REMOVAL OF WEB FORUM POSTINGS

[Porshagod]

I fully understand that some postings on our web forum may need to be removed for one reason or the other by the moderators.

My suggestion, only as a matter of courtesy, is that the moderator inform the poster that their post was removed, with possibly a short explanation as to why.

[catchacab]

[Wellardmac]

Absolutely! That's the way that it should happen.

Apologies on Mike's behalf.

He realized after he had deleted your thread that you might not have seen his posting in it stating that it was in danger of being deleted if you did not do so. He also realized that he had not mailed you to let you know what was happening. I asked him to follow-up, but I guess it didn't happen. I know we were both in-between things when it happened.

We usually try to make sure that an email or PM gets sent, but in this case it slipped through the cracks.

Mike hasn't had as much practice deleting threads as I have.

The post was removed because the device that was being posted for sale was illegal to own and operate under the PA Vehicle Code - Title 75 § 3105 (g)

[Porshagod]

Original poster deleted his post, as such all following discussion was deleted.

[Wellardmac]

Original poster deleted his post, as such the discussion was deleted at the request of several of the parties involved.

The deletion of the thread was not a judgement of the merits of the arguments/opinions of any of the involved parties.

[Wellardmac]

One thing to remember from this case is that none of the posters involved broke forum rules. They may have expressed unpopular opinions, but no rules were broken. As was correctly pointed out, removal of posts because they express an unpopular opinion is censorship, it's just a matter of whether you're on the giving or receiving end of it.

Brian and I are very cautious in our enforcement of the rules and are reluctant to delete posts unless rules have clearly been broken (and even then we usually give the original poster an opportunity to change their posts). Just because someone disagrees with a post does not make it wrong, unless forum rules have been broken or constitutes a personal attack on an individual.

Remember, unpopular opinions are protected speech under the 1st amendment. We may not agree with an opinion, but as Americans we should fight to the death to protect the right of someone to hold that opinion.

[Porshagod]

I commend the moderators for their handling of the issue.