POTN excommunication and that kind of stuff

DaviSto wrote in post #18613483
I don't feel singled out. But I wasn't making a political statement. I was just saying that I found images put in front of my face utterly obnoxious. What am I supposed to do differently in that situation?

IMO, this is like telling the bride that you're offended that she's wearing white. Just keep your opinion to yourself & go away.

PhotosGuy wrote in post #18613569
IMO, this is like telling the bride that you're offended that she's wearing white. Just keep your opinion to yourself & go away.

It's not really the same ... and you know this. Brides in white ... pillar boxes in red ... bluebells in spring ... there's no call for an opinion to be expressed.

Near naked, very young girls in photographs with assault rifles ... if you don't hold an opinion, you have an issue.

DaviSto wrote in post #18613417
I hold strong views on the subject of provocatively posed naked females and assault rifles ... unsuitably enjoined in images that I find far worse than 'dirty'. I've expressed my opinions and gotten banned from a big chunk of POTN as a consequence. I don't think that's right or fair.

I've protested my case to POTN moderators on two or three occasions over the last three or four months but not so far been graced with a reply.

I'm extremely unhappy with my relegation to the status of 'POTN undesirable'. I've tolerated my low-life status for a while in the expectation/hope that it would shortly be (reasonably) reversed. But I will not tolerate it any longer. It will be only a very small loss to POTN, I know, when I terminate my subscription and it will hurt me a whole lot more.

But ... I am out of here by the weekend if my ordinary status is not restored.

I find it interesting that what you find "dirty", you actually had to go an find on here. Sounds like you want freedom of speech but for only what you want to see or believe in. If you dont like what you saw, dont go looking for it, if you see it somewhere, hit the back arrow and leave. But the shear fact that you threaten to leave b/c you saw something you dont find "acceptable" is just very "snowflake".

my .02
Peace out!

Tom Reichner wrote in post #18613470
We can say what we think, as long as it doesn't have anything to do with a politically-charged issue like gun possession/use/legisla​tion, and the depiction thereof.

You certainly weren't singled out. . Anyone expressing negative feelings about guns would have been treated the same way. . It's the same with abortion, redistribution of wealth, laws relating to the expression of religious freedom, etc, etc, etc.

Some members did make negative comments about the juxtaposition of guns and models in G&N. As far as I know, nothing happened to them. Maybe the OP was singled out. However, I don't recall seeing any posts from him in those threads. Maybe he complained in a more private venue.

On redistribution of wealth, many images in Urban Life & Travel are about poverty. I myself have posted images on the subject of homelessness. Discussion of the issue has followed, but no one got in trouble as far as I know. The distinction between societal and political issues isn't so sharp as all that.

This is the photograph that had Jesse Helms so fired up.

https://en.m.wikipedia​.org/wiki/Piss_Christ

I, too, have found some images here... personally disturbing. But of what benefit is to be gained by offering that opinion about an otherwise perfectly acceptable (to others) image?... unless I wanted the image and similar disallowed? Who am I to deprive the many others of enjoying it!?!
And you know what they say about opinions. So, it's no comment from me and I move on.
And heck, POTN is a sleeper compared to what one comes across 'out there'!

DaviSto wrote in post #18613578
... there's no call for an opinion to be expressed.

And yet you feel the need to express yours on a potentially volatile subject against our terms of use.

I didn't say that you couldn't have an opinion. I suggested that you go away & take that particular one with you.

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DaviSto wrote in post #18613578
Near naked, very young girls in photographs with assault rifles ... if you don't hold an opinion, you have an issue.

.
The "girl" in question was 25 years old at the time the photo was taken ....... she may even be 26 by now. . I don't think that she could accurately be referred to as a "very young girl" by any standard.

When you say, "very young girl", most people will think that you are referring to a minor ..... not only a minor, but probably a pre-teen. . Definitely not a 25 year old adult woman. . I would like to know why you referred to her as a very young girl, when the person that posted those photos told us that she was 25 years old.


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PhotosGuy wrote in post #18613679
And yet you feel the need to express yours on a potentially volatile subject against our terms of use.

I didn't say that you couldn't have an opinion. I suggested that you go away & take that particular one with you.

