of fights/brawls we HAVEN'T had.

 

Whenever you read a post, wherever it may be, you have to remember that it is YOU reading SOMEONE ELSE'S thoughts, and you therefore read it in a manner that fits YOUR abilities. This can lead to misconceptions, mis understandings and all out war. You cannot be expected to know if the member is sober, drunk, excited, stirring, teasing or what if it is delivered deadpan. So, it come back to the writer to THINK about what he/she is saying and how others will interpret those words.

 

Should the Off Topics Forum be deleted? NO WAY!!! and that would be my opinion as an ordinary member as well. In fact, for times when a brawl breaks oout, maybe we should have a "Colleseum Forum" so the antaganists can fight to the death and get it offa their shoulders, whilst leaving the Den, and Off topics do what they do best... broaden and expand our knowledge of furs and each other.

[allfurme]

Sorry if i am ignorant, but do the Mods read the posts. If they do couldn't they just withdraw them so people can't read them?

 

A suggestion is to refuse to allow TouchofSable to post

 

TouchofSable - only joking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mr Barguzin]

Ah yes, the wisdom of Solomon and the Power of G_d.

 

IF ONLY *SIGH*