Is expressing an opinion against terms of use?

In this case maybe the opinion is not strictly a "political" matter, it is, apparently in david's mind, a human rights matter. I think.

Human rights, specifically womens rights, have been front and center "politically" in the good ole USA. Meanwhile Boko Haram, a heavily armed group in David's part of the world is perpetrating the most savage attacks on juvinile women possibly in the history of mankind. In that context, it is difficult or impossible to separate the imagery of a rifle designed to kill humans with the disgusting acts of the people wielding such mechanized power hold over innocent girls.

Likewise, in that context, do we relegate the subject opinion to politics? Should the rape and human trafficking that is clearly made possible (in any location) at the end of a gun be relegated to politics? Or do we put these massive problems above the realm of partisan bickering?

I get the American GI nostalgia pin up stuff. I do.

I also get the insanely serious and deadly nature of what is happening in other parts of the world.

Drawing some kind of tenuous parallel between expressing an opinion of what effing clothes someone should or shouldn't wear is myopic as hell and totally out of context to what is bothering David.

Probably. I don't want to put words in anyone's mouth.

That said, I understand this forum isn't necessarily a democracy. The distinction is left to the powers that be and I'm okay with that.

If anyone wants my opinion, lol, as I said before, I'd rather have an open forum where Piss Christ, or religious imagery can be posted alongside other provocative images and all be discussed without harassment of the people posting such images.

Alas, we are representitive of our imperfect world.

Cheers.

This is the most intelligent post in this thread. This is a global forum and sometimes we can't see or understand what is happening in the rest of the world and how that affects someone's perception and feelings.

PhotosGuy wrote in post #18613569
IMO, this is like telling the bride that you're offended that she's wearing white. Just keep your opinion to yourself & go away.

PhotosGuy wrote in post #18613679
And yet you feel the need to express yours on a potentially volatile subject against our terms of use.


I didn't say that you couldn't have an opinion. I suggested that you go away & take that particular one with you.

See, this is where things get muddy. You are known to own and love guns. Naturally that means you oppose David's views and opinion, which is your good right. But you are also a moderator which means you're expected to not take sides but take a neutral stand in case a dispute on the board occurs. The very least you should do is stay out of this discussion altogether.

Pekka may actually be the only unbiased staff member here when it comes to guns.

Levina de Ruijter wrote in post #18613833
Pekka may actually be the only unbiased staff member here when it comes to guns.

Maybe so. Certainly, Pekka phrases his posts more politely.

DaviSto wrote in post #18613457
LHB ... I don't think you have misunderstood me but, just in case ... I am not looking to have anything banned or disallowed. Freedom of expression is the first and last thing we have to hold onto. I just want to be able to say what I think ... the same as the other guy.

In that case, I'm having a hard time understanding your issue? If you have a problem with guns and girls in the same image, then do as Pekka suggested. Ignore that members posts, and certainly do not go into them to complain. As you yourself said, we want to hold onto freedom of expression. Some people like guns and women together. When you go into one of those threads to complain, you are really imposing your views onto others, and making an unwritten suggestion that others should only like the same things you do, now aren't you?

DaviSto wrote in post #18613483
I don't feel singled out. But I wasn't making a political statement. I was just saying that I found images put in front of my face utterly obnoxious. What am I supposed to do differently in that situation?

Don’t forget about your comments about my pictures being of underaged women. Insinuating that my photos were child pornography. Love the tone you have in this thread compared to the tone you showed me Someone who can’t control themselves over a photo someone else took really should seek mental help.

We’re straying off the real subject here. His comments on my thread weren’t just that he didn’t like them, it went straight into insults. As if I was beneath him because how could I take a picture like that. I refrained from sinking to his level because I could see there was a mental issue he was fighting on his own. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t want to say a few things. I’m pretty sure most of his posts were deleted because, yes, they were insulting. I was happy to see him gone. I don’t care what you take pictures of. If the lighting is off a bit, I may comment if that’s what’s asked for. If I like the picture I’ll tell you but by no means am I going to insult your idea of art or you personally for taking a picture. Like I said, anyone who can’t control themselves over something on the internet, really should consider one on one time with a therapist. This is not an insult but my advice.